


All I Ask of You

by ZombieResponseTeam



Series: Frebecca [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Abuse, Fred Weasley love, Harry Potter - Freeform, Harry Potter's twin - Freeform, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-27
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:48:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 100
Words: 470,998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28363428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZombieResponseTeam/pseuds/ZombieResponseTeam
Summary: The night that Voldemort killed Lily and James Potter, the night that left Harry Potter with his famous scar, his twin sister was killed.  Or so the world thought.Also on Wattpad.  Completed and sequel underway.
Relationships: Harry/Ginny, Hermione/Ron, OC/Fred Weasley
Series: Frebecca [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2178483
Comments: 7
Kudos: 43





	1. Chapter 1

The door to the house blew in as the caped man entered. He reached up, pushed his cape back and smiled as he watched the man, James, jump from the couch. James turned, trying to shield his infant daughter from the spell.

"Avada Kedavra!"

James' body dropped like a stone, still holding her. The child lay still in his arms, unconscious. As far as Voldemort was concerned, they both lay dead.

"Now for the others." He thought to himself, laughing as he began ascending the stairs to get the mother before she could go too far.

Lily's scream pierced the night's silence, she fell to her knees in front of the crib. Voldemort uttered the words once more. As he turned to the boy, he found that the child would not fall victim to his spell.

Voldemort focused once more, putting all of his magic behind his last attempt to kill the child, and failed. The boy lay in his crib, the girl in their dead father's arms. Voldemort was gone.

Lily and James Potter were dead, their twin children alive.

*******************************************

Janet Irvine was walking home from the graveyard shift when she past the house, now a pile of rubble. She could hear a baby crying from somewhere within! Finding herself fueled with adrenaline that only appears as maternal instinct kicks in-she sprinted to the house and ran through what would have once been the front door. She followed the crying to the right and found a body holding the squirming, crying child.

Janet walked closer, lifting the man's arm and grabbing the child out of death's grasp wanting, no, needing to comfort the babe.

"Oh my goodness, what a brave little child. What on earth happened here, hmmm?" Janet cooed to the child who had grabbed onto Janet's finger with her loose arm.

Janet had to make a decision: She and her husband had been trying and unable to have a child for the last three years. Now, here was a child. If she called the police about what had happened, the child would go into care.

"You know how that goes. Those children end up moving from house to house, no stability, no love. It would be in the best interest of the child to take her home, yes, the best interest of the child. I am just being a good samaritan." 

She was rationalizing with herself. Justifying. There was no point though, she already knew this child was going home with her. Janet turned to look at the child and found a bracelet around her little wrist. It said Rebecca on it in cursive.

"Rebecca?" Janet cooed at the baby. "Ready to come home, angel?"

With that, Janet held the baby against her chest, humming a cradle song, and continued her walk home.

*******************************************

When Janet returned to her home, her husband William was surprised to say the least. He was filled with joy at the idea of a child, but he was concerned about how they would explain the sudden appearance of an infant. It seemed like fate had smiled at them: Janet had found Rebecca three days before they moved house. William's job was relocating to the other side of England, allowing the couple just the fresh start that they needed to keep Rebecca without raising any questions.

As the now-larger Irvine family settled into their new family dynamic and house, odd, unexplainable events began to occur. When the baby cried in the middle of the night, the lights would turn on in Janet and William's bedroom. For the first four months of life with Rebecca, they blamed it on old, faulty wiring. Then, on Rebecca's first birthday, William began to suspect something strange was in their new home. Rebecca was sitting on the floor of the living room while Janet played with a balloon with her. Rebecca loved the balloon and shrieked with laughter each time she pulled on the string. Rebecca played with the balloon for the hour before her nap and didn't want to go to her crib. All she wanted was to keep playing with the balloon. Much to the new parent's surprise, no matter where they put the balloon, it always ended up in Rebecca's nursery. Neatly tied to her wrist with a bow. They argued about who had played a trick on the other by tying it there, but neither of them had. Even after they had popped the balloon, it would reappear unscathed.

Janet began to fear the house. William made a call to the church they had recently joined and the priest came over to cleanse the house. Still, the events continued to happen. As soon as Rebecca uttered a cry, Janet and William would tend to her immediately, they had learned that by doing that, things didn't move around the house.

As Rebecca continued to grow older and more independent, the occurrences diminished. Janet put all that had happened behind her, blaming it on the lack of sleep that came with a child paired with strange coincidences. Rebecca continued to develop. She skipped the crawling phase and pulled herself up on the couch one day during playtime.

"Come here Rebecca, walk to mummy!" Janet called. "Come here baby girl!"

Rebecca moved one chubby leg, then the other, as she let go of the edge of the couch. She stumbled over to Janet who scooped her up and blew a raspberry onto her tummy.

"Will! Come quick!"

William entered the room, looking at Rebecca apprehensively. Rebecca let out a squeal and turned from her mother to toddle to her father. When she finally arrived, she grabbed onto his leg while he stood straight, ignoring her completely. Janet had excused all of the strangeness surrounding Rebecca, but her husband could not be convinced that it was not evil. Janet noticed the loss of warmth in his eyes as he looked at their daughter. She always had an excuse: He had had a long day at work, his allergies were acting up, he hadn't slept well the night before. She would not admit to herself that his love for Rebecca was gone, she couldn't even imagine it. Janet didn't ask him to change her or hold her anymore. It hurt her heart too much to see the man she loved holding her child with such unfeeling eyes. It hurt to watch him peel Rebecca off of him when she laid her head on him. It hurt her to watch to watch him close himself off.

*******************************************

Soon, Rebecca was five years old and her favorite word was, "Why?"

Rebecca, it's time for bed. "Why?"

Rebecca, pick up your toys. "Why?"

Rebecca, don't unbuckle your seatbelt. "Why?"

Unfortunately, answering for your safety to a five year old was not reason enough to not unbuckle your seatbelt. As Janet reached back to buckle Rebecca again, she knocked the wheel with her knee and swerved off the road, hitting a tree. She was killed on impact. Rebecca, now unbuckled, was able to get out of her seat. She climbed over the crushed front row. When the police got there, she was still shaking Janet's shoulder, asking for her mummy to wake up.

William got the call while at work. He fell to his knees, the phone still in his hand. All William had in the world was a child he didn't love and a house with memories of his wife. Two weeks later, Janet's funeral was held. Rebecca didn't understand that her mum was gone. She couldn't understand that she wouldn't come home with them. She cried out for her as she slept and learned to cry herself back to sleep. William offered no her comfort, no support in her grief.

Rebecca grew up quickly. She became a somber, withdrawn child. By the time she was seven, she and William hardly spoke. She hardly spoke at all. Her school teachers all chalked her silence and lack of socializing as typical childhood shyness that she was bound to out grow. At home, William and Rebecca were strangers living in the same house.

*******************************************

William woke up each morning, went to work, coming home before the sunset. Each night, he returned with a case of beer. He no sooner was in the car after exiting the shop that he popped the tab of his first one for the night. By the time he made it home, he had already finished two or three. The back seat of his car was a graveyard of cans. He then sat in his recliner, watched TV, drank himself into a stupor and stumbled to bed. Rebecca liked those days. She liked his sleepy days. On other days, after he got home, he was angry. The angry nights became more and more frequently.

"Why did she have to be the one to die?"

"Why am I stuck with you?"

"How could she leave me with you, when you're a freak?"

Both William and Rebecca asked themselves the last question. Rebecca's bedroom became her fortress, her safety. She read the few books she had and went to the library almost everyday after school to find more. She and the librarian, Mrs. Figg became good friends. As Mrs. Figg talked about her many, many cats, Rebecca imagined being cared for as Mrs. Figg cared for them. She dreamed of love.

By the time Rebeca was nine years old, William's drinking problem was only growing worse. Soon, he was drinking with breakfast. Then, with lunch. Then he stopped going to work. Rebecca stayed at the library longer and longer, trying to be at, what was once a home, her home, as little as possible. Mrs. Figg noticed that she stayed until closing every night and invited her to dinner one night. Soon, Mrs. Figg had her over for dinner more nights of the week than not. One spring night, Rebecca asked Mrs. Figg if she could stay with her for the night. Mrs. Figg was so happy at the thought of someone else in the house again she promptly had a heart attack. Rebecca called for the ambulance and stayed with her until she could hear the ambulance siren. Then, she kissed Mrs. Figg's forehead and left. Rebecca never went back to the library and she never returned to Mrs. Figg's house. Her father's years of blaming her for her mother's death made it all too easy for her to accept that she must have had something to do with Mrs. Figg's heart attack. She was afraid that if she went back to the old lady, Mrs. Figg wouldn't make it out alive and Rebecca would have killed someone else she loved.

With Rebecca's refuge of Mrs. Figg's gone, her home life continued its downward spiral. Every time Rebecca left her bedroom, she was terrorized. Blamed for her mother's death, blamed for his unemployment, blamed for the weather, it didn't matter to William. If it upset him, it was her doing. It didn't matter how intoxicated he became, he knew that when her door opened, she was there to hear his misery, to take his drunken rage, to feel his anger.

The Bureau for Child Safety showed up for a wellness check after an anonymous call. William answered the door and acted like it was a ridiculous accusation from a perturbed neighbor. Nothing came of the report. Nothing, except for new bruises for Rebecca.

"You dare call them on me? You think I don't treat you good enough? Guess what, this is better than most murderers get treated!"

Murderer. That word echoed in her mind for a long time after that beating. She hadn't called them, why would she have? She was convinced that she deserved this treatment. After all, she killed her mother.

*******************************************

Life continued in this poor manner for the next year and a half. Rebecca was now ten and (almost) a half years old. Everyday when she woke up, she would sit up in bed, too sore for a child to be, get on her knees, and pray. She prayed to God for help to make it one more day. She always prayed before bed, just like Janet had taught her. Before bed, she prayed to not wake up to the painful hell that had become her life.

For some reason, that was the day God answered her prayers. She woke up and got ready for school silently. She couldn't even remember the last time she had spoken. She put her bag on slowly, knowing that the slightest noise would wake him. If he was to be called violent drunk, he was murderous hungover. She left her bedroom, peeking her head out the door to look down the hall before leaving. Carrying her shoes in her hand tiptoeing across the house, she exited the front door. Once off the porch and walking to school and the house out of sight, she was able to breathe easier. She didn't know that would be her last day at school. If she had, she would have turned in her homework early.

School had been out for four hours, yet Rebecca found herself wandering around town. She knew where to go to be alone. Once the summer sun set and the temperature started dropping, she knew she had to go back.

Picking up her school bag from the ground next to her, she pretended it was full of camping supplies and she was going on a hike to the top of the Swiss Alps. She would climb all the way to the top and never come down. She would be alone, but she would be free. Rebecca arrived back at the house too quickly.

The front door squeaked as she slowly pushed it open. What she expected was to find William in the living room surrounded by can, as was usual. What she expected was not what she got, instead William was sitting on a chair he had pulled into the entry way.

"Go in your room and get a jacket."

Rebecca's eyes immediately dropped to floor in his presence. Eye contact tended to make him angry. She nodded and went to do as she was told, confused all the while. She put her backpack in her room and swapped it for her winter coat from last year. She desperately needed a new one, but William told her to make do with what she had. As she was leaving, her eyes connected with the one picture she had of her mother. It was the last picture of her in the house, William had destroyed every other one. She had the strangest feeling go over her: She needed to bring that picture. She took the miniature frame and put it in her coat pocket.

When she left her room, William was standing at the front door.

"Go get in the car."

Rebecca, again, did as she was told. Asking questions only prolonged and brought the torture on sooner. William locked the front door behind him and met her at his car. Once they were both in, he started the engine and started driving.

"I hate you."

That was all he said as the house fell out of sight. His eyes clear, his breath clean, his speech unslurred. He was stone-cold sober. Rebecca felt nothing when he said that, with how he had treated her since Janet's death five years ago, she had known his feelings for her long before the car ride. He continued to drive. He seemed certain in where he was going. Outside the car windows, the English countryside continued to blur.

Three hours after he had ordered her into the car, he made a right into heading into a field. He continued down a few ways, slowing to a crawl and then speeding back up in a few different spots. Finally, he stopped the car and put it in park in the middle of the country. Rebecca couldn't see any lights anywhere, the pitch black of the outside was only cut by the headlights.

William sighed, then said, "Get out. Don't look for me and don't you dare come back to my house. If I see you again, I will not hesitate-I will kill you." He turned around in his seat, looking at her one last time.

"How could she have ever loved you?" That was the last thing he said was not even to her, but asking of himself.

Rebecca felt the lump in her throat grow, it was impossible to swallow, her eyes welled with tears. She knew though that nothing she could say would change anything. She didn't let a single tear fall until she was outside of the car. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of thinking he hurt her. The first tear escaped when the tail lights disappeared from view. After the first tear, she couldn't stop.

She was entirely alone in the middle of nowhere and she had no one in the world who would be looking for her. There wasn't even anyone who would even notice she was missing.


	2. Chapter 2

Rebecca was on her knees. She had pulled her jacket around her as tightly as she could, but the night's chill crept in. William's car had been gone for thirty minutes, according to her watch. She was accepting the fact that he wouldn't be returning.

Most ten and a half year olds don't have to think about their futures, but there sat Rebecca facing the uncertainty that came with the unknown.

"It could always be worse, he could have not told me to bring a jacket." Always a glass-half-full kind of person, like her mother taught her to be.

Rebecca reached into the pocket and held her mother's picture in her hand. Not taking it out, just letting her thumb stroke the edge of the frame while she thought. A few minutes later, she stood up, brushed her knees off, and turned in a slow circle.

"Well, that was the direction he drove off in and I cannot go back. I wish it wasn't so dark. Hmmm, what should I do..."

Finally, she made a decision: She was done living in fear. Looking one last time in the direction he went, she turned 180º and went in the absolute opposite direction. 

At first, it was easy. She felt like there was purpose in her movements. That only lasted for the first two hours. Then she was out of the open field she had been left in and entering a tree line. The night had only gotten colder and sweat dripped down her back like ice cubes. She never took her hand away from her mother's picture.

Rebecca decided to dive into her imagination again as she walked on. This time, she was being chased by men in suits. They blundered through the forest to chase after her, but she was smarter than they were. They wanted to find her because she knew the information about the secret information about their plans to assassinate the Queen! If they found her, they'd wipe her memory and take her back to William's. 

She crept from tree to tree, humming what could only be an action movie theme. For an hour she played. As the end of the trees approached, she looked around and did a somersault out. Escaping the men in suits. 

She was in another field. Sighing, she continued to walk, too tired to keep playing.

*******************************************

Rebecca walked through the night, stopping only once to tie her shoe. She had no way of knowing how far she walked, but her legs ached with every step she took. Her stomach growled intermittently.

"I haven't eaten since yesterday morning." She thought sadly. Still, she walked on.

Eventually the sun rose and in the light, it grew warm. Her jacket now tied around her waist, Rebecca was thirsty. In the distance, she could see another grouping of trees. 

"Okay, as soon as I get to those trees I'll take a little break. Maybe they'll be some water."

The trees grew closer ever so slowly. The sun beat down on her, her neck, arms, and face quickly reddening. When she got to the trees, she entered so she was in the shade and plopped next to one. She leaned against it and put her head back. She was asleep in minutes.

*******************************************

William had not hurried back to his house. He took side roads and picked up breakfast on his way into town. He, after leaving the person he blamed solely for everything negative in his life, felt lighter. He felt happy for the first time in almost six years. When he got home, he collected the cans from around the house, put a load of laundry in, and opened a book. 

"Maybe I can call John tomorrow and see if he can get me my job back." He mused. He flipped the page while whistling a tune. He was at peace.

*******************************************

When Rebecca's eyes opened again, it was past one o'clock. She stretched, her stomach growling pitifully. Her mouth was dry, her tongue like sandpaper. She needed water badly. Rebecca climbed to her feet and continued on her walking, stumbling on her sore feet and legs. 

Her head was foggy felt like it was filled with cotton. Her feet started to make a shlurping noise whenever she lifted them. The forest floor was made of nothing but mud. 

"Great, this is so much better."

Rebecca walked a few more paces and then stopped.

"Mud. Mud is dirt and water. Mud needs water. I need water."

She came to a complete stop and looked around, seeing the the mud was looked wetter to her right. Heading in that direction, she found new energy in the prospect of water. It took a few minutes, but she finally found the source of the wet environment. A pond. Approaching without caution, she dropped to her knees and cupped her hands to collect some water. It was cool, clear, and just what she needed to continue. She put her hands on the ground in front of her and plunged her face in, drinking as much as she could as quickly as she could.

Needing air, she sat up. Rebecca felt much better. She took one last handful of water to her mouth and stood up, ready to walk more.

Rebecca walked until the sun was setting over the horizon. She had to choose whether to leave the trees she was under and keep going or to stay there for the night. She wanted to stay, but she made herself keep going.

"It's important to keep going while there's still daylight. I'll sleep at the next bunch of trees."

She marched on. The sky was darkening, hiding the afternoon sun with thick cloud cover. Thick, dark cloud cover. The rain drops started to fall a half hour later. Slowly, then ferociously. Soon she was soaked to the bone and shivering. Then the thunder and lightning began.

She turned to the sky, "Why me? What did I ever do? WHY?" 

The sky had no answer, only a deafening crack of thunder. She could see the beginning of the next little forest in the distance. The sun was just barely above the trees, soon it would be dark. Not wanting to walk in the pouring rain at all, but certainly not in pitch black, Rebecca walked faster her legs disagreeing with every step.

Almost to the safety of trees, she found herself going even faster. This was a skinny forest, only eight or nine meters deep, but she could see that there was a little tree house up a tree. It looked old and she didn't even know if it would still hold the weight of a person, but it was not the only building she could see. 

There was a house not far from the edge of the trees in a clearing. A tall, leaning house. Finding energy in the prospect of food, she decided to scope out the house first, then return to the tree house after. 

The house was bustling with noise and activity. Pale bodies with bright red hair bustled past one another, up the stairs, down the stairs, from the kitchen, to the kitchen, eventually all going to a room at the front of the house with a long table and nine mismatched chairs surrounded the table. Rebecca went on her tiptoes, watching the family laugh together as they began to eat. She felt a pain in her chest thinking about her life. 

She continued around towards the back of the house looking in all the windows she could reach along the way. There was no activity in the house aside from where they were eating. She found a door. 

Rebecca reached a shaking hand up to it slowly, afraid that as soon as she touched it it would be thrown open and she would be caught. Instead, it was unlocked and swung open silently. She looked down at her sopping wet clothing and muddy trainers, but could only think of her hunger. It had been close to 48 hours since she had last had anything to eat and she had done nothing but walk countless kilometers. 

She scraped as much as she could off her shoes before entering the house silently. Finding herself in the kitchen, she was amazed by her luck. The pantry door was open with foods of all kinds inside. Rebecca grabbed an armful of things that could be eaten without cooking: biscuits, crackers, a few bottles of water, an apple. When her arms were full, she turned back to the door she came through and whispered an apology to the family. Even though she was starving, she had a strong sense of right and wrong and was ashamed at herself for stealing.

"I have to eat. There is no avoiding it: It's eat or die."

Standing in the doorway troubled with her thieving, her stomach demanded that she leave. Grabbing the door and closing it slowly, Rebecca went back into the storm and back to the trees. The problem with getting up the tree house was how to climb up the ladder pegs nailed onto the tree with the armful of food. 

"Maybe if I make my jacket a sac?" Rebecca cracked a smile, imagining herself as a homeless person on a train with the red handkerchief stick bags. Piling the food into the middle of the jacket and grabbing the ends, she was able to start climbing. The house was only three meters up. Rebecca was up and out of the rain in no time. 

Before she had even checked for the stability of the old refuge, she had torn open the biscuits and opened a bottle of water. For a few minutes, all she could do was eat. Unfortunately, eating so quickly after having not eaten in so long, nausea quickly overcame her. The last thing she did before could lie down and hold her stomach was to move all of the food she now had to the driest edge and take the framed photo of her mother out and put it with it. Only a few droplets of water were on the glass and Rebecca quickly wiped them away. Another wave of nausea rolled through her and she let her head lie flat against the floor of the tree house. Sleep eventually came.

*******************************************

Rebecca lived in the tree house for two weeks. She went into the house to take food and fill her water bottles every few days, mostly in the middle of the night. The red-haired family never seemed to lock their doors. 

During this time, the matriarch of the family, Molly Weasley, had noticed that things were going missing and moved around. The biscuits that would have normally lasted two weeks were gone seemingly overnight. At first, she put it down to Ron, her youngest son. That boy had an appetite--However, when she asked him about the missing sweets, he was adamant that he had nothing to do with them. Normally Molly would have pushed harder, but she could tell that he was telling the truth. She asked his younger sister, Ginny. Again, not eating them. 

She asked her twin sons Fred and George about the missing food and moved things, thinking to herself that if it wasn't Ron's appetite and it wasn't Ginny, it would have been her two trouble makers.

"Mum, do you really think we would cause you trouble?"

"I know George, it's seems like she is assuming that we make mischief. It hurts my feelings."

"It hurts mine too, Fred."

Despite their theatrics, Molly's inner, motherly lie detector didn't go off. She could not find an explanation. The food disappeared for the two weeks Rebecca was in the tree house.

After having been rained on and subsequently damp through the cold night, as well as in the cold every night since, Rebecca had come down with a serious cold. Sniffling, coughing, sneezing, chills, feverish. And she was out of water. Knowing she had to go into the house that night exhausted her further, but it had to be done. Checking her watch and finding it barely after two, she was happy there was enough time for a nap.

*******************************************

When she woke again, it was late enough to go in the house. She collected her few bottles from around the tree house and started to go down the ladder. Rebecca felt heavy with the exhaustion that comes with illness. And with her exhaustion and cold came an increased level of noise.

Just as she was screwing the lid on her last water bottle, she felt a tickle building at the back of her throat leading up to her nose. Oh no, she knew what was going to happen.

Aachewww!

The sneeze was so loud and powerful that she launched snot down to her chin. As she her hands went up to her face, she knocked all three water bottles off of the counter. The bottles clattered everywhere, water spread across the floor. Above her, she heard the floorboards squeak and then heard the sound of people coming down the stairs.

"I have to leave now. If I'm here when they get down here, they're going to know I've been stealing from then. They're going to call the police and then I'll go to jail or have to go back William's an-and then he will kill me."

Rebecca turned, running to the back door to get back to the safety of the tree house. Tomorrow, she would have to start walking again. Looking for a different place to stay. The noise from the stairs got louder as she reached the halfway point from the sink to the back door. That was when she slipped and hit the corner of the counter.

Everything went dark.

*******************************************

Arthur was the first one down the stairs, Molly right behind him. Molly expected to find one of the twins as the reason for the noise, certainly not a stranger. Arthur stepped off the stairs first and warned Molly that the floor was wet. 

"Arthur, what is it?" Molly asked out to her husband. 

"I don't know. Throw me a towel, her nose is bleeding." Arthur caught the towel Molly tossed to him and wiped at her face. He reached under her head to put it on his lap. Molly was on the floor on the other side of him.

Molly cast a spell to clean the water mess up off the floor. Arthur thanked her and asked her to check her for a fever as he held the towel to her nose and had his hand on her wrist to check for a pulse. Molly gasped as she moved her hair from her forehead. Above her left eyebrow was a scar. A scar that every witch and wizard of the wizarding world knew belonged to Harry Potter, it was the scar he got after he survived Voldemort's attack. 

Why did this child have a scar like his? Better yet, why was she in their kitchen?

"Arthur, write an owl to Dumbledore, make sure he knows it's urgent. Fred, George, come help me move her. Ron and Ginny clear the couch and put a sheet down. Someone bring me another towel!" 

Molly put one hand behind the girls head and the other under her legs, lifting her with ease. Her head lolled back, limp. Her nose had finally stopped bleeding. Once Molly had her on the couch, she used the extra towel to wipe away some of the built up grime along her body. Her face was narrow and almost gaunt, her cheekbones were sharp and her hair was pitch black. Molly continued to wipe at her face until nothing covered her pale face. Molly took one last look at her scar and then brushed her hair back over it. Molly checked her arms and legs for anything major and found nothing. As she reached the end of her legs, she saw that her trainers were tattered and her toes fit through holes at the ends. Molly untied them and gave them to Ron and told him to put them outside. Her socks were not in any better condition.

Arthur came into the living room, "Letter is out to Dumbledore, much to the displeasure of that owl. You would have thought that we'd asked him to do something other than his job." He chuckled until he saw the serious, worried look on Molly's face. "How is she?" He asked, sensing that Molly needed to release what she was thinking.

"I don't know. On the outside, all she seems is dirty, skinny, and sick. That scar, Arthur. What could that scar mean? Why would she have Harry Potter's scar?"

Arthur and Molly were whispering to each other, comparing theories about the scar and where the girl came from, why she was in their house. As they whispered to each other, the Weasley children were comparing their own theories in the kitchen.

"I betchya she's an alien!" Ron offered to the conversation.

"Ron, don't be such a twit, I bet she's a runaway." Ginny countered.

"Well, we bet she's Harry Potter's twin!" Fred and George said in unison, cackling at the absurdity of the idea.

Back in the living room, the girls was waking. Molly was at her head and Arthur was next to her. As soon as her eyes opened, they met Molly's. Her eyes were a brilliant green behind her scratched and dirty glasses. They seemed wise beyond her years, old eyes. "Hey there, I'm Molly and this is Arthur Weasely, my husband. Are you okay, any pain?"

The girl sat for a moment, silent. She opened her mouth once and closed it, thinking further. "I am so sorry."

As soon as she finished her sentence, there was loud crack from outside. Someone knocked on the door. Arthur went to get the door while Molly reached up and stroked the side of her face, "What on earth could you be sorry for?"

Her eyes welled with tears, "I didn't want to take from you. I was just so hungry. I'm sorry about the water, too, on the floor."

"I don't want to hear another apology from you, little lady. The food would have been eaten anyway. The water? The floor needed a good mopping anyway." Molly smiled down to her. "Now, do you have a name or shall I make one up for you?"

"Rebecca."

The old man who knocked on the door came into the living room, led by Arthur. He came around the couch and stood behind Molly, placing a hand on her shoulder. He slowly got down on his knees next to her.

"Is this your father, Mrs. Weasley?" Rebecca asked to Molly as she looked at this strange, grey-bearded man. They both had kind eyes.

"No. I am not her father, Rebecca. My name is Albus Dumbledore. I am a friend to all, even those who think they don't need one."

Rebecca nodded and put a hand under her to sit herself up on the couch. She turned into the couch and put her face into her elbow, letting out a batch of the most ferocious, body shaking coughs any of the adults in the room had ever heard.

"Ginny, put the kettle to boil." Molly called to the kitchen.

"Molly, you stay here with Albus, I'll make the tea." Molly thanked Arthur as he left towards the kitchen.

"Where did you say that you found her?" Dumbledore asked Molly quietly. 

Rebecca's cheeks burned red as Molly told him how they'd found her, unconscious in the kitchen floor. Dumbledore turned to Rebecca and asked her why she wasn't in her home.

Rebecca looked down and reluctantly at first, explained everything. Starting with how her mother found her, how she died. Tears fell from her eyes when she talked about life with William right after the funeral. They fell harder when she talked about how life had been with him for the more recent years, the cruelties that she had suffered at his hands. Her cheeks were ridden with tear streaks, but no more fell as she told them how he'd left her. How he had abandoned her. What he told her would happen if she came back. She stopped, coughing once more as she explained how she'd found the tree house out there. Molly laughed, "I've been telling Arthur that old thing needed to be torn down for years. It's a good thing he never did!"

Dumbledore smiled down at Rebecca. She was confused at the kindness that was being shown to her. It was the most kindness she could ever remember experiencing. "Now, when they wrote to me so urgently, they mentioned a scar. May I see it please?"

"You mean this one?" She pulled the leg of her pants up above her knee, gesturing to the slightly-faded red scar going from her shin around her leg and then up to the middle of her thigh. "I was pushed out the door one day; I fell down the stone stairs and there was a sharp edge next to a chip in the stone of the middle step. It never really went away. Don't worry though, it doesn't hurt anymore."

"Oh my. I bet that really hurt." Dumbledore said warmly, exuding the parental empathy that she hadn't heard in so long. He reached towards the hand holding the pant leg up and rested his on hers. "No, they mentioned a peculiar scar, perhaps of a strange shape?"

"Oh, that one. I don't really think about it. My mother always told me that she found me one day and that I had it already." As she spoke, she took the hand that Dumbledore wasn't holding and moved her hair off of her forehead, revealing her lightning scar.

"Very interesting. Rebecca, did your mother ever say where exactly she found you?"

"No sir, she only said that it was in a knocked down house. I never asked where the house was."

"That's okay, thank you for sharing so much with us. I, we, are thankful and I want you to know that it will be okay now. We are going to help figure out what to do next. I'm going to reach out to a friend of mine. She may be able to help us find some missing details and connect the dots."

"Rebecca, do you mind if we have the children come keep you company as we speak in the kitchen?" Molly asked her.

"That's okay with me." 

Arthur came in and set a mug of tea down on the table in front of her. "Thank you." Rebecca said. She went to have a sip and found that it was a cup of the most delicious tea. The warm drink calmed her coughing and she felt at peace. 

Molly, Arthur, and Dumbledore all went to kitchen as he sent for Professor McGonagall. Molly was explaining to the children that they were to go sit with her and not ask any intrusive questions. Only polite conversation. With a few threats of punishment and permanent de-gnoming duty, the children said what was needed to calm their mother's worries.

They filed into the living room, taking different spots around the room. Awkward silence filled the room, no one sure what to say.

"So. What were you doing in our kitchen?" Were the words Ron chose to break the silence.

Whack.

"What Ginny? I'm only asking. Bloody hell. You hit too hard, you know! It's not like anyone else is saying anything, anyway."

At the normalcy that ensued between the siblings started, Rebecca went to pick up her tea again. The voices of conversation quickly filled the living room, one of the first times that she had spent time speaking around other children in a very long time. Ginny opened the book she had grabbed off the table and as soon as Rebecca saw the cover, the two girls were deep in conversation about who their favorite character was and what they thought was going to end up happening. 

Rebecca finished her tea and found herself exhausted. Everyone in the room was up far later than normal. The children around the room fell asleep one by one where they sat. Fred and George were up last, they took it upon themselves to cover their brother and sister and the strange new girl up before they fell asleep, too.


	3. Chapter 3

The three adults in the kitchen spoke in hushed tones, unaware that they were the only ones awake in the Burrow and their whispering was unneeded. The crack of an apparition could be heard from the front of the house and then a knocking at the front door. Molly went to get the door, preparing a scolding for her children that were so rudely ignoring a guest. 

The scolding died in her throat when she saw all of them fast asleep across the living room, noting the peaceful look on Rebecca's face. When she was awake, she looked tired. Not the kind of tired that is to be expected after lack of sleep, but the tiredness that comes with hardship. Asleep, she looked like a child again.

Molly opened the door, inviting the professor in. 

"Can I see her?" McGonagall said after she had stepped into the house, much too loudly surrounded by that many sleeping children. Molly tried to lead her to the kitchen quietly, but McGonagall noticed the sleeping faces illuminated by the lights of the hall. Taking the scenic route to the kitchen, McGonagall walked past the couch to see her: The reason she was called. Seeing her in person left McGonagall speechless, a hand pressed to her mouth in shock. Rebecca's hair had shifted as she slept and the scar was clearly visible.

"Come, we're all in the kitchen." Whispered Molly. She really didn't want to wake her again, Molly was filled with relief that the tea had slowed that cough enough for her to sleep peacefully. McGonagall followed, only taking her eyes from Rebecca when she left the living room. McGonagall and Arthur shared a hug as they entered the kitchen and she and Dumbledore shared a hello.

"Albus, you don't think that is her, do you? She died!"

"Well Minerva, I had believed such as well."

Molly and Arthur looked at each other, lost. 

"What do you mean? You knew Lily and James had a daughter?"

Dumbledore nodded, "Not just a daughter, twins. It was discovered very late in the pregnancy, they were already in hiding. We only learned of her on the day of their birth. Harry and Rebecca."

McGonagall intervened, "When we got there that night, we only found James, Lily, and Harry. We assumed that Rebecca had been lost in the rubble, that we were too late for her."

The kitchen fell into a pensive silence. Arthur said after a few moments, "She said that her mother told her that she was found. Do you think that she found Rebecca in the wreckage before you two had arrived?" 

McGonagall considered his idea. "It is possible, though the timing would have been scarily coincidental. After the security of their house was gone, it was visible to all: Muggles and wizards. Her 'mother' could have easily entered after You-Know-Who."

Molly looked doubtful. "Other than the scar, how could this even be tested? Proven? I don't deny that there is something strange afoot, but I don't think we should tell her about Harry until we are certain. Best not to get her hopes up or cause unneeded worry."

Dumbledore nodded, "Yes, I do think you are correct. She must not know about Harry until we are certain. We don't even know if she is magical, that is first. For the relation, perhaps St. Mungo's could aid?"

Arthur looked sheepish and reached up to rub his neck, "Actually, we do know she has magical capabilities..."

Molly looked at him and her eyes widened. "You didn't."

"I did. It was so long ago, I had forgotten!"

Molly sighed, grabbing the bridge of her nose before she could enlighten the headmaster and professor as to how they were certain she was magic. "Right before Arthur built that tree house, he had seen a muggle movie about a little boy trapping his house and escaping to the tree house. I forbid the zip-line and demanded that the traps be dismantled, but-"

"-but I had left the enchantment on the tree house forbidding all non-magical bodies from entering. I forgot it was even there, both the tree house and the enchantment, until tonight."

McGonagall looked from Albus to Molly and finally to Arthur. "Okay, so that answers that. Has she seen any magic here?"

Molly shook her head, "At the time," She glanced at Arthur pointedly, "I hadn't known that she wasn't a muggle. I didn't want to risk it."

Albus sighed, "That was probably for the best. It will need to be explained to her on the morrow, but that is secondary to the biggest issue we have." He looked at the adults in the room, "What are we supposed to with Harry and, perhaps even a bigger problem, the wizarding world? Harry is the Boy Who Lived. No one knows that she was even born. Nothing and no one official had ever recognized the rumors."

There have been whispers throughout the years about a second Potter child, but nothing concrete. Until then, it had just been heresy.

"Minerva and I must return to Hogwarts before our absence is noted. I will reach out to the minister first thing in the morning. Perhaps he will have something to contribute. As for Harry, let's see how she handles magic first."

He rose from his chair and pushed it in behind him. Dumbledore walked to Molly, embracing her and then Arthur. "Do you mind keeping her until we have a more permanent placement for her?"

Molly went to answer and found Arthur ready with a response. "Hogwarts starts in a few months, as long as it is okay with Rebecca, she is more than welcome to stay here before term starts."

Minerva, now standing next to Albus scoffed, "I doubt the muggles who have had Harry would ever take in another child, let alone another wizard." Albus reached his hands out to Molly and Arthur once more, "Are you sure?"

Molly nodded, certain. "Yes, we are positive. It is what is best for her. What she needs now is kindness. And we explain magic tomorrow?"

Dumbledore and Minerva had been led to the hallway leading to the front door. All four adults stood behind the couch, looking at the collection of sleeping children.

"Yes, that is probably wise." Then, they swapped hugs and goodbyes once more before the guests apparated back. Molly and Arthur made sure that everyone had a blanket and that there were extras and then they went back to bed as well. Soon, everyone in the Burrow was back asleep as they had had been the hours before.

*******************************************

When Rebecca opened her eyes in the morning, she had forgotten where she was. Her chest crackled as she breathed and her throat ached terribly, but she felt better than she had the day before. Molly had already made another tea for her, replacing the one on the table. It couldn't have been there very long as it was still warm. The other children were not in the living room but the house was filled to the brim with noise. 

"Ginny, make sure there's an extra cup at the table."

"Ron, goodness, just take that to the table and don't eat it!"

"Fr-No George, don't you dare put that in there. I don't care what it will do! No, it will not be funny!"

Rebecca felt overwhelmed for a minute. This was how they lived, in so much noise? She had lived in silence for so long. Increased volume levels meant trouble, that was how it had always been. It was hard for her to make herself go into the noise, but she needed to ask where a bathroom was. 

Going to stand up, she found herself feeling well rested, better than she had in a while. She folded all of the blankets that were around the living room as well as the sheet they had put down under her the night before. Then, steeling her nerves, she went into the kitchen. 

"What is-" She was unable to finish her sentence. Too stunned at what was going on in the kitchen. Pots were steaming as spoons stirred them, by themselves. Ingredients went in and out of the pantry and cabinets seemingly by their own accord. Molly appeared to be the maestro of the perfect madness as she stood by the stove with a stick in hand. 

"Good morning Rebecca! Did you sleep well?" Molly asked her. There was thought behind this way of showing Rebecca magic. Molly and Arthur agreed that they wanted her to see it as the tool that it was before explaining the rest. They didn't want her to think of it as a malevolent force.

"What are you doing? Why are things moving like this? What is going on?"

Molly turned to the stairs as Arthur came down just as Ron had turned into him sending bacon everywhere. Molly, still facing the stove, waved her wand in their direction as she answered. The bacon froze and returned to its plate. Another wave and they were free of the grease that had spattered on them both.

"Can I answer all of your questions over breakfast? Arthur is running a touch behind and if I don't feed those boys," Molly leaned, whispering, "I think they might go cannibal."

Rebecca nodded in shock as Molly laughed at her own joke. Rebecca watched the things around the kitchen move with a mixture of amazement and confusion. Molly's calm demeanor calmed Rebecca. Soon enough, everyone was seated at the table, Rebecca next to Molly.

"Rebecca, I'm afraid we never introduced everyone last night. You already know Arthur and I, but I'm willing to bet that this lot never said their names?"

Ginny piped up, indignant, "I did!" Molly continued as if she hadn't heard her.

"This is Percy," She pointed to a boy at the end of the table. "This is Fred and George," She pointed to the two who had their heads turned to each other as they whispered rapidly, they didn't even look up at their names. "Ron," Ron looked to Rebecca with a kind smile. "And, apparently Ginny introduced herself last night." Every one of them had glowing red hair.

"Mum, Rebecca likes the muggle book dad brought me! We both like Jonas, remember, the one who gets the memories?"

Molly smiled warmly around the table. "Well go on! Don't let it get cold!"

The table sprung to action around her. 

"Pass the eggs." 

"Thank you." 

"Don't take it all!" 

Everyone seemed to be speaking louder than the person next to them. Rebecca paled at the chaos. "Here, let's get some of this to you before these animals eat it all." Molly put so much food on her plate that it had layers. Molly put her very full plate back down in front of her and looked at Rebecca expectantly. She grabbed her fork and started eating around the sides of the plate, trying to make a dent before it could all spill over. 

She was thrilled to be eating a hot meal, especially one so delicious! Then, Molly started the conversation that marked the beginning of Rebecca's magical enlightenment. 

"So, I'm guessing you have some questions. I will do my best to answer as much as I can, but eat up too so its not cold."

Rebecca swallowed what she as chewing and then the dam broke. 

"What was that? Are you a witch? Is Arthur? Is everyone? Do you do that everyday? Do you cast spells? What about potions, do you make potions?..." Rebecca asked so many at once that her cheeks were red as she finished. 

"Yes, it was magic..."

Molly launched into an explanation that would have impressed most Hogwarts professors: She explained to the young girl that magical people possessed the ability to use magic, you didn't have to be born into it, and that the wizarding world lived, for the most part, alongside muggles. She explained the gist of it before it occurred to Rebecca to ask another question.

"Am I magic? How could I tell? Can you tell?" 

Arthur smiled as Molly turned to him before answering. "Yes, my dear, you are magic." She explained the tree house enchantment and found that the girl was just looking at her plate.

"What's wrong? Was this too much?" Molly put a hand on her shoulder, trying to offer some comfort.

Rebecca jumped at the unexpected contact and, subconsciously, scooted to the farther edge of her chair. "What does this mean for me? Where do I go now? Do I have to... leave?"

Molly's hand fell to her lap, not hurt that Rebecca pulled away but hurt that she was scared at contact. "Well, this is where is you get a say." By now, everyone else was done with their breakfast and they began to take the dishes into the kitchen and start washing while giving Rebecca and Molly a little privacy. Arthur stood up and kissed Molly on the cheek as he left for work. "My friend last night, Dumbledore, is the headmaster of one of the greatest school for witches and wizards: Hogwarts. He has offered you the opportunity to go there when the term starts in September, if you would like to. As for what this means for you and where you go, it's up to you. But, we would love to have you stay with us until school starts, if you'd like, and after that... Well, we can cross that bridge when we get to it." Molly put her head lower to meet her eyes, "You need a break. You've been through a lot, especially in the last few weeks. But, you need to choose for you; what is best for you."

Rebecca closed her eyes and nodded, agreeing with her. "I would love to stay here, but I.. I cannot afford to go to a boarding school."

Molly laughed. "Don't be silly! The only thing you'll need for Hogwarts are the supplies and Dumbledore said that if you were to go, we were to tell you to not worry, all will work out in the end. It will be fine."

The two sat in silence for a few minutes, processing all that had been said. "I'd really like to stay here with you. And, I'd like to think about Hogwarts, too."

Molly's eyes twinkled, she felt overcome with emotion. She felt very protective of her children and, found herself already extending those feelings to Rebecca.

"Excellent. Now finish your breakfast."

*******************************************

Rebecca ate from the plate for what felt like hours, but it was eventually clean. Rebecca brought her plate into the kitchen and her stomach was full to its maximum capacity. Reaching over the sink to grab the sponge, she felt strangely normal.

"I wonder if this is how other children feel everyday?"

Other than the whole magic thing. That would take some time to get used to. If she hadn't seen how breakfast was made this morning, she would have told Molly that she was loony. But she'd seen it. She'd seen real life magic. And one day, she'd be able to do it too. Hope. That was another new felling that coursed through her. After she'd washed and dried her plate, she wasn't sure what to do with herself next. Ginny, about to go back up the stairs, noticed her lost expression.

"Want to come up to my room?"

Ginny noticed how relieved Rebecca looked. The girls turned to go up the stairs together.

"So, can I call you Becca?"

"If you'd like to, I don't mind." Rebecca had never had a nickname before.

Ginny led the way upstairs and then down past open and closed doors. Ron was laying on his bed flipping through a magazine. Percy was reading writing at his desk. In Fred and George's room, that was what really caught the attention of the two girls. Fred and George had smoke billowing out from under their door. 

"Mum! They're doing it again!" Ginny yelled to her mother.

"Blimey, the boys will be the death of me." They heard Molly muttering under her breath as she went past the girls to their room. She threw her door open so hard the floor under the girls in the hall shook.

"BOYS!" Immediately Rebecca and Ginny heard a chorus of sorry Mums and it was an accidents. Ginny reached down and grabbed Rebecca's hand, pulling her to her room. Once inside, Rebecca was surprised to find bookshelves all the way down one side of the room. Ginny noticed her eyeing the book.

"My dad brings home a copy of the books most popular with the muggles each year, 'specially the ones related to magic."

Rebecca nodded in awe at the thought of owning so many books. Then she turned to the posters adorning the rest of Ginny's room.

"What are they doing?" Ginny gasped at the question. 

"They're playing quidditch. You do know about quidditch, right!?" At Rebecca's head shake, Ginny launched into the most detailed tale about the beginning of quidditch, standard rules, and ended with her favorite team: The Holyhead Harpies. For each of Rebecca's questions, Ginny patiently answered. After Ginny's impromptu class of Quidditch 101, Rebecca felt well educated in the wizard sport. She walked to her book shelves to look at her vast collection, never touching.

"You can grab one to read, I'll clear this chair. Mum doesn't make us start our chores until after lunch during the summer, so we have some time to read."

"Are you sure? I don't want to ruin one." 

Ginny saw her new friend's tenseness at the thought of touching the books. After putting the clothes from the chair near the window to the bed, Ginny joined Rebecca at the shelf. 

"Here, it's okay. I don't mind. I think the only way to ruin a good book would be to not read it, yeah?"

Rebecca nodded, agreeing with Ginny's idea and grabbed one with an interesting, colorful spine: Matilda. "Oh I love that one! I think you will too, Roald Dahl-just great."

Rebecca and Ginny, books in hand, went to the window seat and the chair near it. They both got comfortable and started to read.

"Hey, Becca,"

"Hmm?" She answered, putting a finger in the book to hold her page and looking up.

"Mum mentioned that you'd be staying until school starts. I wanted to tell you that I'm glad you are. Ron starts this year and I'll be the only one here. I'd never tell any of them, but I think it's going to be hard. Being in such a quiet house, I mean. I will enjoy another girl around here, even just for a little while."

"I'm happy to be here too."

*******************************************

The girls read in quiet, laughing every once in a while and sharing the funny quote. 

"You know, your mum's like my own Miss Honey!" Ginny laughed with Rebecca as they got to the downstairs to eat lunch. 

"She is, isn't she!" 

"Who's who?" Molly asked, entering the kitchen to grab the last plate of sandwiches.

"Nothing mum, just something Becca and I were reading."

"Becca, huh? Well I am very happy to see you girls getting along." Molly turned to Rebecca, "Ginny can be a little rough sometimes, particularly about those Harpies."

Rebecca raised her eyebrows as she looked at Ginny who was about as red as her hair. "Mum!"

Rebecca smiled, "Mrs. Weasley, what can I do to help?"

Molly, now heading towards the table turned back towards Rebecca, "Please, just Molly. I need all the boys from upstairs. Could you two go grab them?"

Ginny and Rebecca turned and went back up the stairs. "I'll get this end, you get that end."

Ginny went off to Ron's room and then to Percy's room as Rebecca accidentally opened a door to a bathroom, a door to a closet of assorted towels, and then Ginny's room. She opened up the last door on the other side of the hall and found the twins. 

"Umm... Y-your mum said it's time for lunch." Rebecca found herself nervous in front of these boys. From the second she opened the door, they had only stared at her intensely with matching looks of anger. They continued to stare for a few moments, then suddenly cackling.

"Did you see her face!" The one on the right said as he pushed the other. Rebecca stood in the doorway, confused. Ginny went to find out what was taking her so long. "What did you two do?" Ginny asked as she saw Rebecca's expression.

Fred turned to George, confused. They had only been playing. "Hey, we were just messing around." George had turned around to grab something off one of the desks as Fred went closer to the girls. "I'm sorry if that upset you." He said, sheepishly. Rebecca, while not crying, looked like she wanted to. 

She turned to Ginny, "I think I forgot something in your room, I'll be down in a minute." Turning to leave and glancing at the two boys one last time, she saw that they both were looking at Ginny as she walked towards them slowly. Rebecca got to Ginny's room and closed the door softly behind her, finally alone, the tears fell.

"Why am I crying, they said they were just playing!" She sniffled as she thought. Then, in a moment of realization, she realized that she was scared of making the Weasley's angry. She didn't want to have to leave. Wiping her eyes, she stood up and went to the door. She took a deep breath as she turned the knob and went back out to the hallway. Before she even made it a foot out the door, she tripped over a leg sticking across the hall catching herself with her hands and sat up quickly. 

She had tripped over the legs of one of the twins because he had sat directly to the right of the door.

"Woah, are you okay?"

He untangled his legs from hers and stood up, reaching to help her as well.

"I'm okay, Fred? Sorry."

He cracked a smile, leaning to catch her eyes. "You don't have to be sorry, I was the one who sat in the doorway. And yes, I'm Fred."

He paused and the two began walking to the stairs. "I wanted to apologize for the thing in the room. We really didn't mean to scare you. George and I, we just like to joke around." 

"I'm sorry." Rebecca apologized again.

Fred's head turned back to hers, confused. "What are you sorry for?"

Rebecca thought for a moment. "I am sorry for making you say sorry, I guess." 

"Finally you two! The sandwiches are at the end but you have to pour your own crisps." Molly called to the two children as they entered the dining room.

Fred and Rebecca looked each other in the eyes once more and then turned to grab lunch. Fred was confused. He still didn't know why she had a scar like Harry Potter's, but that question had been moved to the back burner. Now he was confused why she seemed scared of him. 

Molly noticed her red eyes and looked to Ginny. Ginny shook her head and mouthed, "I'll tell you after." Molly nodded as Rebecca went to the spot next to Molly, to where she ate breakfast.

Just as she went to take a bite of her sandwich, an owl slammed in to the window with a bang! Molly sighed and went to open the window. "Rebecca, this is good news!"

*******************************************

Author's Note:  
Whew! Three chapters in three days. That is definite progress for me. I'm making a point of working on this every day and so far, it's working. Another goal I've made for this is to get each chapter to at least 3,000 words. I'm pretty happy with how it's going so far but I wanted to warn anyone reading that I don't want any romance between Fred and Rebecca until much later. Probably Rebecca' 4th year/Fred's 5th year at least. I find it weird when other fanfictions have the heavy romance start as the characters are in the 11-12 range. 

As always, please comment anything you have to suggest or any errors you find, as well as any opinions. 

xx


	4. Chapter 4

"Rebecca, this is good news!" Molly said as she finished reading the letter from Dumbledore. "Albus got has arranged an appointment tomorrow at St. Mungo's, just a check up. You and I'll have to leave with Arthur in the morning." 

Ron looked up from his sandwich excitedly, "Does that mean we get to open the cereal?"

Molly sighed. "Yes Ron, you lot can have cereal for breakfast."

Rebecca was confused. "Is cereal something else to wizards?" 

Ginny leaned closer to respond quietly, "They're just really weird. Trying to understand would take a life time."

Molly went to scold Ginny, but found that she wasn't wrong. "She's right dear, these boys are batty." Ginny and Molly laughed.

"What? What's so funny?" George asked from the other end of the table.

A three-part chorus of, "Nothing." Came from the girls and Molly. Fred and George made eye contact with their eyebrows raised.

After lunch was done, Molly stood and waved her wand, instantly clearing the table and the dishes. Rebecca's eyes widened with wonder. 

"There's no way that can ever get old."

"I want chores done before you disperse." Molly announced. The Weasley children groaned in response.

"Mrs. Weasley, what can I do?" Rebecca asked her. Molly seemed reluctant to assign her anything. "I don't know. I'm sure the rest of them can handle it. I think you should take a few days just to rest. I really didn't like that cough."

"Please, I'd really like to help. Plus, now I have a doctor's appointment: You don't need to worry. I'll do anything. I can clean the kitchen, any bathrooms, I'm really good at scrubbing floors. If you tell me to clean it, it will be absolutely spotless." She was hell-bent on helping with something.

"We don't need anything cleaned as deeply as that. I mostly use magic for it." Molly say the determination in her eyes. She was going to do something whether it was assigned or not.

Fred piped up, "Unless we're in trouble, that is."

Molly nodded and continued, "Yes, it is a good punishment. Why don't you and Ron de-gnome the garden. I saw an awful lot of them this morning. It will go quicker with two."

"Of course, thank you!" Molly smiled at her. "Do you see that children? Thanking me for chores! I think you could teach them a thing or two..."

Percy, Fred and George, and Ginny left the now cleaned table to go start their own tasks while Ron stood and told Rebecca to follow him to the garden.

"De-gnoming's not too hard. Everyone else just got sick of it," Ron snorted as he continued, "...but now they've all got harder chores than I do!" Rebecca smiled at his excitement as he went out a different door. This door led to a medium sized garden surrounded by a hedge of grass along the side of the Burrow. Ron saw the look on her face as she knelt down to look at the little gnome walking towards them. "Yep, that's a gnome. Here's what we have to do." He walked to the gnome and picked him up carefully by the head. Then he started to spin until he had the right amount of momentum and then he let the gnome fly!

"Does this hurt them?" Rebecca asked, concerned for the little creature that just got thrown multiple house lengths. Rebecca couldn't possibly hurt a creature. 

"No, they'll just be back tomorrow. Be careful though, they're fast buggers with wicked sharp teeth." Ron started on one side of the end of the garden while Rebecca took the other side.

"Bet I can clear this side faster than you can!" Ron started picking them up and tossing them as fast as he could. Rebecca couldn't let the challenge go unmet so she picked up the first gnome and spun with him. Once she let him go, she was on to the next one. Just as Ron went to grab the last gnome before he was at the opposite hedge, he saw that Rebecca was already done and leaning against the door whistling. His side still had a few peppered here and there even though he knew he had gotten them all.

"Wh-How?" Rebecca smiled like the Cheshire Cat. "You said I had to throw them all, not that I had to throw them all out..." 

Ron stormed towards the last few gnomes as he tossed them out, muttering darkly. Any joy Rebecca had felt at her, albeit slight handed, victory was gone. She went to start on the remaining few when she heard what Ron was saying.

"Who does she think she is? I can't believe I hadn't thought about that. Beaten by a bloody girl. Pah!" She wanted to smile, but didn't want to upset him further. As he walked by her to go back in the house, he stopped in front of her.

"You beat me today, but tomorrow, you're going down." Then the anger on his face melted as he laughed. "I can't believe you did that! That was sneaky, but brilliant!" 

The pair entered the house laughing together. Rebecca's first laugh at The Burrow. The first, but certainly not the last.

*******************************************

For the rest of the day, she and Ginny read a little more. George and Fred tried to convince her to play a game of quidditch, which Molly forbid. "No, de-gnoming the garden is one thing and quidditch is another. Not with a cough!" Rebecca was secretly relieved by that. She wanted a chance to just keep score and see the sport in action. After a few minutes, all she started to wonder what it would feel like to fly. To zoom through the sky, wind tearing around you. Rebecca desperately wanted to join by the end of the game. Molly wasn't kidding when she had said that Ginny took quidditch seriously. She could really trash talk!

Soon enough, Molly was calling all of them in for dinner: a feast of pasta and enough bread for all of England. Arthur came in the door just as Percy joined them at the table.

"Hello Molly, children, Rebecca." He kissed Molly on the cheek before sitting down. "What did you all do today?"

It seemed to be a standard question for a Weasley dinner. He looked from one child to the next as they all gave a brief re-cap of the day's events. After Ginny, he turned to look at Rebecca.

"So Rebecca, first day at The Burrow. What did you do today?" Molly cleared her throat and gave Arthur a look. "That is, if you would like to share."

Rebecca swallowed and blushed slightly as every eye in the room turned to her. 

"Well, umm... I ate breakfast. A lot of breakfast." She glanced at Molly to see her smiling, nodding for her to keep going. "Then Ginny showed me her room and I learned what quidditch was. She showed me all of her books and we read until lunch. Lunch was amazing. Then, Ron and I de-gnomed the garden and he challenged me to a race at who could do their half quicker and I won! Let's see... I kept score for a quidditch match and then it was time for dinner."

Rebecca looked down as she finished. Arthur smiled, "That sounds like an excellent day!"

Molly gave a quick rundown of what she had accomplished and then Arthur went last. "Today we got a rare Muggle tool: The squeaker toy. We're not entirely sure what they use it for, but it sure is loud!"

Rebecca let out a giggle.

Arthur looked at her strangely, "What's so funny?"

Rebecca stopped laughing as she saw how serious he looked. "I'm sorry."

Arthur shook his head, "There's no need to be sorry. Is a squeaky toy a joke tool?"

Rebecca shook her head, a smile peeking at the edges of her mouth. "Not exactly. It's for a dog. To chew and play with."

Arthur sat back in his chair, lost in thought. "Wait till I tell the team tomorrow..." He murmured quietly to himself. "Now, Rebecca, what is a..." He spent a long time asking what a muggle would use household goods for. 

After supper was finished and Arthur seemed momentarily happy with all that he had learned, everyone started to bring the dishes into the kitchen. Molly put the dishes into the sink and had a sponge going over them by itself. Rebecca looked at it curiously and went to inspect it closer, thinking no one was watching. She reached a hand out above to check for any wires. As amazing as the day had been, life had taught her that nothing good could ever last or be true. When she went to touch the sponge, it stopped scrubbing the plate it was on and turned to face her. The sponge dunked under the water coming from the spout and then flicked at Rebecca. She took a step back as she wiped her face. 

"Okay, no trick going on there. Just a sponge with an attitude."

Ginny brought Rebecca back up to her room and showed her that a bed had been made up for her.

"Mum always hoped for another girl to share in here with me." Ginny explained the extra bed. Ginny offered to let Rebecca shower first, but just as Ginny finished asking, Molly called for Rebecca up the stairs.

"She's coming mum!" Ginny answered back. "Guess I'll hop in first." 

Going back down the hall to the stairs, she saw Ron trying to grab a pin just out of reach to hang another quidditch poster up on his wall. He caught Rebecca's eye from the hallway. "Would you mind handing me that?"

"Not at all." She grabbed it from the desk and handed it to him. "Here you go. That's a cool poster!" Ron thanked her and then Molly called her again. "Better hurry, the third one's usually the loudest." 

At the exact moment that Rebecca was about to turn the corner to the last turn of the stairs, Molly stepped back to the entryway of the bottom of the stairs. Both Molly and Rebecca jumped as they scared each other. 

Molly asked Rebecca to join her in the living room. Rebecca took a seat on the couch, the exact spot she was placed in 24 hours before, looking extremely nervous.

"Is something wrong?" Rebecca asked. "Did I do something wrong?"

Molly shook her head emphatically, "Oh no! No no no. I just wanted to make sure that you had everything you needed. Ginny's got an extra towel up there and we put a quilt on the bed."

Rebecca thought carefully and answered quickly. "No, I've got everything."

"Okay. Just promise me that you'll let me know if you end up needing anything. Anything at all."

Rebecca nodded and promised she would. Then she stood up and went to leave the room, pausing at the door way.

"Mrs. Weasley, may I ask a favor?"

"Of course!"

Rebecca walked back to the woman on the couch, wanting to meet her eyes but finding herself unable to. She sat down next to Molly; closer than she had sat before. Leaning in, Rebecca wrapped her arms around the woman under her arms. Molly was surprised but instinctually wrapped the girl in a tight embrace. Molly felt Rebecca's shoulders shaking as the young girl began to cry.

"What's wrong sweets?"

"This day was too perfect. I'm afraid that it was all a dream!" Rebecca buried herself deeper into the first loving human contact she'd had in as long as she could remember. There is no hug like a mother's hug.

"Oh, my dear. This isn't a dream! I promise. You will wake up tomorrow right in your bed, right in this house. You'll come down the stairs and I'm going to be right here. I promise you."

Rebecca found comfort in her words and slowly stopped crying. "I'm sorry for crying. This was just a really good day. Thank you." Molly laughed and reached up to wipe a tear from her cheek. "You cannot know how happy it makes me to hear you say that. You need not apologize for emotion."

Rebecca and Molly separated and Rebecca went to leave again. "Thank you as well for the hug." 

Molly smiled at the child in the doorway, "Any time."

*******************************************

Molly and Arthur were sitting next to each other in their bed, sharing a few minutes of child-free conversation before they went to sleep. Arthur wanted to tell Molly how much more open Rebecca had seemed at dinner.

"That's nothing. She and Ron de-gnomed the garden together and she came in from the yard laughing! I hadn't heard that yet. She's not a fan of touch, that one. We can only assume why. If I ever see that man, I swear to Merlin I am going to-"

"-I agree, but this divergence tends to make you quite angry... What were you going to say?"

"Oh, yes, you're right. When I called her down to make sure she was set for the night, she hugged me!"

"You didn't force the poor girl did you?" Arthur said jokingly, knowing how much his wife loved to hug.

"Of course not! She hugged me!" Arthur reached over the bed to grab her hand. "You also mentioned a letter from Dumbledore coming. What did it say?"

Molly reached to the little table on her side of the bed and handed it to Arthur so he could read it.

Dear Molly and Arthur,

I have heard back from the minister. He wants nothing officially said about the status of relation between Rebecca and Harry until medically proven. Even if we provide the medical documentation, he said that all he will do is provide a printing of her social documents and follow the will of James and Lily (notably, the division of the assets housed at Gringotts) as it would had been had she been found with Harry. 

I hope that you found your first day housing her a good one. If any trouble arises, please let me know. I have made an appointment for a general check up at St. Mungo's for tomorrow at 10 am. I apologize for its suddenness, but it will be best if we are able to explain things and then give her time to process before term. Harry has been told nothing, he has been unable to receive his letter so far. Hagrid is leaving on Friday to hand deliver it. 

Verification of relation will be done at the conclusion of the appointment. I wish to be there when she is told of James and Lily, and subsequently, Harry, contingent on the results. Enclosed you will find money for Rebecca's care until Gringotts is sorted out.

Signed,

Your friend, 

Albus Dumbledore

Arthur took a minute to read it over once and then read it again. "That's all the minister will do? Not offer a formal statement of anything?"

"I know dear, seems absurd. It may be for the best. I am not sure how though."

Molly scooted closer to her husband and turned the lamp off. 

"I love you, Molly." "I love you, Arthur."

*******************************************

Upstairs, Rebecca had gotten out of the shower. 

"Hot water. They have hot water. I must have died and gone to heaven!" Previously, he rarely had paid the heating company. No inside heat or hot water throughout the house.

Wrapping herself up with a towel, she walked to the mirror. She saw the same reflection she had always seen staring back at her. Black curly hair, bright green eyes, and the lightning-bolt scar above her eyebrow. "I wonder where this came from. I wish I knew more about me..." She brushed her teeth before she realized that she didn't have any pajamas. Making sure that her towel was wrapped around her securely, she cracked the door open. "Ginny, do you have any pajamas I could borrow?"

Ginny went to look in her drawer and realized that anything she had would probably be the right size. "I've got some shorts around here that you can wear. Ah! Here they are! And a shirt should be in this drawer here, got it."

Rebecca put on the shorts and shirt. Her arms and legs were mottled with bruises and her bright red scar up her leg seemed extremely visible. Rebecca made herself look away, "Bruises fade and scars show strength." Her self assurances did little to ease her insecurities. 

Ginny knocked on the door a few minutes later. "Becca? Did they fit okay?" 

"Yes, thank you." She hung her towel on a hook and left the bathroom with her dirty clothes. Ginny looked her up and down, noting the level of damage, but said nothing about it.

"I can take those and toss them in the hamper." Ginny offered. Rebecca walked over to the second bed and folded the blanket down. 

Ginny and Rebecca stayed up talking for the better part of an hour before there were more yawns than words coming out of their mouths.

"I had a good day and I am glad that you were here for it." Ginny said as she pulled her blanket up over her.

"Me too, Ginny. Me too. I'll see you in the morning."

"Yes, see you in the morning."

The girls lay in silence as the house fell asleep around them.

*******************************************

Ginny woke up to noises in her room.

"No! I didn't. I didn't kill her." A little later, "Stop! Please! Leave me alone!"

Ginny hopped out of bed to check on Rebecca who was tossing and turning in her bed as she slept. Ginny didn't know what to do to help her so she went to the one person who always knew what to do in every situation: Her mother. As soon as Molly heard the words, "I need help!" She threw the blankets off her and went up the stairs quickly to Ginny's room. Rebecca was still crying out when Molly entered. Molly sat on the edge of the bed and rubbed her back, murmuring the sweetness that only mother can. Rebecca calmed down and went still, never waking.

"Why was she doing that?" Ginny asked, awake with worry.

Molly let out a sigh while she still rubbed Rebecca's back. "Rebecca has been through a lot, love. Some of that will stick with her for a long time, might be her whole life."

Ginny went to her mum and gave her a tight hug. "I love you." Was all that she said but Molly knew that she was thanking her. Thanking her for the nature of the life that she had lived so far.

"I love you, too. Now get in bed!"

*******************************************

Author's note:

Something about this chapter isn't sitting right with me. I can't pinpoint the section that I don't like so I'm writing this for when I revise it at the end of the book.

Thank you for reading!


	5. Chapter 5

The rest of the night passed uneventfully. Ginny's alarm went off at 8:00 as it did everyday and both girls woke up quickly. The girls exchanged "good mornings" and Ginny went into the bathroom. Rebecca left the room to find Molly: Her clothes were put in the hamper the night before and she had nothing to change into. Molly was in the kitchen pouring two mugs of coffee. "Good morning, Mrs. Weasley."

"Good morning, Rebecca. How'd you sleep last night? Ginny mentioned that you seemed restless." Molly wasn't sure if the young girl would know how she slept and didn't want to embarrass her.

"I slept amazingly!" A huge smile on her face. "I wasn't sure what I should wear today."

Molly thought as she took her first sip. "Let's see what Ginny has in the clean laundry right here. There's ought to be something." Molly hummed a tune to herself as she crossed the kitchen to the laundry basket that hadn't been sent upstairs yet. 

Murmuring to herself, "Let's see, let's see. This is probably a bit too short but we have some pants here. Here's a shirt." Molly turned to Rebecca. "We'll have to stop at a shop in Diagon Alley on the way back for some other things you'll need."

Rebecca nodded and took the clothes Molly handed to her. "Thank you for the clothes." Back upstairs, Rebecca saw that Ginny was still in the bathroom. She closed the door out to the bedroom and got dressed at her bed. All that was left was brushing her teeth and hair. Luckily, that was the moment that Ginny had finished in the bathroom. Rebecca finished getting ready and was back to the kitchen faster than Molly had expected. 

Molly told Ron, who came down the stairs and went straight for the pantry, to show Rebecca the cereal options. There was Magic-O's, Captain Snufflewoot's Fruity Booty, and Sneezlewomper's. 

"Ron, which one is your favorite?"

Ron looked like he'd been asked to pick which of his brothers would be sent away and never seen again. "I don't have a favorite! I like them equally." He said firmly. "But you should definitely try the Sneezlewomper's."

After a quick bowl of cereal, Rebecca, Molly, and Arthur were gathered in the front room with the huge fireplace. Arthur gave a quick explanation that he would be going to work by Floo Powder that day. After his rundown, he grabbed a pinch from the pot Molly held out to him and kissed her on the cheek. "Bye kids!" He called to the rest of the house. Then he stepped into the fireplace, cried out "Ministry of Magic!" and threw the dust at his feet. He was engulfed in green flames and the brightness made Rebecca and Molly look to the side.

"Alright love, you go first and I'll be right behind you. We're going to St. Mungo's. Enunciate and speak clearly, I'm sure you've got this."

Rebecca walked into the fireplace with a small pinch of the powder. She looked at Molly with a half scared, half excited expression. Molly's encouraging nod gave her the last bit of courage she needed. "St. Mungo's!" and she threw the powder. Instantly her surroundings of The Burrow gave way to blackness. She felt like she was being sucked through a straw. Just as she wanted to give into panic, she shot out a large fireplace like the one she'd gone through onto the white tile and antiseptic surroundings of a hospital.

Rebecca took a step to the side, wanting to get out of Molly's way and saw a sign on the wall.

"Please rid your person of all soot before entering the rest of the facility."

-The Janitorial Imps

Molly shot out a few seconds later and was happy to see Rebecca there waiting for her. "Oh my! Let me clean ourselves up." A wave of her wand and the two were clean as they were before their travels. "Our appointment should have us on the third floor. We'll need to go up. There's a lift somewhere around here, would you check around that way?"

Rebecca nodded and went to the end of the room and saw a lift on the wall between where they'd arrived and what must have been a waiting room. "Here's the lift!" She called back to Molly who had gone to the other corner. Molly walked back as Rebecca studied the people in the waiting room. There was a man with an elephant trunk, a woman with two extra hands sprouted out of her shoulders, there was even a mum with her son who was dyed completely orange! Once in the elevator, Rebecca was looking around, studying.

"Did you lose something?" Molly joked.

Rebecca smiled up to Molly, "I wasn't sure if the lift would have anything magical."   
By then, the doors opened and they were looking into another waiting room.

Molly left Rebecca in a spot with two open chairs and said that she was going to sign the check in register. 

"What a big, empty waiting room."

Molly and the nurse behind the desk were talking quietly "...believe Albus Dumbledore spoke with you..." Molly was saying to the nurse who was craning her neck around Molly to look at Rebecca.

"Do I have something on my face?" She reached up and flattened her normally unruly hair, but found it tamed. Rebecca sat back in her chair as Molly walked back to her. "They're ready for us already!" 

Molly and Rebecca went back to where the nurse was holding the door open. "First door on your right. The doctor will be with you in a moment." The nurse closed the door quickly, but not before giving Rebecca one last lingering look. Rebecca looked to Molly as if asking, "Why does she keep looking at me like that?" But Molly wouldn't catch her eye.

Knock, knock.

A very, very tall woman let herself into the room and introduced herself as Dr. Chisington. "So I see by the notes from when the appointment was made that we're here for a wellness check up today, right? And to verify: When is your birthday Rebecca?"

"July 31, ma'am." The doctor mhmm-ed and asked a few questions about medical history. Rebecca didn't know the answers. Molly interjected and started to explain a little bit of what had happened and why Rebecca was with her. Dr. Chisington rolled her chair in front of Rebecca.

"I'm sorry to hear such poor things happening to such a polite little girl." The doctor sighed. "First, I want to check you heart. I'm going to tap my wand to your chest, okay?" A slight tap on her chest and a thumping sound filled the room. Rebecca gasped as she realized that her heartbeat was the thumping!

"That's a nice, strong heart; strong as a hippogriff! Mrs. Weasley, would you mind stepping into the hall while Rebecca and I have a little chat?" Dr. Chisington needed to verify the nature of the abuse. Rebecca explained that he had only ever hit her. After a few more questions the doctor went to the door and opened it to let Molly back in.

"Alright! So, reviewing everything: She is under the goal weight for her height and age group by almost 2 stone. That should be fixed with a steady, balanced diet though. The cough you mentioned seems to be the end of the cold, nothing worse. If you still hear it in a week, I would call and make a follow up." Molly had a pad of paper and a pen in hand as she wrote what the doctor said.

"The only thing left to do is a blood drawing." Dr. Chisington turned and opened a drawer to take out the supplies that she would need. Molly saw the look on Rebecca's face and gave her a comforting smile, "Just to make sure your all healthy." 

"There isn't a magical way to draw blood, is there?"

The doctor laughed as she wheeled a table over to her. "Unfortunately, no. Just a pinch. One, two, and three." The needle was lodged in the crook of her arm and blood started to fill one of the three small vials. They were done very quickly. Dr. Chisington took the now filled vials out with her as she said that she would return in a few minutes.

When she returned, she told Rebecca that she was clear to go. "Does this mean that I can play quidditch now?" The doctor laughed, "There's nothing medically stopping you! I think there might be a copy of Quidditch Weekly out in the waiting room, if you'd like to check it out. I want to go over a few more things with Mrs. Weasley."

Rebecca nodded but looked back suspiciously as she left the room. The doctor closed the door as she saw that Rebecca was going towards the waiting room, but as soon as the door clicked Rebecca stopped and ducked to the wall, hoping that the nurse at the desk hadn't heard her the door open and close.

The nurse didn't move and Rebecca began to creep back to the door. It was very muffled, but she could hear what they were saying. 

"The results were a match, there is direct lineage."

"So she was there. She survived with him?"

"All signs lead to a yes. It explains both the scar and the birthday. I can't believe after all these years the rumors of another are true."

"It is a shock to us all."

Silence...

Thank you, Dr. Chisington." 

She heard the squeak of the chair being rolled and ran to the end of the hall before walking to a chair and grabbing the magazine. She turned to a random page just as Molly exited the hallway.

"Ready?"

Rebecca put the magazine back on the table, still thinking about what she'd overheard. 

"What does that mean? Direct lineage? What do my birthday and scar have to do with anything?"

Rebecca was silent as they got back into the lift to get to the fireplaces to go to their last stop. "Are you okay dear?"

Molly's question startled her out of her deep thoughts, "I'm okay. Where is our last stop?"

Molly smiled as she answered, "I think you're going to like it. We have to go to Diagon Alley."

*******************************************

Molly and Rebecca shot out of side by side fireplaces in Diagon Alley. Another wave of her wand and they were clean again. Molly led the way out of the little building they had landed in and stepped to the side. Rebecca followed her and froze, her mouth dropped in awe. 

Wizards and witches were everywhere! They were walking in and out of shops and up and down the road. "Is everyone here a witch or wizard?" Rebecca finally asked. 

"Well, except for muggle parents with their children buying supplies."

Rebecca nodded and continued to gape-so amazed at her surroundings she didn't notice the strange looks and stares she was getting. "Well, shall we observe as we walk to the shop?" Molly went off to the right not waiting for an answer. Molly had noticed and wanted to get in and out as fast as possible. "I hate to leave the children home alone for long." They walked until they stopped at a small store in the middle of a busy intersection. "Now, we have plenty of clothes that we have from friends for Ginny to grow into that you can wear, but you need a few other things."

*******************************************

They had found a pack of underwear and some socks around the store and were waiting in line at the checkout when Rebecca noticed the strange coins Molly had taken out of her purse. "What are the little ones called again?"

Molly smiled, "Knuts." 

"Remember: 29 knuts into one sickle. 17 sickles into one galleon." Rebecca was so preoccupied trying to memorize the conversions that she failed to hear the tense nature of Molly's tone as they checked out.

"Are you-"

"Yes, we are ready to check out." The young cashier withstood the look Molly was giving him.

"Is that-"

"Yes. That is all we will be needing today." Molly slammed the change on the counter and left the store with Rebecca in tow, not waiting for the receipt. They were heading back to the grate they had arrived from. One more floo pinch and they were back at The Burrow. It was early in the afternoon, but the chores hadn't been started yet.

"Really? You only start your chores if I'm here to tell you?" Molly yelled up the stairs. There was a stampede of children jumping to work, afraid that they'd made brought out the punishing side of their mother. 

"Thank you for today, Mrs. Weasley." Rebecca walked over to where Molly was taking out a piece of parchment and a quill and opened her arms to her for a hug. Molly returned the hug and squeezed in a Molly-Weasley-fashion hug. "Don't fret dear, I'm not really mad. It just gets them to it quicker!" 

Ron clomped down the stairs, "Ready to de-gnome? I have to get you back for yesterday!"

Much to Ron's dismay, he lost again. A large portion of the gnome's had congregated to his chosen half of the yard to stay in the cool shade of the house. It was a much closer race; both children were red-faced and panting by the end of it.

"No... Fair..." Ron panted out as they went back into the coolness of the house.

"Sore... Loser..." Rebecca joined Ron as they plopped on the couch in the living room. "Hey, Ron?" She asked after they caught their breaths. "I don't understand how the Floo powder works. Is it the powder or the fire that is doing the magic?"

"It's the powder that starts the magic. When you say where you're going, you're telling the magic what to do. The fire is the effect of the magic. Dunno why it's green though." Rebecca nodded thoughtfully.

"Did mum say you can play quidditch today?"

Rebecca jumped to her feet, suddenly filled with more energy than she had before. "Not yet!" She ran out of the living room, through the hall, and into the kitchen. Molly was still there, tying the parchment to Errol's leg and sending him out the window. She turned around as the young girl sprinted in the room.

"What's got your hair aflame?" 

"May I please play with the others today? During quidditch?"

"Hmmmm... I don't know..."

"I promise if I don't feel up to it, I'll quit."

Molly smiled, "Well with a promise like that! As long as your careful. Ginny can get ferocious."

Ginny popped down the last turn of the stairs with Fred and George right behind as Molly finished. "She can play today?!" Fred and George looked to Molly hopefully, another person playing would spice up the routine that had become rather dull over summer break.

Molly narrowed her eyes at her youngest child, "She may, but you may not if I see your jumper on the cat again!"

Ginny nodded sheepishly and yelled down the hall to Ron, "Quidditch time!" The house seemed to shake as everyone (save Percy) ran around the downstairs frantically gathering the balls, the helmets (Molly insisted), and fought over who had seen Bill or Charlie's broom last. A minute later, the house was silent again. Molly sighed and closed her eyes to enjoy the quiet for a few minutes. 

Crack. The sound of someone apparating and then a knock at the door disturbed the short-lived silence. When the door swung open, there stood McGonagall and Dumbledore again. "We really must find a new reason to chat." Dumbledore said with a twinkle in his eye.

*******************************************

Clink. Clank. 

Tea had been made for the three at the table already and a fourth had been poured for Arthur, who was due home very shortly.

"Where do we even start?" Minerva questioned.

"At the beginning, where all stories start." Dumbledore answered. 

"Shall I call her in?" Molly stood and went to the window to see the children soaring through the air on their broomsticks. The other adults stood and gathered around her. "You said mentioned that this is the first time she's flown?" Dumbledore mused as he watched Rebecca and Ginny execute experienced plays around Fred and George. Ginny flew straight at Ron, who was keeping, but threw the ball behind her and dove into a nosedive. Rebecca shot up from where she had been waiting and grabbed the quaffle just as it grazed Fred's fingertips. Sharply turning right to the hoops, Rebecca lined the nose of her broom with the right-most hoop. When Ron left the middle hoop undefended, Rebecca scored! 

Molly mused, "She must take after her father."

*******************************************

The children played quidditch until it the sun had set and then they raced each other around the house. When Molly opened the back door to call them in, they were shocked to see Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore at their table again.

"Mum, whatever they found, it wasn't ours!" George was trying to cover he and his twin, afraid that they'd found their secret prank stashes in their dorm room and around the Gryffindor common room. "We swear it!"

Dumbledore chuckled, "George, do not be alarmed. We have not come for you. This time at least."

Molly glared, "Why would you be scared? Anything you want to admit to now?" Fred and George insisted that they were innocent and just had "unusually anxious dispositions." Molly told them all that she was not feeding sweaty beasties and sent them up to shower before supper.

"Miss Rebecca, would you care to join us?" Dumbledore called to the straggler. She turned around with wide eyes and sat near Molly. "I'm afraid that we need to talk about a few things. Important things."

"Am I not really a witch?" Rebecca blurted out, fear in her voice. "I knew this seemed to good to be true." 

Dumbledore smiled, "No, you are certainly a witch." He paused and took a sip of his tea. "First: some background. Years ago, the wizarding world was at war. A wizard named Voldemort had gained a large following. They were convinced that pure-blood wizards were more powerful and deserved better than their half-blood and muggle-born counterparts."

McGonagall raised a finger, wanting to take a turn, "These were dark times Rebecca, some of the darkest in wizard history. Anyone who tried to stand up to You-Know-Who disappeared or... were killed."

Rebecca's eyes were wide. She couldn't believe that the wizarding world was not perfect, they had magic! But she was also extremely confused as to what any of this had to do with her. "The lineage at the appointment, are they trying to tell me that I am related to Voldemort?!"

Dumbledore continued, "As you were told, you were found by your 'mother' in a wrecked house. That house had been visited by Voldemort only a few minutes before."

"So my real parents are dead?" Rebecca was straight to the point, tired of the adults dancing around whatever they were trying to tell her. "Or is it something else? It seems like you're not telling me something; that you're hiding something from me." Molly was surprised, this was a new side she was seeing of Rebecca. A stronger side.

Dumbledore chuckled amused by the perceptiveness the child across from him possessed, "You are right, there is something else..." The kitchen was so quiet that Rebecca wondered if Molly could hear her pounding heart. Unknown to the adults, the Weasley children were all sitting on the last landing of the stairs to hear what was being said. Dumbledore continued, "You're parents died, as did every other witch, wizard, and child that came across Voldemort's path. That is, until you and one other survived. You two not only survived, but defeated him, saving our world from the bleakest of fates."

Molly reached over to lay a hand on Rebecca's shoulder to comfort her as the young girl's eyes were opened to the truth. "What were their names?"

McGonagall had a wistful smile on her face remembering Lily and James' Hogwarts years, "Your parents? Lily and James. Lily and James Potter." The professor's eyes were fogged with grief. McGonagall's hands were enveloped by Dumbledore's. 

"Were they kind?" Rebecca asked, hardly more than whispering. 

"They were two of the kindest, bravest wizards to have ever lived." Another silence fell over the kitchen. The Weasley's on the stairs looked at each other as they realized where this discussion was going to lead. Rebecca took in a deep, ragged breath.

"Who was the other who survived?"

Dumbledore answered, "A child, like you. His name is Harry. Harry Potter. Your twin brother. Because you were not there when we went through the house, your existence has been debated across our world for ten years."

It was like time had frozen. Rebecca sat in her chair unblinking, the children on the stairs, frozen as well. 

"Is that what the doctor was talking about today, with the scar and the birthday and the lineage?"

Molly looked at her, "Yes, but you had already left when we discussed that." 

Rebecca was in too much shock to feel guilty. "I knew it was important." Rebecca offered a quick apologetic look to Molly and then turned back to Dumbledore. "Where is Harry, is he still alive? Can I meet him? Does he know about me? Lily and James?"

Dumbledore had sat back in his chair as he noticed the socked foot sticking off the stairs into the hall. "Come in here, children."

Arthur had been looking at Rebecca concerned, but his head shot towards the hall as Ginny, Ron, Fred, George, and Percy came into the kitchen.

Arthur stood, pushing his chair back with his hands shaking in anger as he looked to his children. "You dare listen in on a private conversation. Have we taught you no manners? No basic human decency?" Their heads hung in shame. "Go to your rooms. We will discuss this further in the morning." They didn't even try to protest. When their father yelled at them, they had seriously messed up.

"Wait." Rebecca looked shocked at her outburst. "I'm glad you guys heard... I don't even know how I could have explained this, any of this." They all murmured a brief apology and continued to file to their respective rooms.

Dumbledore waited a moment, "As you had asked, Harry is alive. We are trying to make contact to set up a meeting before term begins. Have you received your letter?"

Molly answered, "No, I would imagine Errol will be bringing them this week."

"I have a colleague out to deliver Harry's letter. I presumed that there would be a delay in his receiving of it and sent his out a few weeks earlier. The last owl I received told me that Harry and company had taken refuge on an island to stop him from getting a letter. Naturally, he should have one by the end of the week."

"And he doesn't know about me either?" Rebecca's brain was firing on all cylinders.

"I have someone out there...What does he look like?...I wonder if this is what William thought would happen to me when he left me."

"No, not a thing." Dumbledore and McGonagall collected their things to leave the Weasley's. Dumbledore said he would write with the information on their meeting as soon as he heard on Harry's whereabouts. Molly and Arthur led them to the door and then went back to the table where Rebecca still sat. 

"Is that why the nurse was staring at me today?" 

Molly was shocked, "Yes, I'd imagine so. I didn't know you saw that. What you two did that night, you brought and end to the evil that had torn apart many families. Everyone knows the story of The-Boy-Who-Lived, and everyone has an opinion on your existence."

Rebecca stood up, pushed her chair in, and walked up to Molly and Arthur. She put her arms out and wrapped them around the two adults who had shown her, and continued to show her extreme kindness. 

"I'm not mad they heard, honest. Please don't be too mad at them."

Arthur untangled his arms from the hug and ruffled her hair, "Why don't you run on up? I'm sure they're all up there waiting for you anyway."

Molly and Arthur stood together. Right as Rebecca went to climb the stairs Arthur went to say one more thing, "We saw you out there playing quidditch. Your father used to play when we were at Hogwarts. We all went together."

"Maybe you could tell me more about them tomorrow? My parents I mean."

Molly nodded, "Tomorrow love. Sleep well."

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Author's notes:

This chapter took so long! I'm glad it's over though. First chapter over 4,000 words!


	6. Chapter 6

Rebecca went up the stairs to Ginny's room slowly. Deliberately. Her thoughts were running so wildly, she didn't even notice that all of the other Weasley children were sitting on and around Ginny's bed. She didn't notice that they were trying to talk to her and apologize again. She didn't notice that there were tears falling down her cheeks.

"Ginny, what do we do?" George looked to Ginny. Rebecca had come into the room and sat on the side of her bed that had her back towards them. Her shoulders were lightly shaking.

Ginny shrugged, "I have no clue." Ginny got off the bed and went to sit next to her. "Becca?" Ron, Fred, and George followed their sister across the room. They sat down on the other side of Rebecca. Ginny reached a hand out to her and put it around her slowly. Rebecca melted in the embrace and soon every Weasley in the room was holding her. 

Rebecca was saying something quietly, over and over. It was too hard to hear between her sniffles and shay breaths. Fred lifted his head off her shoulder, "What?" The children untangled themselves from one another and sat back where they had been.

Rebecca put her face in her hands and wiped the tears from her cheeks. "I'm not alone." She had stopped crying, but her shoulders still trembled. "Harry Potter. This means that I'm not alone." It looked like a smile was playing at the corners of her mouth as she spoke. "This has been the strangest week of my life." And then she laughed. She laughed so hard and long that by the time she had gained some control her stomach hurt and her cheeks were red and her eyes were teary. "I'm not alone!" 

Then she looked to the kids around her who were looking at her with strange looks. Ginny and Ron looked concerned while George just looked tired. Fred though, Fred looked amused. "Alone? Is that what you've been the past few days?"

Rebecca looked from Fred to George to Ron and then to Ginny. "No, I haven't been alone. I just...I guess I am just happy to have found out that I have a brother. And to know a little about my parents. There's still a lot more I want to find out and I can't wait to meet Harry, but you're right: I haven't been alone." Rebecca put her arms around the the two closest to her and the kids launched back into another group hug.

"Hey Rebecca, we're really sorry that we were listening." Ron finally broke the silence of their hug. 

"It's okay, really. I'm serious when I say it's for the better. Tomorrow, I want to hear absolutely everything you guys know about Voldemort, Harry, and anything else." Rebecca made them all promise to tell her more in the morning. After they all did, they dispersed to their rooms after exchanging good nights and sleep came for them all shortly after.

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Slam.

"WAKE UP!" Rebecca shot awake and found herself back in William's house, in her old bedroom. As she sat up her bedroom door was thrown open.

"WHY IS THIS HOUSE SUCH A FUCKING MESS?!" William stumbled into the room. His eyes were bloodshot and the alcohol-smell came off of him in waves. He tripped over his own foot and caught himself on her dresser, pulling it down with him as he fell to the floor.

"NOW YOU TRY TO TRIP ME? THIS IS HOW YOU SHOW YOUR APPRECIATION FOR EVERYTHING I'VE DONE FOR YOU? HUH BITCH? ANSWER ME!" He threw the dresser to the side and got to his feet, continuing his path of war to the bed in which the small child was cowering, stumbling the whole way. William reached the bed and grabbed Rebecca. Pulling her out of the bed by one arm, he flew her across the room.

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Rebecca jolted awake as she flew across her old room and found that she was still in her bed at The Burrow. The same sound she had heard the day before was echoing through the room: Ginny's alarm clock. Ginny reached over and whacked the top of it--Ginny wasn't a morning person. Rebecca, on the other hand, woke up and immediately swung her legs off the bed. Rebecca went into the bathroom and found that the cold sink water helped get rid of the last of the feelings her dream had brought up.

There were two dressers around Ginny's room and Molly made the one at the foot of Rebecca's bed hers. It had the clothes that she had been wearing and clothes that Molly had been holding onto from some friends of theirs for Ginny to grow into. When the bathroom light turned on, it shone onto Ginny's bed. Ginny rolled over to put her head under the pillow and accidentally rolled off the edge of her bed and hit the floor with a thump. Rebecca leaned over the edge of Ginny's bed to look at her, "Are you okay?"

Ginny was giggling, "Yeah, I'm good." Rebecca laughed with her as she went to brush her teeth and get dressed. When she looked at herself in the mirror, she saw her scar and was reminded of the conversation she had had the day before. She practically jumped into the clothes she had grabbed and ran downstairs to ask Arthur about her parents before he left for work. Molly was making breakfast and Arthur had just sat down at the dining table when Rebecca ran in and sat in the chair she always did.

"Will you tell me about my parents?" Arthur folded the paper he was looking at with a sigh, he wanted to be annoyed at the interruption of his morning routine but couldn't be when he saw the hopeful, desperate look on her face.

"Well, yes, I can for a few minutes. We were all in Gryffindor together-"

"Where's Gryffindor?"

"Oh Merlin... So, Gryffindor is a house at Hogwarts, which is has four houses..." By the time Arthur had explained the four houses (Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin) as well as the traits and the founder of each house, Molly was calling to him to come grab his lunch and that he was going to be late. "Rebecca, can we continue this conversation this evening? I think Molly mentioned that she was going to look through her school pictures. All three of us can sit down later, okay?"

Rebecca nodded, happy that she'd learned more about Hogwarts. "Oh yeah, I don't want to make you late." Arthur had grabbed his lunch and was heading to the Floo fireplace. "Have a great day Mr. Weasley!" Rebecca poked her head into the front room as he was grabbing the dust. "You as well, Madame Rebecca. Tonight! We will talk more tonight!" He called out Ministry of Magic and was engulfed in green flames. Then he was gone. Rebecca sighed and went to help Molly with the finishing touches of breakfast, totally not going to ask anything about her parents...

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Breakfast was put on without a hitch, other than the fact that the sponge still seemed upset at Rebecca's checking of its magic; it sent a stream of water at her every time she looked near the sink. 

"Oh dear, have you offended the sponge? Nasty bugger, it won't forgive or forget easily." Molly said as she looked at the path of water the sponge had sent from the sink to Rebecca. "I'd apologize, quickly before the kitchen becomes a swimming pool!" 

Rebecca looked at Molly with a flabbergasted look, "Apologize to the sponge?" A quick spurt to the face answered for her. "Okay, okay," Rebecca walked to the sink. "I am very sorry if I offended you, especially when you are so good at you job."

The sponge froze for a second and then bent in half, as if it was bowing. Molly walked up behind Rebecca and put an arm around her and gave her a side-hug. She took her wand from her side and held it to her throat and said, "If you want to eat, then now is your chance." Although Molly spoke the words at room temperature, her voice could be heard at a thunderous level up the stairs. The sound of clumping feet came swiftly after.

"Goodness Rebecca, do you even sleep?" George cracked as he saw that she was bringing the dishes to the table. "Yeah, he's right. How are you always down here first?" Fred followed.

"Because she's not staying up too late to eavesdrop! Speaking of which, you will all be de-mossing the gnomes today-no complaints! Consider it a lighter sentence..." Molly shot them all disapproving looks, but said nothing else about the night before. Neither Fred or George seemed thrilled at the idea but they were thankful that they didn't have to take toothbrushes to the floors like their last scheme had them doing. Three hours they spent on their hands and knees!

"Go on, I'll get breakfast so you lot can get an early start." Molly waved her wand and the table was cleared. The kids all went to the side door. George grabbed a pile of buckets from the closet in the hall after handing Ginny a collection of brushes. Fred knelt to Rebecca's ear, "This isn't as bad as they're making it. Just don't let them bite you!" That was all that was said as they opened the door to the yard quietly. The children crept out of the door and silently handed out the buckets. 

"Okay, on the count of three, start grabbing."

Rebecca whispered, "Wait, grabbing what?" But George ignored her. "One. T-"

"THREE!" Fred screamed as he ran off the step and started scooping gnomes into his bucket. The rest of them scrambled after him and started catching the ones who were trying to run. The whole thing was over in a few minutes.

"That wasn't hard at all." Rebecca said.

"No, that was the easy part. Now we're going to fill the extra bucket with some soap and water and the gnomes need to be scrubbed. One at a time and carefully because they hate it." Ginny moved the hose over the bucket and Ron turned it on while Fred poured soap in. Rebecca looked down at her bucket of gnomes and found that a little one on top was just looking at her. She crouched down and put a hand out to him slowly and eventually touching his head. The gnome smiled and reached up so that her hand scratched his head. "Oh, you're not so bad are you? No, no you're not." Rebecca cooed to him and lifted him out gently. "Let's get all cleaned, okay little friend?" He let the brush glide over his head and turned so she could get the back of him.

While Rebecca's first gnome to de-moss was cooperating, the others were not. George's had already bitten him on each hand, Ron's was hissing at him each time the brush moved closer, Ginny's was yelling at her in gnommish, and Fred... Fred hadn't started yet, he was too busy ignoring the job at hand. When Fred noticed how well Rebecca's gnomes were behaving, well it just gave him something interesting to watch while he slacked off.

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Nearly two hours later, the sun had started to creep onto the almost-done-working kids. Rebecca's bucket of gnomes had been cleaned far earlier and she was now helping George with his last, and most ferocious, gnome. She put a hand out to the gnome and held it there while it smelled her. When the gnome didn't move to bite, Rebecca stroked its head. The gnome relaxed and Rebecca motioned for George to start brushing. He went in with a hard scrub that jolted the gnome out of its stupor. It opened its mouth and nipped at Rebecca. George winced and apologized as he went to brush the gnome gentler. With George's last gnome cleaned, the only person who still had most of a bucket was Fred. Ron, Ginny, and George brought their supplies back in the house while Rebecca sat on the step in the last bit of shade to keep him company. 

"You can go in, I'm okay." Fred said over his shoulder before he turned back to a particularly mossy gnome. 

"I can help, this wasn't bad at all." She paused for a moment, "I think they're a little cute."

Fred looked at her strangely, "Cute?"

Rebecca blushed as she grabbed the last gnome from his bucket. "Yeah, they're cute...in an ugly sort of way." She gently poured some water on its head and started to scrub off the growths. She and Fred worked quietly as they finished up the last of the gnomes. Fred thanked her for helping with the last bit as they were collecting the buckets and scrubbers to go back into the house. 

"You're welcome."

Fred opened the closet door and grabbed her bucket to put it away. "So I was thinking for quidditch later we should try..." They took seats around the living room as Fred went over different strategies and the teams he was thinking of for the evening. The two talked until Molly called them for lunch. 

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One thing that continued to bring an unmatched thrill to Rebecca was flying. When she was on the broomstick and the wind pushed her hair away from her eyes and her glasses all the way up her nose, her heart raced in the best of ways. When she launched herself into a nosedive and pulled up at the last moment, she felt fully and entirely alive. 

The anticipation of those exhilarating feelings were present in her mind as she was handed the broom she always was given and the kids raced outside. Molly couldn't get anything done around the house with them all running amuck underfoot and always asking her to do something. "That's it! Get out! Don't come back in until I call!"

"What should we do first?" Ron asked as they mounted. Ginny wanted to pick teams and start their game immediately while George wanted to race around the house and around the tree-line. Fred sided with George at once and Ginny realized that it didn't matter, the majority had spoken. Ron started a count down and as soon as he "two" Fred tried to start before everyone else. After he had pulled it while de-mossing, "two" had become the decided final number of the countdown. 

Fred looked over his shoulder, expecting to find a considerable lead between he and the others and found Ginny right behind him with Ron, Rebecca, and George trailing just behind. He turned back to the front and leaned down on his broom to minimize any air resistance. Fred, still leading the charge but realizing that his lead wasn't going to last much longer, pulled up to go over the house in the final lap. Ginny and Ron stayed alone the ground track of the house, Ron knocking over a flower pot in a shortcut over their front porch. George followed Fred, directly on his tail while Rebecca took a middle route. She pulled up so that she was lined up with the second-floor windows and turned so sharply that she could feel her sleeve catch slightly on the last row of shingles. Rebecca began a slight descent as she saw the row of sticks that had been deemed the finish line and lined it up in her sights. Seven feet off the ground, six feet off the ground, five feet-

-Crash!-

Rebecca had been hit from above and hit the ground as she rolled from her speed. Molly had been in the kitchen as she saw the collision and quickly grabbed her wand and went to inspect the damage. Despite her having braced herself for the need for first-aid and medical magic, all she found was Fred, George, and Rebecca with Ginny and Ron on the ground around them laughing. No, laughing wasn't the right word... in hysterics? Tears streamed down their faces and they held their stomachs.

"I don't understand how I ended up with such weird children..." That was all she said. Then Molly turned and went back to the house, shaking her head and chuckling as she went. "Laughing is better than crying at least!"


	7. Chapter 7

When Arthur returned to the Burrow that evening, he heard a racket from upstairs and the clanging of pots from the kitchen. He hung his coat on the hook by the door and put his briefcase on the little cabinet. He went down the hall and put his arms around Molly as she stirred a pot of soup.

"Hey, you're home early." Molly leaned her head back so it was resting against him.

"Slow day today. How have you been? Have they made this much noise all day?"

Molly laughed, "The only quiet was when they de-mossed the gnomes and when they were out flying."

A thump was heard from upstairs, followed by a roar and some screams. "THE HARPIES WOULD FLY CIRCLES AROUND BULGARIA!" 

"NO THEY WOULDN'T, NOT WITH KRUM!" 

The parents gave each other a small kiss and then Arthur turned and went upstairs to try and ease the fighting. And probably have to fix something that had been broken. Almost to the second floor, Arthur turned the last corner and found Rebecca sitting across the top stair with a book Arthur hadn't seen in a long time. Rebecca was so engrossed in the book that she didn't notice him until he was at the stair next to her.

"Sorry," Rebecca brought her knees up to make a path.

"Is that The Encyclopedia of Magical Creatures and their Magical Qualities?"

Rebecca turned the book up so that he could see the cover, "Yes, it's very interesting. I can't believe that some of these exist."

Arthur chuckled and nodded, "That was always one of the kids favorites. Particularly Charlie's favorite... Can't believe I never saw it coming...dragons..." He trailed off and went to find the center of the fighting.

*******************************************

Once the agreement (rule) that quidditch fights were only allowed from the hours of 11 to 1 was implemented, Arthur gathered everyone from upstairs and they went to join Molly in finishing supper. The meal was ready and on the table shortly after.

"So, everyone, how was your day today?" Arthur asked. Ginny was the first to start today. Rebecca noticed that when someone was telling the rest about their day, the rest of the table was quiet and listening attentively. George talked about his ferocious gnome, Fred talked about the results of his newest quidditch strategy, Ron talked about how much he'd re-read an article from one of his Quidditch Weekly's, and Ginny talked about how she and Molly were deciding what books they were going to read during the school year that was coming up shortly, since she would be the only Weasley not going to Hogwarts. When it was Rebecca's turn, she decided to talk about how she'd had a great time scrubbing the gnomes and during quidditch, but her favorite part of the day had been reading through the beginning of The Encyclopedia of Magical Creatures and their Magical Qualities, and talked about the Bandicoot.

As Rebecca continued to talk about magical creatures, Arthur and Molly smiled to each other. They were both happy to see Rebecca so enthusiastic and talkative, leaving her shell.

"...and that was as far as I got today." Rebecca smiled and continued to eat. The table fell into a comfortable silence and Molly excused everyone to start cleaning up.

"Rebecca, why don't you stay a moment." Molly laid a hand on her shoulder as she had already risen to clean. 

Rebecca nodded and then paused a moment, "Were you able to find the photos you were looking for?"

Molly pulled a box off of her lap and set it on the table. Arthur had gotten up from his normal spot and gone closer to the other two. "Yes dearie. Boy, these brought me back. I should really send an owl to Bree..." She trailed off as she bathed in the nostalgia that was washing over her. Molly shook her head and opened the box. "But the photos, yes. I found them. Here's our class, your mother and father are here and here." 

Molly pointed them out while Arthur leaned over and pointed out the man next to James. "That's one of your dad's best mates, Sirius. They were all really close that lot."

Molly sniffed and pushed the box in front of Rebecca. "Anyway, here's all I've got. You're more than welcome to look through 'em and pick out any you like. Harry might like a few, too. You two would look at them more than the closet beasties upstairs."

Rebecca looked up with wide eyes. "There are closet beasties?"

Molly and Arthur laughed, "No more than the bed bugs you don't let bite you at night. It's just a wizard phrase." Rebecca giggled with them and then gathered up the box and the lid. She said her good nights and went upstairs to snag a place in the shower line. Then, she sat on her bed cross-legged and started spreading out pictures. 

There was a pile of pictures of Molly and Arthur when they were at Hogwarts, a pile of her mum with others, a pile of her dad with three other smiling boys, a pile of people she didn't know who they were, and a final, small pile of pictures with both her dad and mum in. Setting that pile aside to go through with Harry, she also added some pictures of Molly and Arthur. 

She couldn't believe in less than a week she would have to leave them. Thinking about how magical and happy the last few weeks had been and realizing that she would have to leave The Burrow made her deeply sad. 

As she sat on her bed thinking about having to leave, Ginny came in with wet hair from the shower. "You're up, Becca." Ginny crossed the room and looked over her shoulder when she heard a sniff. "Hey, what's wrong? Did Fred and George do something again?"

Rebecca shook her head, "No, no. I was just thinking about Hogwarts and then I realized that I have to leave next week. You won't be there until next year and I only just met Harry, and I don't want to have to leave Molly and Arthur."

Ginny sat down next to her and put her head on Rebecca's shoulder. "Yeah, I was thinking about that, too. Everyone's gone this year with Ron starting. Just me and mum, all day... She's gonna expect me to learn to knit!" The girls giggled at the image of Ginny doing something so quietly. "But you don't have to worry about that! Fred and George can be irritating buggers, but they'll be there. So will Ron and Percy. And, even though you just met Harry, think about it! Now you'll get to know him better! You'll be sad for a few days, but we'll send owls back and forth as soon as we can and everything will be fine." Ginny had teared up as she said out loud that she would be the last Weasley kid at The Burrow this year and by they end she was crying too. 

Ron was walking down the hall to figure out who was crying and found Rebecca and Ginny crying together on Rebecca' bed. "Oi, what's everyone crying about in here?" Ron walked to the bed.

"Oh, nothing, just the fact that you're leaving me this year Ronald!" Ginny tried to make a joke but only ended up crying harder. "Ummm, should I get mum?" Ron asked as sat down on the other side of the bed. 

Rebecca took a deep breath. And then another and wiped her cheeks. She looked over to Ginny and said, "I'm really going to you."

"I'm going to miss you, too." 

Ron looked down at the pictures that were behind him and picked up one from the Arthur and Molly pile. "D'ya mind if I take this one?" He said softly.

"Of course not, here, look through them all!" Rebecca said as she picked up the rest of the pile. 

"No, this one is perfect." Ron stood up with his picture. "You're both okay now, right?" He looked nervously at the two girls on the bed. "And Rebecca, just because we're leaving here, doesn't mean we're leaving each other. Both your parents were Gryffindor's, like mine. We could end up in the same house and, even if we don't, none of us are going to just leave."

A chorus of "yeahs" piped up from the doorway where Fred and George were standing across from each other in identical, crossed-arms stances. "Rebecca, we aren't going anywhere. Besides, we have to show you all the hidden nooks and crannies around old Hoggy-Warts!"

"You guys are going to show me too, right?" Ron piped up.

"Eh." George said as he grabbed Ron and put him in a headlock. Ginny stood up and went to brush her teeth as Fred switched places with her on Rebecca's bed.

"Everyone is nervous before their first year. But, it's going to seem like the year, disappeared in the blink of an eye once it starts." Fred said assuringly.

"Molly said she had sent an owl to Dumbledore to ask if I could come back here at the end of the year, but she hasn't heard anything. I'm just..." Rebecca let her words trail off into silence.

"What? You can tell me, believe it or not, I'm very smart." Fred said with an exaggerated brushing of his shoulders off.

His antics got a half-smile on Rebecca's face. "I'm worried that it's taken him so long to respond because he's going to say no and I won't be able to come back."

Fred thought for a minute and then answered. "He's probably just really busy with the final orders for the school year. I bet he's already answered and the owl is on the way."

"Really, you think so?"

"Yeah. I don't think you should worry until you have a reason to. Besides, we should be enjoying these last few days of summer, not thinking about school!"

Rebecca nodded her head. "You're right. I'm going to just put it out of my mind until we hear what he says."

Fred reached a hand out for the pictures she was holding. "What are those?"

Rebecca smiled, "Well, these are the pictures that your mum had of my mum and dad from when they were all at school."

Fred grabbed the one on top of her mum and dad smiling up at the camera in a hug. 

"You have her eyes."

Author's Note:

Sorry for such a delay, I am hoping to get back into writing more now. As always, thank you for reading! <3


	8. Chapter 8

Hagrid and Harry arrived at The Burrow early the next morning as Hagrid and Molly had been in contact to coordinate the annual Diagon Alley school shopping trip. Dumbledore had originally suggested the idea after Molly had expressed her concern about Harry and Rebecca getting to know one another before the school year started. 

"Hagrid, can I get you a cup of tea?" Molly called from the kitchen as Percy let them in.

"Yes please. I brought some of m' famous cakes too." It was good that Hagrid hadn't made it to the kitchen yet because everyone inside had winced when Hagrid announced his 'rock cakes'.

Molly was fretting around the kitchen as she always seemed to be doing at meal times, pouring the kettle, packing up sandwiches, double checking all the letters to make sure the last had everyone's books...

"Good morning, Harry! It's good to see you again!" Molly scooped him into a hug. "If you don't mind, would you pop upstairs to make sure that Rebecca and Ginny are up? They were up all hours of the night gabbing. The girls' room is the last on the right."

"Sure, up these stairs?" Harry asked as he went towards the foot of the kitchen stairway.

"Yes darling. Thank you."

Harry ascended and ran into Ron who was coming down the stairs. 

"Morning Ron,"

"Morning Harry," and both boys continued to where they were headed. Harry, after reaching the top of the stairs, went right as Molly had directed him. He passed doors of all shapes and sizes, even one hardly taller than his ankle! Passing an open bathroom door where Fred and George were brushing their teeth.

Both twins started talking to Harry, but they hadn't spit out their toothpaste yet so all Harry understood was, "ARRY!" Once the two older boys had rinsed their mouths out, they tried again.

"Sorry Harry. You looking for Rebecca?" 

"Becca?"

The twins looked at each other strangely. 

"Becca?" 

"Yeah, well, she said she didn't mind." One said sheepishly to the other. Harry still wasn't sure who was who yet.

"Anyway... The girls' room is actually on the other end of the hallway. Mum never remembers."

They both poked their heads out of the door and pointed to the other end of the hall.

Harry thanked them and turned back to go the way that he'd come. Once reaching the end of the hall, he went into the open door that had an old drawing on it that said, "GINNY'S" with a newer "(and Rebecca)" on it. Going through the doorway, the first thing he did was go to the window to crack the drapes open a little. Once the room wasn't pitch black, he saw that one bed was piled high with multiple blankets and then the other had a sleeping Ginny in it.

Walking to Ginny, he tapped her shoulder and said, "Your mum said I had to come wake you two up. Where's Rebecca?"

Ginny had rolled over at being woken up, but shot up after hearing a voice not belonging to one of her brothers. Wide-eyed, Ginny pointed to the bed teeming in blankets. "Why would someone need, or want so many blankets?"

Sitting on the edge of the bed, he moved one layer of blanket at the head of the bed. No Rebecca. 

He moved another. No Rebecca.

He moved one more and found feet? He turned to foot of the bed and lifted a blanket only to find Rebecca, hair wild and snoring lightly.

Harry smiled as he looked at the comical sight. "Hey, Rebecca?" He tapped her shoulder. She woke up instantly, unlike Ginny. She sat up and wiped her cheek off. "Oh! Harry?"

"Yeah, Mrs. Weasley sent me up here to wake you two up?" He turned back to the front of the bed and grabbed her glasses that were on the bedside table. Unlike his circular frames, hers were rimless rectangles. Both glasses were in poor shape, bent, taped, scratched...

"Here you go." Harry handed her her glasses. She reached up and put them on, just sticking the arms through the mass of black curls that had happened over night. "Umm... Rebecca?" Harry asked.

"Yeah?" She stretched and yawned.

"Why exactly are you upside down in bed? And why do you have so many blankets?"

She looked down at the tower of blankets she had over her. "Well, as for upside down, it was just more comfortable last night. The blankets? Mrs. Weasley insisted, she didn't want me to catch another cold."

"Another?" Harry questioned.

"It's a long story connected to an even longer one. I promise I'll tell you it all one day, but not today." She sat up and went to lean against the head of the bed and fell right off the end.

"Rebecca! Are you okay?" Harry jumped up concerned when he saw the look on her face.

She was laughing silently, staying where she landed. Gasping as she caught her breath, she said, "Guess that's...why you don't...sleep upside down!"

Harry had started to laugh with her, after seeing that she wasn't hurt. "Guess so!"

Molly, concerned that Harry had gotten lost or, worse, gotten tricked into something by the twins, called up the stairs, "Harry? Did you find your way, dear?"

Harry walked to the doorway, "Yes, they're both up!" Turning back to the two girls, "I'll see you guys downstairs. Get ready though, today we're going to get school supplies." Then he left to get the tea Molly had made for him and to try one of the cakes Hagrid had talked so highly about.

Ginny watched him leave the room and then got up, silently. Rebecca noticed her uncharacteristic silence and asked about it. Ginny didn't say anything about it, but did perk up at the thought of what the day held.

"You know what you, Harry, and Ron are gonna get at Diagon Alley?"

"Diagonally? How do we get something diagonally? We can turn it?" Rebecca mused as she took pants and a random shirt of her drawer Ginny had cleared.

"No, not 'diagonally', Diagon Alley! It's where Ollivander's Wand Shop is!" 

Rebecca suddenly had so many questions, as well as the fear that this was all a dream or a mistake, jump to the front of her thoughts. "How do you pick a wand?"

Ginny thought for a minute. "I'm actually not sure, I didn't go when Fred and George got their wands."

Ginny went to the bathroom and Rebecca got dressed in the bedroom. She couldn't have anyone else in the room as she got undressed. The scar on her leg, fine who cares. But the scars everywhere else?

"At least Harry and I share that."

There was too much pain in her memory to have anyone see her in anything less than pants and a shirt. 

Rebecca shook her head, clearing thoughts of the past and anxieties for the future. Turning to the door, she left to do something to flatten the hair sticking, curling, and pointing almost straight off her head.

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"Rebecca! Come get a mug and some breakfast." Molly scooped a strange shaped cake and a muffin onto a plate and gave Rebecca a hug. "Sleep well?"

"Yes, though I have a question." Rebecca set her plate down on the counter to talk to Molly in the semi-privacy of the kitchen opposed to the clamor of the table. "Ask away." Molly said with a smile.

"How do you buy a wand? Your wand and Arthur's are different, are they like shoes? Or is there a test? Or a dice roll?"

Molly chuckled, "Not quite. You'll see when we go, but I'm sensing tension."

Rebecca looked down and drank some of her tea. Molly set the kettle onto the counter and turned back to the young girl. "Love, a witch's first wand is a celebration as old as the first magic-folk. Don't let worries get in the way of that celebration."

Rebecca nodded. "Okay." 

"Feel better?" Rebecca nodded again. 

"Maybe even...a little excited?" Molly asked while leaning down to catch her eyes.

Rebecca smiled and softly said yes. 

"Alrighty then! Let's eat and get going!"

*******************************************

Dishes? Cleaned.

Shoes? On.

Shopping list? In hand.

Molly and Arthur were ready for another year's most expensive day. Percy's books from the year before would all work for Fred or George, they only needed one set there. Ron had one of the twin's sets and Rebecca was given the other. (She tried so hard to offer Molly and Arthur her 5 pound note that she'd had when she arrived, but they wouldn't hear it. "Dearie, family is not blood. Family is who we care for, who we cherish, and who we love no matter what. Certainly not those we pay for books for." Rebecca smiled just thinking about it.)

Hagrid let out a gasp. "Almos' forgot! Harry, Rebecca, we have one stop to make together before we meet up with e'ryone else." Molly and Arthur looked to Hagrid in concern. "Gringott's." The adults all nodded understandingly. Arthur lifted his arm and checked his wristwatch. "Say half past 10:00 we meet at Ollivander's?"

Hagrid pulled a pocket-watch out of his massive coat and nodded, "Alright, half past."

Molly squeezed the shoulders of the young Potter's as the Weasley mass moved towards one of the first shops. "See you two in a bit. Make sure to behave!"

The raven-haired twins looked at each other confused. "Harry, is she saying we misbehave?"

"You know Rebecca, it seems like it doesn't it?"

Molly rolled her eyes with a smile, "You two have spent far too much time with Fred and George!"

Turning to Hagrid, four be-spectacled green eyes peered up at him. "Blimey, so that's what they mean when they say 'identical' twins..." He trailed off and headed the opposite direction the Weasley's had. "Come along now!" Hagrid called over his shoulder. "Hagrid!" Harry started as the matched the giant man's pace, "What is Gringott's?"

Hagrid looked down, "Why it's the second safest place in the wizarding world, first being Hogwarts o'course. Biggest bank, too."

Harry asked what both twins were thinking again, "But Hagrid, I don't have any money."

"I have 5 pounds." Rebecca said, cringing at how pathetic it sounded.

"Well, pounds won't have any weight (Ha!) here. You need wizard currency. Besides, you may not have anything now, but you didn't think your parents left you w' nothing now did'ya?"

Harry and Rebecca looked at each other with pure innocence in their eyes. They'd both lived lives where, while the violence in both varied, the lack of owning anything hadn't. The idea of having money, to the twins? Preposterous.

Hagrid turned the corner and suddenly, they were facing a gigantic marble building with the tallest columns Rebecca had ever seen. "Wow." 

Hagrid looked down at Rebecca with a glimmer in his eye, "Just wait till you see Hogwarts for the first time. There's no greater first. Well, maybe one, but that's not for discussing!" Hagrid, red-cheeked, hurried past the children through the door.

"What's he going on about?" Harry asked. All Rebecca did was shrug. 

They entered the bank and looked around wide-eyed. There was a beautiful crystal chandelier that shined thousands of minute rainbows around the top half of the massive entrance, illuminating little bits of different paintings. At the end of the long rug was a tall desk, taller than Hagrid which is where he was standing as he talked to the head thing and patted around in his coat.

"I've got it in here. You mind if I set this here? Great." He had a little pile going on the corner of the desk. Small coins, nuts, leaves, a dog biscuit and finally, he pulled out a small envelope and two small keys tied together with a ribbon.

"Vault 713 and Vault 687?" 

Hagrid nodded. "Follow me." The small creature hopped down from the desk and continued to walk further into the building. "Hagrid, are these goblins?" Rebecca said softly.

"Why yes, I didn't know you knew any!" Hagrid was pleasantly surprised. "Oh, I don't know any personally. They were in a book Ginny gave to me."

Harry trailed behind the two of them as they began to talk about other creatures she'd read about her book and let his mind wander.

"If you'd told me this is where I'd be a month ago, I would have called for the looney bin. Now, he I am, sister as company, in a bank run by goblins to get money for my wizard school supplies..."

The party of three had met up with the goblin who was now on a cart, torch in hand. "Enter please. Watch your step."

Rebecca began asking the goblin about some custom or something and the goblin seemed pleased to be being spoken to with such reverence. "Actually, you'll find that is a misconception. We are smarter than dwarves." He continued into the history of the goblins being better than dwarves as the cart took off on the tracks at high speed. They turned, twisted, went under a waterfall.

"This washes away all magical disguises, thought up by a goblin of course!" They came to a stop and the goblin called out Vault 687! Follow me please. Watch your step."

Hagrid got up and out first as he was closest to the side and then put a hand out for both Rebecca and Harry. Once they'd met the goblin at the gate, he reached a long nailed finger up and dragged it down the vault's door. There was a clinking noise as the pins inside fell away and then the door swung open revealing piles upon piles of coins in different shapes and color. 

"This your vault Hagrid?" Hagrid chuckled.

"No, this all belongs to you two. Now, this is a galleon, this is a knut, and this is a sickle. Go ahead and take out that pouch I gave you earlier Harry and," Hagrid reached into yet another pocket, "Here's yours Rebecca. Go ahead and fill 'em up. You'll need for your supplies and a little pocket money, too."

Rebecca filled up her pouch and then turned back to Hagrid. "Do you happen to have another pouch?"

"Uh, yeah. I should somewhere here. Did yours rip?"

Rebecca shook her head. "No, I would like to put some in a pouch for the Weasley's for having me. Molly said she's asked Dumbledore what they're to do with me after the school year, but we haven't heard back yet. I need them to know how important they've become to me."

Hagrid bent down to one knee and wrapped the young girl and boy in a large, hairy embrace. "You two, just as sweet as your parents would've wanted. So thoughtful!" He gave her the second pouch. "I think that's a great idea."

"Harry, is this okay with you?" Rebecca thought to ask him before she'd put any in the pouch.

He jumped a little, shocked that she would think he would have a problem with it. "Of course! If I could stay with them too, I would."

Rebecca looked at him questioningly. 

Harry answered hesitantly, "Remember that talk we're going to have one day?" She thought for a second and then nodded. He continued, "I'll have my own to share, though nothing like what I feel you're going to tell me."

She nodded and tied the second pouch closed, "I hope not." When all was said and done, they left the vault and went back to the cart where the goblin was waiting.

"Vault 713!"

Hagrid looked down at the children and the checked his watch. "Official Hogwarts' business. And, we have the perfect amount of time to get back to the surface and meet up with the others!"

Hagrid's errand was over in less than a minute and then the goblin drove them back to where they'd all started.

Rebecca stopped to thank the goblin for talking about himself and for the informational trip to their vault. He turned a little red and made a little bow, "Next time you're here, just ask for me. I'll take you back down. Griphook, just ask for Griphook."

Rebecca and Harry promised that they would when they went back and then Hagrid guided them back out to the street. "Where did we say we were meeting the Weasley's?" Hagrid asked the other two. They looked at each other and thought for a moment. "Ollivander's?" Harry asked.

Hagrid clapped once, "Right you are Harry! This was to Ollivander's. Let's go get some wands!"

They went off in a direction that they hadn't arrived in and walked for about half a block until they saw a group with bright red hair standing in front of a little shop with a creaking sign. They had arrived at Ollivander's.

Author's Note:

I have to get back to doing my school work tomorrow, but I am going to try and fit in another chapter. I wanted to go ahead and thank you, the reader reading this right now, for doing that. Reading this. 

I was going to let this die away, but then I saw that some of you had voted on this and have added it to your libraries. I've got a long, long story line planned out for this... But I'd really love to keep going. 

So, as always, feedback is appreciated in the form of votes and comments and THANK YOU ONCE MORE!!!

<3


	9. Chapter 9

Ding-ding.

The little bells on the backside of the door jingled as everyone filed into the shop. Hagrid, poking his head in and seeing that the numerous Weasleys and two Potters had the shop pretty much filled in the space, said he was going to wait outside. 

Molly was trying to wrangle everyone into a semblance of order, "No, Fred, you and George don't need to be up front because you're not getting a wand. Ron, are you going to Hogwarts? Yes. Do you need a wand? Yes. Don't stand behind your father then." Turning with a deep breath, Molly faced the wrinkly old man who had appeared behind her. "Ollivander, how are you doing?"

They exchanged brief pleasantries until Ollivander went silent, bending to the side to look around Molly. "Is that him?" Molly nodded, "Yes... We're here for three wands today."

(I am aware that Ron had inherited Charlie's wand, but I decided to just have him get one with Rebecca and Harry.)

Ollivander looked back to Molly, "Three? Ginny's not ready for a wand yet. Is she? No, next year."

Molly stepped to the side, revealing Rebecca. Ollivander gasped once more but stayed silent. A beat passed. Then another. "Miss Potter?"

"Yes mister?" She looked up and met his large blue eyes. 

"I never once believed the stories, and yet here you are. Perhaps, to prove that even rumors can have a sliver of truth behind them."

She nodded, "Sometimes you have to see to believe." 

He nodded, "That you do."

He clapped his hands and rubbed them together. "Let's find some wands. Mr. Weasley, shall you start us off?" Ollivander smiled and beckoned for the youngest Weasley boy to move to the front and let Ollivander grasp his hands. He 'hmmed', then turned quickly and grabbed a box from the top of a shelf. Opening the box and holding it up to Ron, Ron went to grab it. His hand was just about to reach around the handle of the wand when Ollivander exclaimed, "No! Not this one..." and ran back to grab a different box. 

Ron tried three other wands (he was actually able to grab these) before Ollivander agreed that the one he had would have to do. "Never seen such a difficult wand placement." He told Molly. Molly smiled and ruffled Ron's hair, "That's my baby! Can't believe your going off to school this year." Molly leaned down and showered him in dramatic kisses as Ollivander moved to Harry and Rebecca.

"Mister and Miss Potter, on to you. Do you know what happens with twins, their parents, and their wands?" He didn't wait for an answer. "It has been discovered that more times than not, the offspring will have a wand more similar to one of their parents wands than not, much more so than single-born children. Do you know why?" He paused and then gestured at them for an answer, apparently this time he wanted one.

Rebecca looked to Harry who just shrugged. "Magic, I suppose?" Rebecca offered. Ollivander smiled. "Your answer is better than mine. I have no idea why." 

Then, just as strangely as he did with Ron, he turned and let his hand trace the fronts of wand boxes. He murmured to himself throughout the whole process, pausing at some boxes, smacking the labels of others. The two Potters to giggled to each other at his antics. 

"Mister Potter. Try this one." Harry grabbed it a gave it a swish, resulting in a line of crashes as the lowest row of wands crashed off of the nearest shelf. "Guess not." Ollivander said as he went back to grab another. The next wand resulted in a similar mess. 

"I'm growing curiouser and curiouser. Try this one." Ollivander slide over one last wand. "It's 11" and supple in build. Its core? Now that is what draws my curiosity. The core is phoenix tail feather. Those feathers are extremely rare, especially when they come from the same phoenix. This wand has a brother. It's brother..." He paused, "...belonged to the one who gave you two those scars."

Rebecca looked at Harry and nodded her head at him. He swished it and a soft light filled the room. It was clear that the wand had chosen him.

"Remember," Ollivander started off softly. "Remember this, while the actions of the one who owned this wand echo with evil still, every good deed, every spell for good done with this wand will redeem it." Ollivander shooed Harry back a step and turned to Rebecca.

"Now, Miss Rebecca, I think we will start with a wand similar to your fathers. Here, 14" and supple. Best suited for transfiguration and the like." Rebecca reached a hand out, but felt nothing as she held the wand. Ollivander tut-tutted and shook his head. "Nope, nothing there. Maybe more similar," He turned to the shelves, "to Lily's."

He came back with three wand boxes. "This is almost identical to your mother's. 10 1/4" and swishy." She picked it up and gave it a swish. While nothing broke, nothing happened. "Strange. Between the three of you, these are my most complicated placements all week!"

The next wand (12" with unicorn tail core) also brought up a null result. 

"This one called to me from the shelf, though I know not why. It's 13 1/2" long, strong yet pliable, with a core of dragon heartstring. This wand, with the right witch, will be extremely powerful. It has stayed in this shop for over sixty years, waiting in silence for whom it was looking for. You should feel especially honored." 

Rebecca asked a few questions about care and upkeep. Ollivander answered with pure happiness. He loved inquisitive young minds.

Picking up the final wand on the counter, Rebecca felt it. She could feel the power that the wand opened to her, this was definitely her wand. Her hair blew as the room was filled with a slight breeze. Ollivander leaned back with his arms crossed. "Yes, that is yours." Molly clapped her hands, "Ollivander, it was so good to see you again." The two groups paid for their wands and then Molly bade Ollivander a final goodbye with a promise to see him again the next year for Ginny's wand.

Ushering everyone out the door, Arthur and Molly consulted the list once more. They talked softly. "If Hagrid takes Harry, Rebecca, Fred and George to Madame Malkin's, while we go to Flourish and Blotts for all the books. Go ahead and check off Ollivander's. Okay, then we can make the final stop for the few potion supplies they'll need and then we're done."

Arthur divided the group up, "Fred, George, Harry, and Rebecca are going to go get robes. Ginny, Ron, Percy, and the two of us will be going to get the books. Let's go!" Arthur hurried his group off and Hagrid counted the four children, "Don't want t' lose any of you." And they went into the shop down a few doors from Ollivander's. Before leaving the front of Ollivander's, Rebecca peeked back so she could be seen through the front window and gave him a final wave.

"Hagrid?" Rebecca called up to him. 

"Yes Rebecca?" 

"Wands have to be asked to do magic, right? It's not going to do something by accident with us just holding it?"

Hagrid laughed heartily, "Don't you be worrying about that. Without proper training, magic is near impossible for you to do by accident."

Harry sheepishly interjected, "It wouldn't be possible to, say, make the glass in front of a snake exhibit disappear and then reappear magically, would it?"

Hagrid looked a little concerned and slowed his walk, "Uh, I would say that would be possible. Why?"

Harry explained what had happened on Dudley's last birthday. "It was an accident, I swear!" Harry finished his story. Hagrid was trying to stifle his laughs, as to not embarrass the young wizard, but Rebecca, Fred, and George were less tactful. They were laughing so hard that they were attracting looks from other people passing by. Arriving at the robe shop, they managed to compose themselves enough to enter quietly. At least, quieter than they were when roaring with laughter.

"Good morning, Madame Malkin. We seem to have caught you at the perfect time!" Hagrid explained that they needed four new sets of robes. (Fred and George had outgrown there's from last year past the point of letting them out.) Madame Malkin held herself with more pomp that Ollivander, but was noticeably shocked to see two Potter children in her shop. 

Asking no questions, she led the four children to her four measuring stools. Instructing them all to stand straight, she and three magic measuring tapes took measurements of them. Next, she had them all stand with there arms straight out, then she had them stand with their arms straight up. Having all the measurements she needed, she had Hagrid coordinate payment and said all the robes would be ready in half an hour. There was a chorus of thank you's as they left the robe shop and left to meet the other group at the book and paper shop. 

Once inside, they found Molly and the rest of the second group in line. "Here, Harry, one full set of first year books. Rebecca, we had the extra set from Fred and George, save for these two new ones and they blew up the other one." She paused as she had given everyone there own books to hold and finally had a hand free. "How were the robe fittings? Fred, George, did you have her put a few extra inches on the length?" They told her that they had asked for extra length to grow into.

Molly nodded her head, "Good." They had finished their status update just in time to check out. The cashier seemed overwhelmed by the number of different hands tossing things up on the counter and taking them off, but they were done in just a few minutes. As they left the store, Arthur called for a time check. "It's quarter past 12, dad." Ginny answered. The Weasley's cheered. Ron explained, "If we're done with all the school shopping by 1, dad brings us to Florean's for ice cream."

Entering Florean's, the bushy mustached man behind the counter called out, "Arthur! I was worried you weren't going to make it this year!" 

Everyone placed their orders, ten ice creams. Harry and Rebecca both thought Strawberry-Peanut butter sounded the best while most of the Weasley's got some variation of chocolate. Before Molly could pull out her coin pouch, Harry and Rebecca put all the galleons needed on the counter.

"Children, don't be silly, put that back and save it."

Harry, swayed by Molly's mum-voice, went to grab it back but Rebecca grabbed his hand. Looking to Molly with pleading eyes, she said, "Please, let me do something for you all after everything you've done for me."

Molly shook her head, "I..." Rebecca thanked her before she could finish her sentence and pushed the two piles across the counter. Florean gave the twins a smile and a wink and handed them their receipt with their change. "Here's those last two strawberry-peanuts, have a great day!"

George was happily eating his chocolate raspberry cone when he had an idea. A pranking idea. "Rebecca, my ice cream smells a little funny." She turned from Ron who was helping her explain Quidditch to Harry. Fred caught on and made a show of smelling his too, "Yeah, mine does too."

Rebecca leaned to smell her own just as Molly's hand appeared out of nowhere, blocking George's hand as it shot up to smash Rebecca's ice cream into her nose. "George...Fabien...Weasley."

His face went pale at the sound of his full name. "Rebecca, I would like to take this moment to formally apologize for my actions. I did not stop to think of the repercussions of what would have been a very unfunny joke."

Molly, turning back to the adults table (with the exception of Percy), when she gave Rebecca and Harry a little wink. Rebecca smiled and went back to what she had been saying before hand, "So there's this odd-shaped ball called the quaffle..."

******************************************

Ice cream eaten and school shopping done, Harry and Hagrid were going to go their separate way from Diagon Alley. Hagrid exchanged hugs with Molly and Arthur while Harry said goodbye to the Weasley children. Once he got to Rebecca, she held her arms out for a hug. The two, sufficiently acquainted twins hugged each other, saddened at having to be separated. 

Rebecca was the one to end the hug, "Hey, think about it. School starts in two days. Then we'll be able to see each other everyday!" Harry smiled at the thought. "You're right. Two days will pass in a blink." 

Harry turned back to Hagrid, "How do we get to Hogwarts?"

Hagrid said, "The train o'course. Let's head off Harry, goodbyes tend to make me sad when longer than necessary." Harry smiled up at the giant man and said goodbye once more to everyone else. "Oh! Almos' forgot! Harry, Rebecca, come here." 

The two went over to where he was reaching onto the cart of Harry's supplies. "I got you both something to share." He pulled up a cage with an owl inside. The owl was white with black specks on its wings and had the most vivid yellow eyes. Harry and Rebecca both fawned over how beautiful she was while Hagrid explained that she already knew how to deliver letters and that all you had to was tell her the address and she'd find a way. 

Hagrid then passed onto them that the shop keeper had said pumpkin seeds were her favorite snack. Harry offered to keep her until they got to Hogwarts, not at all remembering Dudley's fear of birds. wink...wink...

Hagrid and Harry went off to bring Harry back to the Dursley's until Hagrid was going to pick him up to take him to King's Cross. The Weasley's went back to The Burrow, where Molly immediately started to separate the supplies into piles while everyone brought down large trunks from their rooms. 

"Percy! Get Bill or Charlie's old trunk too!" When Rebecca asked who Bill and Charlie were, she learned that they were two of Molly and Arthur's oldest sons who worked far away. One as a dragon specialist in Romania and one in the Ministry of Magic's detrapping team. "Will they mind if their trunk is gone?" 

Molly let out a sad sigh, "Dear, you'll be back long before they will."

Ginny watched as the trunks were packed with care and rules were laid out, "No explosions. No dung bombs. No F's. No detentions..." Molly went on for several minutes. "And, I swear on the Queen and Merlin himself, do no make me send a howler. If I have to go back out and buy another howler, you boys are going to wish you were dead." 

Fred and George start with some overlapping minor complaints, "Mum, what about Rebecca, you're counting her out of the rules and threats!" 

Molly rolled her eyes, "Rebecca, same for you then." She turned back to Fred and George, "Happy now?" 

"Relatively." They answered in unison.

With the trunks packed and stacked by the door, they were free to go play quidditch before supper. Climbing onto a broom, Rebecca pushed up and off into the air. Not in the mood for a race just yet, she let herself meander around The Burrow and the off around one of the hills near the pitch the played on. Fred flew down from his lazy loops and flew next to her as she went around.

"You okay, mate? Awfully quiet out here." He asked her. She sighed but stayed silent. Fred pushed on, "I get down before we go back too. It's just like, we've been home for these months and then we have to go back. Which, don't get me wrong, Hogwarts is like a home, it's just not home."

She nodded. She knew if she said how said she was to leave aloud that she'd start crying and she'd done plenty of that. Fred pulled the quaffle out from behind his back and asked if she wanted to play catch. No points, just for fun.

"I'd like that." Rebecca finally said. Fred turned to go a distance away smiling. 

*******************************************

"Supper is on the table!" Molly's call echoed out. Fred, Rebecca, and Ron were drenched in sweat because with the Weasley boys, no game was ever "just for fun" for long. Catch quickly turned into who can throw the farthest, score the farthest, catch the best, etc... Rebecca, while the newest flyer, held her own in most competitions. Bested by only the smallest of margins. 

Molly was happy to see the kids so dirty and sweaty because that meant they were more likely to be exhausted and then be more likely to go to bed when in their rooms and not stay up all night. 

"Wash your hands!" But it was too late. They'd already gathered at the table and dug into their plates. "You're all going to catch a disease!" Molly warned them. 

As dinner winded down from the rush at the start, Molly went around the table and asked if everyone had what they needed, needed anything washed, and finally, asked the Weasley question of the summer. "Everyone better be thinking for tomorrow? I want good answers for the book!"

Rebecca turned to Ron, who was sitting next to ask, "What book?" 

Ron gave a little eye roll. "Mum makes us write our favorite thing that happened during the summer to put into a scrapbook." While the Weasley children cleared the table grumbling, Rebecca asked Mrs. Weasley if she would be able to write something for the book, too.

Molly told that of course she would be welcome to write for the book, and then Molly explained that it can be however long or short, big or small, that she wanted. It was so that in the future they could all remember how special the times they were all together were.

Rebecca did her parts of clean up and then went to get in the shower line, thinking all the while about what she was going to write. She asked Ginny for some paper and a pen before the lights went out and soon found herself with just the inspiration she needed. Working by moonlight, she began to write.


	10. Chapter 10

Ginny woke up and saw that Rebecca was sleeping in bed right side up. And, that she was surrounded by papers. Some were crumpled, some were filled with chicken scratch, some were circled and underlined in strange places. 

Ginny left the room silently, grabbing clothes that were easily accessible and then going down the hall to the bathroom to get ready before everyone else was awake. She went downstairs to find her mum sitting at the table patting Errol's head as she opened the letters that he had brought.

"Advert, advert, junk, ah yes, Dumbledore!" Ginny watched from the doorway as her mum, still not noticing her daughter, tore the letter open with a vigor seen only by Ron at a meal. Molly's eyes scanned the letter quickly and then she turned to the back. Molly stood up and darted towards her and Arthur's bedroom, calling for him. 

Ginny, throughly curious and confused, went back to their bedroom silently. When she peeked through the door, her confusion only grew stronger. Molly and Arthur were holding each other as they turned in a slow circle. Molly's shoulders were shaking and Arthur had his head buried in her hair. "Mum, dad, what's going on?"

Molly jumped, unaware that anyone else was awake so early on their last day of summer. Arthur wiped his eyes on his sleeve and then led the two to the edge of the bed to sit. Ginny asked, "Why are you crying? Is something wrong?"

Molly laughed. A loud, larger-than-life laugh, uncharacteristic of herself, laugh. "No baby, nothing is wrong. The opposite actually. We got really, really good news. The best news. And we weren't entirely expecting it."

Arthur leaned over to whisper in Ginny's ear, "We'll tell you, if you can keep it a secret." A sly smile passed between father and daughter.

*******************************************

Rebecca woke up and stretched and her bed crinkled like it was made of paper. When she had opened are rubbed the sleep from her eyes, she found that it could be made of paper by the looks of it. Still yawning intermittently, she separated her papers into recycling, looked over once more, and reference piles. Rebecca was reaching over to grab her glasses when she noticed that Ginny was already awake and gone. 

Sitting up in bed, she grabbed the pen from the floor and began editing. 

*******************************************

Ron was in bed, far enough asleep to not hear his door opening. Far enough asleep to not hear the shuffling of four feet and whispering. Molly had told Fred and George to wake up Percy, Ron, and Rebecca. She forgot what had happened last time.

First Fred and George went to wake up Percy. Percy had a bell dangling off his door knob to announce the entrance of anyone. As soon as the bell let out it's first ring, Percy was sitting up in bed and awake... No fun for Fred and George there. 

George wanted to go to get Rebecca next, thinking that she would be the easiest to prank. But, to their despair, she was already awake in bed. Ron was going to get the brunt of two promised and failed pranks.

First, the put plastic across the door frame, lined up with his head when he was standing. Then the filled two big bowls: One with water and one with feathers. Then, Fred and George took all the laces from his shoes and made one end longer than the other. At this point, Rebecca had gotten up and dressed and was watching from the doorway. 

"Why do you do this?" She asked at a normal volume.

The twins turned and shhhed her. They came to the doorway, "It's bloody fun, that's why!"

Fred motioned for her to take a step back. "Watch." Fred and George went to opposite sides of Ron's bed. Then counted down, "3..2..1!" And then they both jumped up on his bed so that they were standing on either side of his body. They started to jump up and down as they chanted, "Get up Ron!" Over and over. 

Ron sat up the best he could and was suddenly drenched with water. He reached up to wipe his face and then had the feathers dumped on him. He stood up as he started to yell, swinging at the twins as he did.

"Go George!" Fred called as George stepped out of the room under the plastic. Fred ran and ducked under as well. Ron, absolutely furious, went to run out of his room and was knocked back by the sticky plastic. He took a step back and sat on the edge of his bed. He stayed silent as he began picking the feathers off of him.

"I hate being pranked." He finally said to Rebecca who was still in the hall. 

She set the papers she was holding behind her and took the plastic off the door. Entering his room, she began to pick up the feathers from the floor. 

She thought for a minute, "Yeah, I can understand that. They asked me to watch, but I don't see how this was funny." She put the feathers in the trash and then grabbed his blanket. "Just seems mean."

Ron nodded. "I'll bring this down." Rebecca said as Ron still sat on the edge of his bed. 

Papers folded and tucked into her back pocket and Ron's blankets in front of her, she headed down the stairs. Fred and George were in the kitchen getting breakfast from Molly's pot of oatmeal. Seeing Rebecca enter the kitchen, they arrogantly asked her what she thought.

Molly asked, "What she thinks about what? What have you boys done now?" Fred and George just laughed and asked Rebecca again.

"I think that what you did to Ron wasn't funny, it was cruel. If that is how all of your pranks are, I'd be fine never seeing another one." Molly told Rebecca where to put Ron's blanket to go through the wash and started scolding Fred and George. Rebecca grabbed two bowls of oatmeal and piles one high with blueberries, brown sugar, and a strawberry right on top. Then she turned and went to bring it up to Ron.

Trying to pull Ron out of his grey, Rebecca started to ask questions about the Bulgarian quidditch team. He answered with growing excitement and soon forgot the nature of his awakening on their last day of summer. Ron and Rebecca went down the stairs with their bowls and the rest of his sheets to a worried Molly who showered them with affection. "I'm sorry Ron, I didn't even think when I'd asked those two to wake you lot. They've been charged with bathing the chickens, so don't you fret about getting them back. Madame Egg is in a particularly foul (Fowl! Ha!) mood today and will give them a good pecking to."

Ron laughed, "Why did we let Ginny name her that?" The three in the kitchen laughed.

Ron and Ginny went off to get their piece of writing out of the way quickly while Molly asked Rebecca to help grab the dishes off the table. "Ginny mentioned that you were up late last night. Everything alright?"

Rebecca nodded her head, "Oh yes, I just had an idea and didn't want to forget." Molly laughed and said how that was the worst.

Rebecca went to the now cleared table and took out her drafts. Taking out the clean sheet she saved, she began to copy down her work. She sat down and worked for over an hour until she was fully and completely happy with her contribution. Standing up, she stretched and went to find something to do.

*******************************************

Outside, Fred and George were fighting Madame Egg who decided that she didn't need a bath.

"Madame Egg, please. You stink. Let us rinse you off!" George pleaded. 

"Here, I'll grab her from behind while you act like you're getting her from the front." Fred told George quietly while moving to the back of Madame Egg. The angry chicken gave a little hop, making both boys jump.

"Afraid of a chicken?" Rebecca said from the step where she had been sitting.

George scoffed, "This isn't just a chicken. She's an angry, smart chicken." Rebecca laughed and walked over to them. Reaching a hand out to Madame Egg, Rebecca cooed sweet words to the chicken. Complimenting her orange beak, her beautiful feathers, her three toes. Madame Egg slowly approached the young girl and let her scratch her head.

"How does she do that?" Fred whispered to George. George handed Rebecca the soapy bucket they were trying to use to get her clean. Grabbing some of the bubbles on top of the water and spreading them on her fingers, Rebecca massaged the top of her head and moved to get the back of her wings. Madame Egg just looked up at her and stayed still. 

Sudsy, Madame Egg continued to stay still as she asked George for a bucket of clean water. George put it next to her and watched as Rebecca used her hand to bring water to the top of the chickens head. Once rinsed, Fred tossed her a towel. Madame Egg was wrapped up and held against Rebecca as she stood up. "Not too hard, she's a good girl. Yes, you are!" Fred and George just looked at each other and put the empty buckets by the side of the house. 

Rebecca walked Madame Egg to the entrance of her coop and let her out from the towel. Madame Egg clucked a few times and strutted proudly. Fred and George came up behind her as she crouched down to say goodbye to the cleaned chicken. Once done, Rebecca turned and was startled by the two silent twins.

"What?" Rebecca asked confusedly.

"Did you mean it? You never want to see our pranks again?" Fred asked. 

"Yeah." George said as well.

"No, what I said is that I don't want to see you prank people if its always done so meanly. It would be different if you pranked someone who deserved a prank or thought it would be funny, or at least wasn't in bed!" 

The three children went silent. Rebecca asked, "Did you apologize to Ron?" Fred and George made a face, "No mother, not yet." Rebecca laughed, "If I'm your mum, then I suggest you go do that before another chicken needs a bath!"

The boys laughed at the thought and turned to go back in the house. Rebecca waved them on, she wanted to say goodbye to the gnomes while she was outside. Turning to the other side of the yard, she was happy to see her little gnome friend from when they de-gnomed the garden was back.

"Hey little guy!" She said to him as she sat down next to him and went to scratch his head. He ran in circles to make her chase him and then he called for his gnome friends to come over. Soon, Rebecca found herself surrounded by twelve or more other gnomes who all wanted to play too. She went to her knees and played with them.

Molly watched her from the kitchen window, confused at how sweet the gnomes were being. "How weird. Those little beasties don't normally like anyone." She went into the study to grab the camera off the desk, wanting to take a picture of the anomaly. Lifting the camera and putting the girl in the frame and snapped a shot of them all. 

The picture spat out of the bottom and Molly grabbed it and pinned it on the board. Then she grabbed the basket of sheets that were ready to go up on the line outside. Clank. The screen door clattered as she pushed it open with her foot. Rebecca popped up and and went to help her hang the drying. "I heard you and Madame Egg have quite a friendship blossoming." Molly started.

"The way Fred and George were jumping away from her, you'd think she had razor teeth!" The matriarch and young girl laughed together. Molly asked when they were done if Rebecca had any plans.

"No, is there anything you need help with?" Rebecca offered. 

"Actually yes, Ginny needs a little extra loving today. She had mentioned wanting to go on a broom ride."

Rebecca jumped right on that, "I'm really going to miss her...and you...and Arthur..." She paused.

"I'll go on a ride with her."

Molly smiled, "I'll finish this then, you go on a grab her before this rain starts."

Rebecca gave her a hug and then turned and ran into the house. Once inside, she called up the stairs for Ginny. Ginny came down broom in hand. "Ready?" Ginny asked her. 

Rebecca grabbed her broom from the closet and then said yes. 

The girls charged out the door.

*******************************************

Zooming over the land, the girls red and black hair flew around their face. They raced around the pitch, in and out of the first few layers of trees, up and around the top of The Burrow. They slowed the pace of their flight once they went back to the middle of their quidditch pitch. They sat in silence, Ginny the one to break the silence. "I'm going to miss you. But I hope you have an amazing year." 

"I hope it's a good year too. I know next year will be even better though." Rebecca said.

Ginny looked to her confused, "Why next year?" 

Rebecca smiled, "Next year you'll be there too!"

They laughed and started going in a slow circle towards the tree house. Flying up to be level with the windows, Rebecca was silent. Ginny turned, "Let's go home." 

Rebecca looked to The Burrow, "Let's." They zipped to the door and put their brooms where they belonged. Arthur had just arrived home from work and was greeted by the girls who were drinking water in the kitchen.

"Hey girls, cause any trouble today?" He asked with a smile.

Molly popped her head out from the doorway facing the rest of the house, "Speaking of trouble..." She then explained what the twins had done to Ron. Arthur laughed and shook his head, but stopped when he saw the look on Molly's face. "I will go have a strong talking to with those ruffians, right this instant. This behaviour will not be tolerated!"

Molly left the room and Arthur turned back to the girls with a wink. "Watch this." He whispered to them. He motioned for them to plug their ears and boomed up the stairs, "FRED! GEORGE!" There was a thump from the general area of their bedroom and then the banging as they ran down the stairs.

"Yes dad?" They said in unison.

"Don't you 'yes dad' me! The last day of summer and you wanted to spend in in trouble?"

"Not really." Fred answered cheekily.

"The cheek. The cheek is out of control young man. Consider you two on thin ice. You'd best hope that the school year doesn't start with so much as a minute infraction. Or else."

"Or else?" They asked.

Arthur said warningly, "Or. Else." George and Fred overlapped their, "Sorry"s. Arthur told them to go get the rest of them for dinner nicely.

As soon as they turned up the stairs, Arthur turned to the girls in the kitchen. "How was that? Did you see how scared they were?!" They all laughed and did as Molly asked around the kitchen.

When everyone sat around the table, Molly asked if anyone wanted to go first. Percy offered and read his paragraph going over how what made the summer most special for him was the week he was able to intern at the Ministry of Magic. 

Ron went next and read his saying that his was finishing school shopping in time for Florean's. Molly said, "Darling, isn't that what you wrote last year?" 

Ron quickly said, "Fred? George? Your turn." And changed the subject.

Fred and George cleared their throats and stood up.

"Our" "favorite" "part" "of" "the" "summer", they continued in alternating words, "was the quality time we were able to spend with all of you!"

There was an awful lot more written on the paper in front of them, but that's all they would read out loud.

Ginny went next, "My favorite part of this summer was being able to kick all of your butts in quidditch, and being able to spend time with a girl instead of all you," she faked a gag, "boys."

She sat down and they all looked down to Rebecca, the last one to go. She stood up and pulled her piece of paper from her lap,

"The best part of this summer, for me, was the love that I've given and received from you all. These weeks have been the absolute happiest in my life. I've learned more about myself and my family, but I've learned most from watching how you all interact with each other." She paused, "There's a section I've written about each of you, if you want to pass if around." The paper went to her left where Ron began to read his section while Molly stood up at the head of the table.

"I've actually prepared something for this year as well." She picked up spoon and a camera and set it on the table. "This morning, I got a letter. A very important, unexpected letter." She took the hand that was behind her back and held the paper in front of her and took a deep breath. "The Ministry has decided that, Rebecca, if you would like to stay, you may. Arthur and I can sign to become your guardians."

Rebecca's jaw dropped as everyone around the table cheered. She stood up and ran to where Arthur had just hugged Molly and wrapped her arms around the two of them. The rest of the Weasley children circled around them making one, large group hug.

When the hug dispersed, Rebecca finally asked, "What is the spoon and camera for exactly?"

"Well, I had assumed that you would accept and everyone has a spoon for the clock. We'll snap a picture, paste it on, give it a good spell and pop it up on the clock!" Molly motioned for her to take a step back so her back was against the door and told her to smile. 

Snap

Picture taken, there was only one more thing to do: Sign the paper and give it to Errol. The form said along the top, "Assigning of legal guardianship for school aged witches and wizards," With a spot below it where a ministry official had signed, a spot labelled the recommending wizard, where Dumbledore had signed, and then three blanks. A Guardian one and two blank and then a blank for Rebecca to sign.

"Will I lose the Potter name if I sign this?" Rebecca asked. 

Arthur launched into a very lengthy explanation that boiled down to "no, whatever you sign as will be what you're legally recognized as."

Rebecca watched Arthur and Molly sign with everyone around the table watching. Molly handed her the pen and pointed to the last blank. The room was silent. When she stood back, Molly looked down to see "Rebecca Jane Potter Weasley". She bent down and gave her another hug. Turning back to the table where the photo had finished developing, Molly murmured the spell with the picture laying on the spoon and the picture morphed and melted into the right size to the spoon. 

Molly gave it to Arthur who then walked over to the clock face and removed the stopper on the pin to add another arm to the clock. Once the clock was reassembled, Rebecca's spoon did a full circle and then stopped in the home area with the rest of the Weasley's.

Ginny leaned onto Rebecca's shoulder, "Look Becks, you're home."

*******************************************

Author's Note:

As always, thanks for voting and commenting your opinions. Even if you don't like something, it always feels good to hear from you, the readers.

<3


	11. Chapter 11

Rebecca Jane Potter Weasley woke up in her Weasley bed in the Weasley house on her first morning as a Weasley. Her relief at knowing that she wouldn't have to leave left her giddy as she got out of bed. Ginny's alarm was going off far earlier than it had all summer because today was the day the school-aged children were heading off to Hogwarts! (Also, going against the books, Fred and George are one year older than Ron/Harry/Rebecca/Hermione. They are going into their second year.) 

Molly was in Ron's doorway, telling him that he had to get up or they would be late and then they'd miss the train, and so on. After Ron had shown sign of life by sitting up, Molly moved into the girls' doorway. "Up and at 'em ladies! Car leaves in 45 for King's Cross." Clapping her hands while crying, "PRONTO!" as she went back down the hall, there was a clamor as the four boys fought over the bathroom. 

Rebecca poked her head back in her and Ginny's bedroom, "Hey Ginny? I'm going to run down and eat breakfast first." Ginny looked down the hall and quickly said, "Yeah, me too. No way I'm getting that close to Percy when he's got that look on his face." 

Downstairs, the girls found a table set with eggs, sausage, bacon, and stacks of toast. Molly popped a plate in front of Arthur and put hers at her spot and insisted on scooping out the girls before she sat down to eat her own. Digging into the plate Molly had piled high, Rebecca said, "Thank you, Mrs. Weasley."

Molly smiled, "You are more than welcome dear. No one can go hungry on their first day off to school, can they?" The girls shook their heads no and kept eating. Ginny put her last few bites in her mouth as the boys came downstairs and started dishing out the rest. Molly reached a hand out to rest it on Rebecca's shoulder as she softly said, "Dear, Arthur and I don't want you to feel pressured when we say this: Now that you're going to be staying here for... well for at least a very long time... you are more than welcome to call us Arthur or Molly or even mum and dad! We want you to feel relaxed and less formal, especially in what's your home too now." 

Rebecca nodded. "I understand. Can I take your plate into the kitchen? I'm done and heading that way."

Molly said that she could, in fact, take her plate and then reminded her that they were leaving in half an hour. "No dillydallying, hop to!"

Rushing up the stairs, Rebecca threw some plain clothes on and managed to tame her hair into moderately, publicly accepted messiness. She went back and looked around her side of the room one more time to check and see if there was anything else she could want. Seeing a scrap of paper, she decided to write a little "Don't be too sad, we'll see each other again before you know it. Write soon!" note to stick under Ginny's pillow.

Gasping in shock, Rebecca opened the drawer in her night table and grabbed the pictures she'd almost forgotten. There were some of her mother and father, some of Arthur and Molly, and even one that she'd taken herself of Ginny, Ron, Fred, and George sitting on the step outside. 

Sticking the pictures on the top of her backpack, Rebecca left and closed the door behind her. Molly was in the kitchen drying her hands and everyone else was starting to pull trunks to the trunk of the Weasley's car. She was concerned as she saw the stack of five trunks and five bags next to the car. "Do you tie some to the roof?" She asked Arthur as he opened the trunk. 

He turned, "The roof? Is that something that muggles do when things don't fit in the boot?"

Rebecca nodded. Arthur continued, "How adaptive..." He paused. "No, the trunk is enchanted. I've been working on this little project for quite a while. Oil never needs changing, trunk will hold everything you put in it, headlights never grow foggy. Yes, this baby's had a bit of work done." He ran a hand along the trunk door and reached for a trunk. 

Rebecca's eyes widened as the trunk slid in and kept sliding. Just as Arthur had said, the trunk extended to hold all the luggage. "That is so cool." Was all Rebecca was able to say before Molly ran out of the house and closed the door behind her. 

"Everyone out here? Good. Time to go!" She called as everyone started piling into the Ford. Arthur hopped in the driver's seat and asked if everyone had everything they needed. 

"Everyone used the toilet? We've not budgeted the time to stop." Everyone said they good. "Alright then, let's take some kids to school!" Arthur reversed down the drive.

*******************************************

The car ride was largely uneventful, some arguing over who was touching who by being outside of their space, Ginny wouldn't stop humming which made Percy mad, the usual full-car on a moderately long car ride. Molly and Arthur turned on the radio and were tuning out the discord behind them. In the meantime, Fred and George were explaining how the first years got into the castle.

"Boats? In water boats?" Rebecca asked quickly. 

George nodded his head in a slow exaggerated way, "That's typically where boats go." 

Fred joined in, "You don't have to paddle or anything."

Rebecca turned to look out the window, suddenly feeling a little sick, "Nope, not afraid of having to paddle. Not a fan of water."

"Why not!" 

" I can't swim."

Fred and George looked at each other incredulously and then back to Rebecca, "You never learned how to swim?!" They crowed.

Molly turned around at that, "Boys! Don't be so rude. It's not like you learned how until you were nearly ten years old anyway. Oh Rebecca, don't even get me started on these two. If they didn't want to, they wouldn't do it. Potty training, walking, talking, sleeping in their own beds... the list goes on!"

The car laughed at that and they turned onto a busier road with a sign that said "King's Cross station, Next right". Molly directed Arthur to go against the sign and take the second right.

"Molly, the sign says to go right here." Arthur said confused. "I know, I think if you take the second right you're going to end up in the car park instead of going around the roundabout and all the other jumbles."

Arthur sighed, but continued driving straight. Turning on the next available right, he found that he had pulled directly into the car park that they were going to. "Molly, you don't always have to be right."

Molly smiled and leaned over the car to give him a peck, "But I always am." They were lucky enough to find that a lot of the lot was still vacant and to snag a spot close to the trolly deposit.

Arthur, having parked and going to the trunk, told the children to all go grab a trolley. Then, forming a circle of people so to block the stretching trunk from any suspecting muggles, Arthur began to pull luggage out and make a stack that would then be dispersed. 

Molly was going person by person and giving them one of her strongest hugs. After everyone had been hugged and had their luggage on a trolley, Molly pointed towards the entrance and they went off.

"Are we meeting Harry before we get on to the train?" Rebecca asked Arthur who was walking beside her. "Yes, I believe so. Hagrid was dropping him off somewhere and telling him how to get to the platform."

Rebecca walked a little faster: Eager to start school and eager to tell Harry all that had happened since they had last seen each other. Too busy thinking and not paying attention to where she was going, Rebecca bumped the back of Ron's legs with the side of her trunk. "Sorry Ron!" She called as she turned her trolley to walk beside him. "Are you okay?" She asked him. 

He had stopped to lean down and pull his pant leg up and only found a small red spot. "I'll live." He said dramatically. "Say Rebecca, have you ever been on a train before?" Ron asked. 

"Not in what I can remember." 

"Rebecca!" She turned her head at hearing her name called, but couldn't pick out who was doing it from the crowd. "Rebecca!" 

Looking in another direction she saw Harry pull apart from the crowd and run his trolley up to the group of Weasley's. Molly scooped him into a hug and shooed him towards platforms 9 and 10. 

"Percy, go on first." Rebecca and Harry watched as Percy walk-ran straight into the brick wall and disappeared.

"Fred, George, go on."

"I'm Fred and he's George. Honestly woman, you call yourself out mother."

One twin went through the wall. As the next went to go through as well, he said, "Only kidding...I am George!" And then he went through as Molly went to give him a swat.

"Ron? Want to go first?" Rebecca asked hoping he would.

"Sure!" Ron seemed very please to be leading the way for the first years. Molly piped in, "Take it a bit of a run if you're nervous. Have a great year and write often!"

Ron leaned his head over so Molly could give him one last kiss and then he went through.

"Alright, two more." Molly said as she turned to the last set of twins. "Harry? Want to go first?" Molly said as she waved for one of them to go. Harry's hands tightened around the handle of his trolley and he went off after saying goodbye to Mrs. Weasley. Then he was gone. Rebecca told Ginny to write as much as she wanted and then told Molly, "Look at my spot on the table when you get home."

Molly's eyes were a little sparkly. "Oh, one more hug." While Rebecca was wrapped in her arms, molly said softly, "Write. Write if your happy, sad, anything. Don't be afraid to ask for help if you're lost. And," Molly pulled her head back from the hug to have eye contact, "Always remember that you have a lot of people at that school who love you already. Any of those boys will help you or so help me..." Molly's threat trailed off. Arthur cleared his throat and waved his pocket watch in a, you're going to be late, motion. Running to him and hugging him and Ginny once more, Rebecca returned to her trolley and jogged to the wall.

It was cold and almost wet feeling as the wall faded around her and she found that she closed her eyes. When the feeling was gone and she opened her eyes, she was facing a beautiful red train with an emblem on the side that said, "Hogwarts Railroad Agency." Ron and Harry were waiting near the luggage drop off station and guessing with each other about what could have taken Rebecca so long. When they saw her come through the wall, they called her over to give the man her trunk. 

Shouldering their bags with a set of robes in it, the three first years climbed aboard the train and quickly found an empty compartment.

The train's whistle blew twice and the train jumped forward. Rebecca turned to the boys, "I hope we get here with more time next year, so we don't cut it so close."

Rebecca told Harry that the Ministry of Magic had approved the Weasley's petition to remain living with them until she's an adult. Harry looked wildly jealous, but Rebecca explained that they had denied even considering Harry because he was with the Dursley's--She was only approved because they denied another magic child. "They said they wouldn't take you?!" Harry was outraged. "But you're my sister! We're supposed to be together!" 

Rebecca leaned onto his shoulder. "I know, but we're going to spend the more of the year together than not." 

Harry sat silently looking out the window. "I guess, if we can't change anything, then we have to be happy with what we get." 

Ron faked a gag. "Ew, wisdom."

The kids chatted and watched the English countryside going past them.

*******************************************

About 40 minutes into the train ride, a girl with bushy hair came by and opened their compartment door. "A boy named Neville has lost his toad. Have you seen one?"

Rebecca said, "No, but we'll keep an eye out." Harry nodded. Before the girl left, she looked at Ron and then turned to leave and stopped. Turning back to Ron she said, "You have dirt on the side of your nose. Right here." She gestured to the side of her nose. 

Ron's face turned red as he reached up and brushed the dirt away. Once the girl had closed the door, he started to grumble. "Who does she think she is? Charging into a closed compartment. I could have been nude!" 

Harry and Rebecca laughed. Rebecca reached down into her bag and pulled out the sandwiches Molly had packed for her and Harry. Ron pulled his out from his bag as well. Ron sighed heavily, "Corned beef. Mum always forgets that I don't like corned beef."

He shook his head and put the sandwich back in his bag. Just as he had resigned himself to waiting for dinner, the sweet cart was pushed into their doorway and the little old lady asked if they wanted anything from the trolley. Harry reached into his pocket and pulled out and handful of galleons, "We'll take the lot."

The old lady explained that while she couldn't give him the whole trolley's worth of candy, he was more than welcome to have two or three of each. Harry agreed and soon there was an array of strange delicacies throughout the compartment.

Ron had a licorice wand in one hand and a container of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans in the other. "When they say every flavour, then mean it! George swears he got a bogey flavoured one once."

Harry's head shot up from the pumpkin pastie he was opening, "How would George know what bogey flavour would be anyway?"

They laughed. A bell sounded twice to signal that the students aboard should begin changing. Rebecca stood up and grabbed her bag, "I'll run change first."

The boys nodded and jumped back into their chocolate frog card explanation. Rebecca was already privy to that knowledge as Ron had spent the bulk of a morning showing off his collections. There was a small line for the bathroom. While waiting, the bushy haired girl got in line behind her. 

"Did you ever find that toad?" Rebecca asked her. The girl frowned and shook her head. "No, the boy whose lost it, Neville, is distraught." 

The girls were quiet a moment, the other girl started the conversation up again. "My name's Hermione Granger, yours?"

Rebecca introduced herself, "My name's Rebecca Potter. You're a first year too, right?" Hermione nodded and pointed ahead of Rebecca as the bathroom was now open. As Rebecca went in, she turned back to ask if Hermione wanted to come back by their compartment before they arrived. "There's enough sweets in there for an army!" 

Hermione agreed and Rebecca changed.

Back in the compartment, Ron asked Harry if he had the lightning bolt scar like Rebecca or if only she did. "No, I have it too." Harry said as he lifted his hair. "Did Rebecca show you hers too?" Ron laughed, "Yes. But, even if she hadn't, her bedhead shows it every morning!" The boys were still laughing when Rebecca entered in her robes. 

"You guys should go quickly, the lines are growing fast." The boys hopped up and grabbed their bags. In the hall, Ron explained the houses and the sorting ceremony. Harry was confused, "A hat? Like wear on your head hat sorts you?"

Ron nodded, "You'll see, Fred and George told me all about it ." The line for the girls room stretched down almost an entire train car while the boys had no line. Ron and Harry walked past all the girls in line and Ron went into change first. While in the bathroom, he made sure to take a minute and wash his face in the sink to make sure there wasn't any more dirt. 

He left the bathroom and waited for Harry outside. Walking back to their compartment, they were surprised when they heard laughing coming from in the compartment. Peeking in the doorway, they found the girl from earlier and Rebecca waving licorice wands and pelting beans at each other. Harry entered with his hands up and Ron followed behind him. 

"Hey now, white flag up!" Harry joked. The girls contained themselves and took one side half of the benches. Harry stuck a hand out, "Harry Potter." Hermione shook his outstretched hand and introduced herself. She held her hand out to Ron and he shook it boredly. "Ron Weasley." He gestured to his face, "Now dirt free." 

Hermione's cheeks turned red slightly, "I just thought you would like to know before we arrived. Next time I won't say anything." She said goodbye to Rebecca and Harry and then went back to wherever she had been before.

Rebecca looked at Ron and scoffed, "Really Ron?" 

Ron shrugged, "I didn't do anything wrong." The compartment fell into an awkward silence of Harry silently trying to motion for Ron to apologize and Ron shaking his head. After a few minutes passed, Ron gave in.

"Rebecca, I'm sorry." Rebecca turned to look at him. After a moment, she said that she accepted his apology and explained that she could see how she would have been upset too. Just as the three finished tucking away all of their left over sweets in their bags, the train began to slow down. 

A final announcement went out, "Hogwarts now approaching. Disembarking in two minutes." Harry, Ron, and Rebecca all put their bags on their back and stood up as the train came to a complete stop. Their compartment door opened, they were one of the first students to head towards the exit. 

They tossed their bags into the big containers that said, "Deposit all excess luggage here. They will get to your housing accommodations." Once off the train they headed to Hagrid who was calling for all the first years. Smiling down at them, he asked them to step off to the side so that they weren't in the way of the other years. Once the mobs of other students had made there way to how they were getting to the castle, Hagrid turned and addressed the group of first years.

"Hello there, welcome to Hogwarts!" He cleared his throat, "Firs' years get to the castle by boat across the Black Lake. You'll sit 3-4 to a boat and remain seated on the way across. The boats will move by themselves as long as everyone is seated inside. Do me a favor, don't fall off. Poor night vision, may not fin' you till morn." He finished as he gestured to his eyes smiling. He then pointed to the path behind him, "On this way!"

Harry, Rebecca, and Ron were one of the first boats to be filled along the short of the lake where the path spit them out to. Ron and Harry hopped in while Rebecca waited a moment. Looking over her shoulder, Hagrid motioned for her to hop in. 

She took a deep breath and moved into the boat. She took the seat between Harry and Ron. Noticing how tense she was, Harry asked if she was okay. "I don't know how to swim...Sort of afraid of large bodies of water." She said with her eyes closed as she gripped onto the bottom of the seat with white knuckles. Harry put his arm around her shoulders and the other hand on her knee. 

"Look, I've got you. Open your eyes. I don't think you want to miss this." Harry said. Peeking slightly, she opened her eyes fully when she saw the view in front of them. Hogwarts' many windows were illuminated as the suns last bit of colourful sky faded behind it. The boats were mostly silent as the new students looked at the place of their futures.


	12. Chapter 12

As the boats crossed the halfway part of the Black Lack, Rebecca leaned down and put her head between her knees. Her breathing was coming too fast and her heart was racing. All she could imagine in her head was the boat sinking and then she and Ron and Harry sinking to the bottom of the Black Lake and drowning and...

"Rebecca, look, we're 3/4s the way there and we're still okay." Ron said as he put his arm around her as well. "Everything is okay." 

Rebecca could only nod as she tried to get control of her panting. In. Hold. Out. Hold. In. Hold. Out. Hold. Feeling slightly calmer, she looked up and found that Ron was right. She could see the shore where they were going to dock and exit on. 

Standing on the short was a tall, thin woman wearing a pointed hat, Professor McGonagall from the Burrow over the summer! She stood at the base of a set of stairs and waited as the boats reached the shore and then continued up onto it. Hagrid hopped out of his own boat and went to stand near the woman. "Good evening!" She returned his greeting and then turned and faced the first years.

"Good evening. For those of you who don't know, my name is Professor McGonagall. We are going to go up the stairs and enter the castle. Once inside, I will make sure the dining hall is set for your arrival and then we will begin the sorting ceremony." She said everything in a tone that made it clear you didn't want to upset her. "Any questions?" She didn't wait. "Excellent. Follow me."

Professor McGonagall turned and began going up the staircase. Feeling much better back on solid ground, the group of three turned and followed. They were walking up the stairs behind a boy with white-blond hair who was bragging about his trips throughout the summer. Rebecca was going to pass him off as rich kid when he started complaining about the amount of mudbloods that were there this year. McGonagall, far ahead, went to see if the Great Hall was ready.

"Ron," He didn't hear. "Psst. Ron," He looked to her with a cocked eyebrow. "Yes? Why are we whispering?" Continuing to whisper, she asked, "What is a mudblood?"

Ron sucked in a breath, "You don't want to say that. That's a word wizards use to talk about wizards with muggle parents. They're obsessed with purity and bloodlines." Rebecca nodded her head in understanding and turned back to look at the front of them just in time to see herself crash into the boy. He whirled around snarling, "Watch it!"

His eyes widened when he saw that it was Rebecca who bumped into him and Harry was standing right next to her. "So, it was true that there were two Potters." He stuck his hand out, "Draco, Draco Malfoy." 

Ron snorted. His eyes slid to Ron. "Red hair and hand me down robes? Must be a Weasley." Ron's smile dropped and he looked to the ground. Draco turned back, "He must be Harry," He nodded to Harry, "But you are?"

Rebecca gave a sweet smile. "Rebecca Potter." Draco went to continue and was interrupted as soon as he began to speak. "Weasley." 

"What?" Draco asked incredulously. "Rebecca Potter Weasley. That's my full name." Draco shook his head, "What?" Was all he managed again. "Rebecca. Potter. Weasley. Therefore, I also am a Weasley and a Potter. That's usually what two last names tends to mean."

McGonagall returned before Malfoy could say anything else, though the look on her face made it seem like she had heard more of their exchange than they thought. "Students? Thank you. We're-"

"TREVOR!" A boy launched forward and scooped up the toad that had hopped in front of McGonagall. "Sorry..." He said sheepishly as he backed up to where he had been before interrupting. 

"As I was saying... We're going to form a line and head all the way to the other end of the hall before moving to the front. From there, I am going to call out your names and you will be sorted from there. Once the Sorting Hat calls out your house, you will go join your new classmates. Be warned, despite the idea that some houses are better than others, the hat makes the decision best suited for you. Each house has had its fair share of great witches and wizards." Her eyes seemed to pause on Rebecca and Harry as she said that. Without another word, she turned and went through the door to the Great Hall. The first years followed silently.

Entering the Great Hall, there were hundreds of candles floating up near the ceiling which portrayed the stars and the moon outside. Along the walls there were red, blue, yellow, and green banners with different sigils. At the table filled with students with red ties, Fred and George waved to the three first years they knew. 

The group of first years came to a stop and McGonagall opened a long scroll. The sorting began with Hannah Artchinson who, after sitting on the stool with the Sorting Hat for less than a minute, was sorted to Hufflepuff. Hermione was placed into Gryffindor, bringing no happiness to Ron.

Rebecca was particularly interested in the Sorting Hat itself. It was brown and very, very old by the looks of it. Then it turned and opened its eyes and winked at her. Harry and Ron didn't see it or believe her when she tried to tell them. McGonagall sent her a sharp look and called the next name, "Draco Malfoy!"

The Sorting Hat was hardly placed on his gel-cemented head before it cried, "Slytherin!"

McGonagall referenced the list and looked to Harry, "Harry Potter!" The Great Hall filled with whispers as Harry walked up to the stool. The Sorting Hat was placed on his head and he closed his eyes as he repeated something under his breath. He sat on the stool for almost two minutes before the hat opened its eyes and cried, "Gryffindor!"

The Gryffindor table dissolved into cheers and Harry looked back to Rebecca and Ron once more before going to the table. McGonagall read the next name from the list. "Rebecca Potter Weasley!"

If Rebecca thought that the Great Hall was whispering for Harry, she knew they were. The whispers and talking grew so loud that Dumbledore raised his hand and called for silence. Now at the stool, Rebecca hopped onto it and McGonagall set the hat on her head.

"Hello Miss Potter." The hat could speak! "Of course I can speak, I'm sorry you missed my song." The hat could also hear her thoughts! "I love first years." The hat thought to himself mostly. Then he refocused his attention on Rebecca.

"You have so many conflicting sides to you, child. You want to be cunning but you want to be loyal. You want wisdom, but not at the cost of bravery. You could do well in Hufflepuff..." Rebecca thought out a loud no before the hat could finish. The hat tightened around her head, "If you had let me finish, I would have been able to explain that, while honesty and friendship are two of your defining features, you have already proven your bravery." Rebecca asked the hat how she has been brave, she's never done anything out of the ordinary. "Quite the contrary!" The hat said strongly, "You have shown your bravery in that you have held onto your kindness through what you have faced." 

Rebecca conceded to him, knowing that someone this old wouldn't be wavering on their thoughts. "I don't know about being brave already, but I can prove that I will be brave. I want to be with Harry and the Weasley's. I want to belong with them." The Sorting Hat chuckled, "I think you already do. And, because I think that, I think you are best suited for," The hat announced to the Great Hall, "GRYFFINDOR!"

McGonagall looked very pleased as she lifted the Sorting Hat off her head. The Gryffindor table stood and was chanting, with Fred and George loudest of all, "We got the Potters! We got the Potters!" Dumbledore let them have their fun for a moment but then called for silence again.

Rebecca walked down the steps to the tables and sat next to Harry, across from Fred and George. As the next student was called to the stool, Fred leaned across the table and asked how the boats went, "No trouble there? It doesn't look like you went for a dip." 

Rebecca smiled, "Harry and Ron helped me through. We don't have to do that again, do we?" The look on her face caused the surrounding people to laugh. The Weasley twins shook their head and then fell silent as Ron was called to the stool. The hat made a face as another Weasley passed under him and shouted, "Gryffindor!" Almost as fast as he had called Slytherin for Malfoy. Ron, looking extremely pleased with himself, went and sat on the other side of Rebecca.

After the last few students were sorted and McGonagall replaced the Sorting Hat at its place at the fireplace behind Dumbledore, Dumbledore stood and walked to the podium. "Another batch of first years sorted, another school year about to start. I just have a few things to say before dinner can be served. First, do not chew gum you find under things while around the school. Peeves recently learned what ABC gum is and we're are currently handling the situation. Second, do not go into the Forbidden Forest. If you are not killed while inside its barriers, you will wish you were after detention with Mr. Filch." A thin old man at the end of the staff table stood and smiled at that. "Finally, bon appetit!" With his final statement, Dumbledore clapped his hands and the tables were suddenly filled with plates upon plates and platters upon platters of food. There was chicken, noodles, beef, macaroni, if you could imagine it, you could probably have found it. 

Ron piled his plate with a bit of everything in front of him while Rebecca and Harry both scooped out mashed potatoes and gravy to have with their chicken. Before digging in as everyone else was, she scooped some of the corn on top of her potatoes. Harry looked at her strangely, but she said, "Try it and then give me that look." He shrugged and motioned for her to give him a scoop as well. He put a big spoonful of mashed potatoes and corn in his mouth and nodded his head. Slowly at first and then faster, Harry swallowed and said, "You're right, that was good!" 

When Dumbledore saw that the dinner dishes were mostly empty and students were, for the most part, done eating, he clapped his hands once more and the tables were filled with desserts. Harry and Rebecca found that they liked a lot of the same foods, particularly treacle tart with potted cream. Dessert was done quickly and Dumbledore stood to make his final announcement of the evening.

"Young witches and wizards who are joining us here for the first night tonite, I welcome you to Hogwarts and hope you find a home within its walls as I have. To find your dormitories, your prefects will show you how to get there." McGonagall approached the podium and said something to him softly, "Right you are, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death." He gave the students a smile, "Sleep well!"

Percy stood up from down the table and called for all Gryffindor's to follow him. Both sides of the Gryffindor table stood and filed out of the Great Hall and up the leftmost stairs near the entrance. There was a bit of a jam at the door, but after getting through there, the houses all went separate ways.

Harry was asking George where the other houses common rooms and dormitories were. George answered, "Hufflepuff's is down near the kitchens, Ravenclaw's is over on the western side of the castle, Slytherin's is down in the dungeon, and Gryffindor is in Gryffindor Tower."

Fred hopped in, "Easily the best of all." Ron asked how they would know, since they aren't supposed to go into the other houses common rooms or dorms and all George said was, "A magician never reveals his tricks, Ronnie." Ron scowled at the pet name and dropped the subject. 

Percy came to a stop at a painting of a Fat Lady and turned to address the Gryffindor students. "This is the entrance to the Gryffindor common room, you have to have the password. If you don't have it, she will not let you in. The password is Caput Draconis." Percy turned to the painting and repeated the password. The Fat Lady nodded and welcomed him in as she swung open revealing a large room with couches and chairs around. 

There were two fireplaces with fires burning warmly. Harry, Rebecca, and the rest of the first years were smiling as they entered. Percy went and stood between the two stairways. "Up there," He motioned to the right, "Is the girls' dorms. Up there," He motioned to the left, "Is the boys'." He took a deep breath. "Now, you'll find that the dormitories are off limits to wizards of the opposite sex. Boys, do not try entering the girls dormitories unless you have a helmet: The stairway will turn smooth and you will fall back down."

A few of the older boys chuckled in the back. Percy said that he would remain in the common room for the next hour and that if anyone had any questions to come see him. Other than that, they were free to go see who they roomed with. Harry and Ron went to the boys' stairwell while Rebecca turned to go up the girls'. They made eye contact one more time as they entered their respective dormitories.

******************************************

Going down the hall and peeking into the different doors, Rebecca didn't find her luggage until she got to the third door from the end of the hall. Inside there were three beds around the room in the corners with each bed having a night table, a desk, and chest of drawers. In her dorm, one bed remained empty while two had a trunk placed at the foot and their bags on the beds. She thought about looking at her roommate's luggage to see her name, but didn't want to start the year off with wrong impressions so she walked over to her bed and sat. She had the exact bed she would have chosen if she had been able to; It was one of the two under the rows of windows so she had a view of the rest of the castle and the forest behind. She turned back to the door as she saw Hermione enter the room.

"Hermione!" Rebecca said excitedly. "I'm so happy you're in here!" She apologized for what had happened on the train. Hermione thanked her for the apology but asked to forget about it. They sat on their beds (which were next to each other) and talked. 

Hermione was confused at how the Great Hall had reacted to she and Harry because she was raised by muggle parents, she'd never heard of You-know-who and what had happened when she and Harry were babies and how they got their lightning bolt scars.

Rebecca explained the background that Molly and Arthur had given her while Rebecca opened her trunk and started hanging up robes, putting paper and the inkwell on the desk, and taking the top sheet to write to Molly and Ginny. Scratching that they had made it to Hogwarts okay and that they'd all been sorted into Gryffindor, she signed it Love, Becca and folded it. Rebecca turned and lifted her bangs up. Hermione gasped. "Does it hurt?" Rebecca shook her head, "No, it doesn't really feel like anything. I forget about it most of the time."

With the edges of her glasses revealed in their rundown state, Hermione grabbed her wand and asked for them. "There's a spell in the Basic Book of Spells for glasses! I was flipping through on the train..." Hermione launched into an explanation while holding Rebecca's glasses.

"Um Hermione," Rebecca interjected. 

"Yeah Rebecca?" 

"Could I please have my glasses? I can't really see without them." Rebecca said teasingly. Hermione laughed too and held the glasses up with one hand and looked at the book one more time. Flicking her wand as she said the spell, "Oculus Reparo." The glasses creaked as the straightened. The tape fell off the arms and the scratch along one of the lenses was filled in. When Hermione gave back her glasses, they were in better shape than when she'd first gotten them years before.

Rebecca gasped as she put her glasses on and saw clearly the perfect state they were in. She asked for Hermione to show her the page in the book so that she could do Harry's tomorrow. "Thank you, Hermione! These are fantastic."

"I'm going to run to the common room and see what Harry's and Ron's schedules look like." Hermione said that she would hop in the shower when she was done unpacking.

Going back down the hall that they had come down, Rebecca looked at her schedule once more. "At least we have flying every Thursday..." She thought. Once down the stairs, she found Ron, Harry, Fred, and George around one of the fireplaces. They were passing around their schedules. Rebecca asked for Harry's glasses to fix them as Hermione had done hers and Harry was equally amazed. "Thank you! I'll be sure to thank Hermione tomorrow." Ron and Harry's schedules were also like Hermione's and Rebecca's. Fred and George didn't have any classes with them, but they were second years so it wasn't expected.

Rebecca had brought the letter that she wanted to post in the morning too in case there was anything the boys wanted to add. Ron ended up taking it and said he'd bring it to breakfast tomorrow and from there, Harry and her would find the owlery where, Harry said Hedwig would be when not delivering messages. Harry said that he had seen the name in the History of Hogwarts and felt that it suited her perfectly. Rebecca nodded her head, she couldn't think of a name that could have been more perfect for the snowy white owl.

Rebecca didn't stay in the common room with the others very long. She still had to shower and she didn't want to be tired for her first day of classes. Saying her good nights and giving hugs to everyone, she went back upstairs and prepared for bed. 

(Though, despite not wanting to stay up too late, she and Hermione were up far into the evening talking.)


	13. Chapter 13

As the sun rose above the horizon, Rebecca found that her bed with a view came with a major con: Her eyes managed to be the first thing in their room that the sun shone on. She was up with the sunrise and too excited to go back to sleep. She grabbed the robes that she had put out the night before and went into the bathroom quietly to not wake Hermione up. 

Once inside the bathroom, she brushed her teeth and fought her hair into submission. Once nice, she opened the door and found that there was still two hours before their first class. She grabbed her bag and went out to the common room. 

From the top of the stairs, she could see that the common room was deserted which, she guessed was probably typical for 6:30 in the morning. Sighing, she sat on the couch but only managed two minutes before she was practically drooling in boredom. Standing and stretching, she thought to herself, "Seems like I'm going exploring on the way to an early breakfast." 

Leaving Gryffindor tower, she got to the bottom of the stairs and had no idea which direction they had gone the night before. "Left, right, or straight?" She looked in all three directions and decided to go straight. She continued across to the other side of the floor and found that she could only go left or right. She picked right and found a descending staircase. She went down a floor and was on another staircase down when it shuddered and changed direction. "Okay, stairs move. Guess I'm going this way then..." Reaching the bottom of the staircase, she didn't see anything familiar. There was no option to turn, only to continue straight down a darker hallway. She took a few steps until she saw a small blue man, a ghost actually, drift down from the ceiling. He was singing a song slowly, hauntingly as he floated down.

"I hate first years, yes I do.   
I hate them so much,   
Who knows what I'll do.  
I've found one, out of bed,  
Perhaps I'll just chomp,  
Chomp this one's head  
CLEAN OFF!"

When he'd started singing about how much he hated first years, Rebecca started slowly backing up until her feet were against the bottom stair. Once he finished his song, he held the final note until his head shot up and he screamed, "CLEAN OFF!" At this point, she was sufficiently terrified. She couldn't do anything until she was away from this apparition. 

Before he had the chance to do more than stare at her, she turned and darted up the stairs. She kept running until she was up the flight of stairs that turned and, still sprinting, ran to the other downward aiming staircase. While on the stairs, she turned to look behind her to see if the ghost was following her. 

Professor McGonagall's classroom was at the base of the stairs Rebecca was now on. The professor had heard the slapping of feet and went to her door to see which direction it was coming from and if it was one her students. 

She stepped out of her doorway just in time to jump back before Rebecca would have crashed into her. "Miss Potter!" Rebecca heard Professor McGonagall and knew that nothing would dare cause trouble in her presence. Squeezing through the gap between McGonagall and the door frame, she pushed her way in the room.

McGonagall saw the tears and opted for a less scolding tone when she said her name again, "Miss Potter?" Rebecca's shoulders were heaving as she caught her breath. Her eyes kept darting from McGonagall to the door. McGonagall reached behind her and closed it softly.

"Miss Potter? Are you okay?" McGonagall had knelt down onto one knee. She shook her head and saw the ghost go by through the window. Rebecca ducked down and moved so that she was mostly under a desk.

McGonagall nodded her head, "I see." She walked over to the door and threw it open. "PEEVES!" She shouted down the hall. Rebecca heard him laughing as he came back down the hall. "Yes, prof?" He said cheekily.

She took a slow breath, "Why are one of my first years in hysterics at the sight of you!" He laughed and said that, "Guess they heard my song." He laughed harder and poked his head through the door and laughed as he saw Rebecca under the desk. McGonagall shooed him away from the door and told him that she and the Baron were going to have a long conversation later.

Re-entering the classroom, McGonagall motioned for her to get out from under the edge of the desk. "I wouldn't worry about him for a while. He thinks he's funny but he's really not. Guess you know that though." McGonagall shook her head and walked over to her desk and pulled out another mug from the drawer. Grabbing the kettle from the shelf behind her desk, she waved her wand at it and it was suddenly whistling. She poured the water and then set it on the farther side of her desk. She waved her wand again and an extra chair was now set up by the desk. 

"Come, I was already making tea." Rebecca stood up and wiped her cheeks. Going to the chair, her hands shook as she grabbed the mug. 

"I'm-" deep sniffle "-sorry for charging in here." Rebecca said a few minutes later. McGonagall shook her head, "Don't even worry about that. I may look old, but I'm strong enough to take a little pushing." She tried to pull a laugh out of the young girl but failed. McGonagall frowned slightly as she took a sip of her tea. "Rebecca, I have an idea. Would you like to hear it?"

Rebecca took another sip of tea and said, "Yes professor."

McGonagall took a minute to explain the House cup and how points were earned. "I think," McGonagall paused, "No, I am certain that you just earned Gryffindor our first five points of the year."

Rebecca looked shocked, "All I've done so far is run. I don't know how that's worth anything." McGonagall tut-tutted. "Child, never underestimate the ability to act when struck by fear. Five points to Gryffindor!" McGonagall then explained that, after she walked Rebecca to the Great Hall, there would be red sand in the Gryffindor House tube to show that they had house points already. "You've done well for your house, they will all be very proud to be the first to earn points this year."

She and McGonagall finished their tea and then stood up. Rebecca put her chair along the side of the classroom and followed McGonagall out the door. Looking back in the direction that Peeves had chased her from, McGonagall laid a hand on her shoulder as they went to the Great Hall.

After making a few unexpected turns, they were facing the large wooden doors that were propped open and showed a handful of students inside. Stopping before they were in view of others, Rebecca asked, "Professor, does it look like I was crying?" McGonagall looked at the bright green eyes in front of her and saw her students of the past who had perished, "No. I wouldn't have known unless you told me." Rebecca nodded, not knowing the flood of memories she had just brought forward in the older woman. 

Walking into the Great Hall, they diverged at the Gryffindor table where Rebecca sat near where she and her friends had sat at dinner the night before while Minerva continued to the staff table where she took her spot next to Dumbledore and began to tell him of her eventful morning. Dumbledore's mouth opened and he nodded intermittently. 

At the same time, Rebecca was joined by Harry and Ron who had also woken up early. Rebecca told him what had happened this morning and he was furious. "A ghost did that? I swear, I'll-" He paused, "I'll- I don't know. What can you do to a ghost?" Ron shrugged. He had started in on breakfast already. "I dunno." Ron said after swallowing what was in his mouth. Harry was telling Rebecca that he was in a five-fitting room with Ron and two other boys, Seamus, Neville, and Dean. Rebecca told them that she and Hermione seemed like they were going to get along well. The Great Hall grew more and more crowded as the time to their first class winded down. As Gryffindor's older students entered the Hall, they pointed at their lead in the House Cup, which made Rebecca feel proud.

Hermione, Fred, and George entered the Great Hall in the same wave of students and went to what had quickly become "their" tables. Fred and George asked how the first year's slept in their first night in the castle and grew quiet when Ron told Rebecca to reiterate what had happened to her that morning. They ignored any group conversation through the rest of breakfast and only talked to each other quietly. With the exception being the numerous times they made sure that Rebecca was okay.

When Dumbledore stood up and left the Great Hall, the students began to gather their things and head off to their first classes. Fred and George had double-potions with Professor Snape, who they did nothing but complain about, while the group of first years had Transfiguration with McGonagall. George warned the rest of them that they were in for a strict hour while Fred pulled on the sleeve of Rebecca's robe and asked for her to stick back a bit.

"Are you sure you're okay Becca?" He asked. "Honest, no act." 

She nodded her head and gave a half-smile. "Fred, I'm okay. It was really scary and not at all what I'd planned for the first morning, but Professor McGonagall was there and I'd really like to just forget all about it."

A huge grin slid across Fred's face, "Well, maybe not forget about it. George and I were thinking about what you said about how pranks needed to go to someone who deserved it. What do you think about Peeves?"

Rebecca squinted her eyes a little, "I mean, yes he deserves a little payback, but how do you prank a ghost?" George had come back to find Fred and caught the end of their conversation, "You'll see. We'll talk more after our afternoon class. We should be done by about half past 3, okay? Let's meet in the common room."

Rebecca told them that she would be there and then went to where Harry, Ron, and Hermione were waiting at the door. Ron tossed his head back in their direction towards Fred and George. She shook her head, "Just worried. Now, where is classroom 1B?"

Hermione took out her times table from her robe pocket and flipped it over where there was a detailed map drawn on the back. Ron made a remark about how he didn't need a map. Hermione put it away sheepishly. Rebecca wrapped her arm through Hermione's and said, "Okay Mr. No Map, we're heading off to class then. Hope you find it before the bell!" 

Once out of ear shot, Rebecca told Hermione, "I'm glad you have a map! I have no clue where I'm going right now." Hermione nodded, "I'm glad you said something because we're going the complete wrong direction." The girls laughed. 

Hermione pulled back out her map and traced a route that would get them to Professor McGonagall's classroom. They took the next left and then another left and went through the middle courtyard and, once back inside the building, were welcomed by McGonagall standing at the door.

"Good morning, ladies. Please be seated." She welcomed them. "You'll need your wand and your copies of A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration." The girls picked a table near the front half with an empty table for two behind it so that the boys could sit behind them. The girls waited...and waited...and waited... But Harry and Ron never appeared and eventually, McGonagall closed the classroom doors and went to her desk. Standing next to it, she morphed into a tabby cat and sat on the desk. Rebecca, Hermione, and the other students in class on time were in awe at the fact that their professor just transformed into a cat, but were distracted by the banging of the door open.

Ron and Harry ran up to the table behind Rebecca and Hermione and tossed their bags down and went to sit as McGonagall transformed back. Ron exclaimed, "Professor, that was bloody brilliant!"

She was not amused. "Thank you for that assessment, Mister Weasley. Perhaps I should transfigure Mister Potter or yourself into a pocket watch. That way, one of you might be on time." Harry tried to explain that they had gotten lost, when McGonagall said, "A map then? At least you didn't need one to your seats!" She turned and went to the chalkboard at the front of the class.

"Now that we're all here, let's begin." She launched into a discussion explaining that Transfiguration was a science, not an art. There would be no room for the creativity that charms allows because there were rules that must be followed for Transfiguration to go without issues. She said that their homework for before their next class on Wednesday would be to read chapter one of A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration and be knowledgeable on the Five Principle Exceptions. As she finished explaining the homework, she said, "Now, there are still five minutes left of class but I am going to allow you to leave early in order to find your way to your next classes without issue." She let her eyes land on Harry and Ron who blushed. "You are dismissed."

The students jumped to action with a flurry of noise. Ron looked to Rebecca and Hermione, "Can we go to charms together?" He didn't admit that the map was helpful, but it was evident that he regretted being rude like he had.

Hermione nodded, "Sure, but let's go. We've got Herbology next and we have to get out to the greenhouses on the other side of this section of castle." The group of four left the class with a few other of the straggling classmates after wishing a good afternoon to Professor McGonagall. Harry said, while they were still walking, "What even is Herbology?"

Hermione was explaining that there were lots of plants with magical properties and even magical plants when she was interrupted by a small, rounder lady with a hat that looked like a plant's bulb, "Hey, don't do all my first day teaching for me before we even get to class!" The lady laughed and introduced herself as Professor Sprout, Hufflepuff head of house. "Watch this," She said as she took a left down an empty hallway avoiding the sea of students they would have gone through, "This hall's always emptier than out there."

The four first years thanked her and followed her to the greenhouse where they spent the next hour and a half learning about exactly what Hermione had outlined, there were plants that were magical and then magical plants. She brought a few potted plants out from under the greenhouse table and explained what they were and how they were used. Professor Sprout had a tendency to ramble, as was apparent as she finished a ten minute divergence into muggle agricultural practices. Once the class was over, Professor Sprout dismissed them kindly and Ron lead the way back to the Great Hall for lunch.

Another bountiful spread was prepared on the tables, which the hungry first years devoured. "Harry, what do you think so far?" Rebecca asked between bites of a sandwich. Harry thought for a moment and then answered, "The classes are...different, you?" They laughed as Rebecca shrugged. Ron said, "Why'd you ask if you didn't even have an answer for yourself!" 

Speaking above the laughter, she said, "Because I was hoping you'd have a good enough answer that I could use it too!" They laughed even louder. 

The Great Hall was welcomed to the sight of two angry, identical Weasley faces when Fred and George made it. They threw themselves at the table and immediately started in on, "Stupid Snape" and "Slytherin favoritism." The first years looked at each other with varying expressions from worried to disinterested. 

Fred and George picked themselves out of their funk as they ate, asking the others how their classes went. They got a kick out of McGonagall's "turn you into a watch" bit with Ron. There was still over half an hour left of lunch when Rebecca asked Ron if he'd brought the letter to be mailed. 

He reached into his bag and pulled out the letter, albeit it wrinkly now. She rolled her eyes and turned to Harry, "Do you mind running to the owlery with me before Charms?" Harry shook his head and grabbed his bag, "Not at all, I'm done already." Hermione told Rebecca the direction that they wanted to go and told her that the Charms classroom wasn't too far from the Owlery, just down a floor and they'd find it.

Rebecca and Harry thanked Hermione and left. Once outside the Great Hall, they turned right like Hermione had instructed them and then went up three flights of stairs. Once as high as they could go, they continued to the westernmost tower and started climbing the stairs.

At the top, they entered a circular room filled with owls in different sized indentations of the wall. Harry and Rebecca did a quick look around. Harry spotted Hedwig first, although she had seen them and was flying down. She landed on one of the posts and let the two Potters fawn over her. Rebecca loved petting the top of her head where her feathers were as soft as a cloud. Harry asked Rebecca how Hedwig knew where it needed to go.

Rebecca first told Hedwig, "This needs to get to The Burrow. I brought a knut," She fished one out of her bag, "And a nut!" She laughed at her own joke while Harry just rolled his eyes. Once Hedwig was done eating her treat, she grabbed the letter with one foot and put her head out for one more pat and then, turning with poise, she took off and flew into the distance. Rebecca and Harry left the owlery with just enough time to get to their charms class.

******************************************

Charms went over without a hitch. They had spent the entire time learning the swish and flick motion which they were to put to practice when they met again on Wednesday. After Charms, they had to go to the Defence Against the Dark Arts class with the squirrely, stammering Professor Quirrell. He introduced himself and told them about a few of the creatures that they would be learning about this year before assigning them a chapter of reading to finish by the end of class while he sat at his desk and alternated between staring at different students and rummaging around in his desk drawers. 

Hermione raised her hand to ask a question about the reading just as he announced that they were dismissed and had no homework. She raised her hand higher but he ignored it and turned around to erase his chalkboard. Harry and Rebecca's scars twinged with a burning sensation that made them both wince and look at each other as they left the classroom.

"Did your scar just pinch, too?" He asked. Rebecca nodded, "Yeah, but it's not really hurting now. Strange..."

Ron, after entering the common room plopped on a couch and folded his arms above his head. "Homework on the first day! They have to ease us in this transition!" He cried to no one in particular. Rebecca sighed, "Ron, all we have to do is read a chapter by Wednesday." He let his hands drop from his face and raised them, "Exactly, by WEDNESDAY!" They all laughed as he continued on a rant. Halfway through his points on the absurdity of it to read an entire chapter, Fred and George came into the common room. They took one of the groups of three chairs and motioned for her to come over. She excused herself and crossed the common room.

"Hey guys, better afternoon?" They nodded. "Anything's better than a whole morning of Potions." George said. After that, they launched into a presentation like speech. "Alright, remember what you said to us the day we pranked Ron?" 

Rebecca nodded and George continued, "You said that pranks should only be done on those who deserved it. Well, we think that now have someone who deserves it." Fred leaned over and said, "Peeves." 

Rebecca nodded slowly, "I assumed that was who we were talking about." 

Fred sat back cheekily, "You shouldn't assume. Makes an arse out of you and me!" They took a moment to laugh and then got back to business. "Now, there's only one person in the entire school who scares Peeved and that's the Bloody Baron." Fred hopped in, "But we didn't know how to use that against him."

Rebecca spoke first, ending the silence that had started as they all thought, "What about... no never mind." Fred and George jumped on that, "No tell us! We want to hear!"

She continued, "What if we used dungbombs, like you did in Percy's room, and put them outside a professor's doorway," The boys nodded and Rebecca continued, "Then, when they go off, the professor will need someone to blame and," Fred and George cut her off, "Who are they going to blame after he's already shown that he's being troublesome! Then they'd go get the Baron themselves...Genius!"

(They coordinated plans and decided on Friday morning.)

Rebecca smiled smugly at the twins, "I know." She joked with them. Fred turned to George, "Look George, her heads...it's growing!" George kept it going, "Say Fred, if it gets any bigger, she'll need a stronger neck!" The three of them laughed as they kept the joke going. They ended up talking about some of the highlights of the twins pranks through their first year at Hogwarts.

They hung out into the early evening until Rebecca went to go find Harry, Ron, and Hermione. They weren't in the common room and they couldn't be up in the dorm. Rebecca ran up to check anyway and toss her bag on her bed. Back in the common room, she exited and followed an older Gryffindor from afar. Once they'd reached the main hall, Rebecca continued straight towards the exit that was near the courtyard by the Black Lake. She wasn't sure why, but she felt pulled that way. 

She was outside the castle now, now sign of the others. She could still feel the pulling in her chest. It led her to the top of the hill overlooking the Black Lake's massive size and the large tree next to it. On higher ground, Rebecca saw three familiar heads a little closer to the water's edge and she went to them. Hermione was sitting with a book while Ron and Harry tried to skip rocks. They waved to her as she approached. They wanted to know what the twins wanted.

"They didn't want anything. We're friends? We were being friendly?" Rebecca's tone was sharp. Ron and Harry put their hands up as they pretended Rebecca was wounding them. "It hurts, it hurts!" Harry cried as he fell to his knees. Ron took the more dramatic route and fell to his back, twitching. He turned his head and whispered, "I...I'm too young..." Then let his head drop. 

Rebecca rolled her eyes and stood above them. Clasping her hands, she said solemnly, "Dearly beloved, we gathered here today to..." Ron's head popped up. "We're dead, not getting married!"

Hermione let out a snort, which then caused the rest of them to laugh. The watched the sun sink lower into the sky as the chill of the night crept in the air. They relaxed in each other's company and happiness, bringing a happy end to their first day at school.

For anyone curious, this is what I've set up as their times table. Hope you enjoyed!

<3

M, W, F

Transfiguration  
Herbology  
Lunch  
Charms  
DADA

T, TH

Potions (double)  
Lunch  
History of Magic  
Tuesday- Flying  
Thursday- Empty


	14. Chapter 14

Before going to bed the night before, Rebecca covered the bottom half of the window by her head with the extra pillow so she could sleep until the clock rang its alarm at 7. The girls yawned and stretched before deciding who would go first in the bathroom. While Hermione was in the bathroom, Rebecca put her Potions and History of Magic texts in her bag and put it over by the door. Rebecca sat on the bed and waited, but Hermione was taking a lot longer this morning. She decided that it would be better for timing if she just changed out in the room. Biting her lip and looking at the bathroom door one more time, she took off her pajamas. She'd put her dress shirt and pants on and was just tying her tie when Hermione opened the bathroom door. 

Hermione apologized for taking so long, but Rebecca wouldn't hear it. "We're going to be sharing a room for a year, we're still adapting." Rebecca went in the bathroom to brush her teeth and flatten her hair while Hermione prepared her school bag for the day. When both girls were ready to head to breakfast, they shouldered their bags and left the girls dormitories.

"Hermione! Hey, Hermione!" Lavender Brown, one of the other Gryffindor first years was calling her name from down by her bedroom door. Hermione and Rebecca turned and went over to where she had calling her name. 

"Hey, hi." Hermione said, "You called me?" Rebecca looked at Hermione with the side of her eye. Lavender started in on how she was just so tired and not adapting to life away from home and how she would be so thankful if Hermione would let her read her notes on McGonagall's chapter. 

Hermione nodded her head, "Of course! I was going to read that after class today."

Lavender crossed her arms, "Excellent. You don't mind making an extra copy?" Hermione faltered, but continued in a cheerful tone, "Uh, no. No, I don't." Lavender went back into her room and closed the door on Rebecca and Hermione.

"What was that?" Rebecca said. "Why'd you just agree to do her homework?" 

Hermione shrugged, "Making an extra copy of the notes is worth having another friend." Rebecca stopped in her tracks, "Hermione." Hermione had continued walking but stopped at hearing her name. "Hermione, I'm not your friend because I expect you to do my homework." Hermione just looked away. "I'm your friend because I like you."

Hermione turned back to the door to the common room, "Can we go to breakfast now?" Rebecca sighed, she clearly didn't want to hear it. "Sure." 

*******************************************

There was a tension that even Ron picked up on between the two girls through breakfast. Harry tried to ask if everything was okay, but all he got was two, "Yeah"s from both Rebecca and Hermione. The mail came during breakfast and Harry and Rebecca kept an eye out for Hedwig. She was one of the last owls to enter the Great Hall and had two letters in her talons: One from Ginny to Rebecca and one from Molly to them all. Rebecca put Ginny's letter into her backpack to open in private later and unsealed Molly's. She went to hand it to Ron but he just shook his head and grunted unintelligibly. "Guess I'll read it then..." Rebecca turned in her chair so that Fred and George, who were sitting on the other bench today, could hear the letter as well.

"Dear children,

I hope you're all settling in nicely.   
Ron, Harry, Rebecca- We're so proud of you for making Gryffindor. (We would have been proud of you anywhere though)   
Ron- Don't wait until the last minute to do your homework.   
Fred and George- Why did Ginny mention that she needed a place for a Hogwarts' toilet seat on her walls?  
Percy, I hope your prefect duties aren't too much on top of your classwork, good luck!

We'll write more later, have a lovely day!  
Love,   
Molly Arthur Ginny

When they arrived at the dungeon classroom for double potions (with the Slytherin first years) Hermione asked to switch seats with Harry. Rebecca looked at Hermione, but she wouldn't meet Rebecca's eyes.

Ron shrugged, "Sure, I guess. His handwriting is bloody awful. Good luck trying to read any of his notes." Harry's head shot back to where Hermione and Ron were sitting behind he and Rebecca, "You could always take your own notes, too!" Rebecca was looking around the classroom at the jars of preserved creatures with a disgusted look on her face.

Ron stuck his tongue out at Harry and Harry turned back to his and Rebecca's desk. She had her potions textbook out on the desk with a scroll and inkwell ready for when Professor Snape arrived. Harry reached down into his bag was rummaging for his when Professor Snape entered the room. He stormed in with his robes trailing behind him and waved his wand at each set of open blinds as he passed them. The room was left in a hardly illuminated state until he turned and flew his wand up at the ceiling above them, causing the candles on the hanging stands to light. 

Snape, now facing the class, began to speak in a monotone voice, ""There will be no foolish wand-waving or silly incantations in this class." He started walking from left to right at the front of the classroom. "As such, I don't expect many of you to appreciate the subtle science of the potion making. However, for those of you who possess the pre-disposition, I can teach you how to," Harry wet the end of his quill and began to jot down notes about what he was saying, "..bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses; I can tell you how to brew glory ,bottle fame, and even put a stopper in death. Then again, maybe some of you have come to Hogwarts in possession of abilities so formidable that you feel comfortable enough to not pay attention..." He had moved to stand directly in front of Harry and slapped his hand on the desk causing he and Rebecca to jump. 

"Mr. Potter, one of our—new—celebrities." He took a step back, "Tell me Potter, are you already versed in the science of potions?" Snape didn't wait for an answer, "Where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?" "I don't know, sir." Harry answered.

"Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming, eh, Potter?" Snape spit. Harry answered before Snape asked another question, "I'm sorry, sir. I didn't realize we had homework before the first day of class." Harry forced himself to keep looking into those cold eyes.  
Snape ignored Harry's response and continued with another question, "What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

Hermione's hand shot up and was shaking as she held it. "I don't know," said Harry quietly. "I think Hermione does, though, why don't you try her?" 

Snape pursed his lips before snapping at Hermione to sit down. "For your information, a bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons. As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite." Snape put his hands on their desk and looked from Rebecca to Harry before saying, "I guess fame isn't everything. A point will be taken from Gryffindor House for your cheek."

Snape stepped away from their desks and loudly asked, "Why aren't you all writing that down?!" He went to the board and wrote "Cure for Boils" and turned back to face the class. Monotonously, he rattled off a list of instructions. "One person from your table is going to go get the cauldron, three vials, and one set of weighing scales. The other is going to go to the supply closet and collect the following ingredients: Snake fangs, Horned slugs, and Porcupine quills."  
He turned to the board and wave his wand at it. The stick of chalk under the board sprang to action and began to write in cursive the ingredients. 

Snape continued with his instructions, "You are going to turn to page six in your text and follow the steps exactly as they are written. If the Cure for Boils potion is incorrectly brewed, you will find that it causes what it was created to cure. You have until the end of the class to complete this." Snape smirked before providing his closing remarks, "If you have any questions, I suggest you ask Mr. Potter, he feels quite confident in his potion abilities." 

Harry's hands were shaking in anger. Rebecca rested her hands on his and said, "I'll get the ingredients, you grab the other supplies, okay?" Harry took a deep breath and nodded. The classroom was a flurry of motion as every student went about collecting what they needed. When the Potters were back at their desk, Rebecca opened her book and placed it on the desk between them. They both leaned over and read,

"Part 1: Add 6 snake fangs to the mortar. Crush into a fine powder using the pestle. Add 4 measures of the crushed fangs to your cauldron. Heat the mixture to 250 for 10 seconds. Wave your wand. Leave to brew and return in 33-45 minutes.

Part 2:

Add 4 horned slugs to your cauldron. Take the cauldron off the fire before adding the next ingredient. Add 2 porcupine quills to your cauldron. Stir 5 times, clockwise. Wave your wand to complete the potion."

Rebecca slid the mortar and pestle in front of Harry and counted out 6 snake fangs for him to crush. While he did that, she measured out the other ingredient amounts and made piles in the order that they would be needed. Harry added the 4 measures into the cauldron and Rebecca placed the cauldron over the heat. After the 10 seconds passed, she waved her wand and turned the heat down. She and Harry used the 33 minutes while the potion brewed to write down the steps they'd taken and finish writing what Snape had said earlier. While they were reading the steps for Part 2, Snape had gone to yell at Neville for not taking the brew off the cauldron before adding the porcupine quills and as a result, had splashed himself with the mixture causing boils, melted his cauldron, and filled the room with a putrid odour. "Get out of this classroom and come back when you have learnt how to read directions!" 

Snape yelled and pointed to the door. "You, his partner, I would suggest you follow him and make sure he gets to the infirmary before his hand swells up the size of your head."

Harry grabbed the cauldron and moved it off the heat after Rebecca put the horned slugs in. Then, they put the quills in and stirred the potion resulting in a blue potion with pink smoke coming off the top. Snape came over and nodded his head stiffly, "So you can read." And then left. Rebecca whispered to Harry, "That was the nicest thing he'll ever say to us." Which made Harry laugh softly. "You're probably right." 

Rebecca looked at him seriously, "Harry, I'm always right." They laughed more. 

At lunch, Hermione still kept her distance while Ron couldn't stop talking about how horrible Snape is. "He must have a heart that beats sand to speak so boringly!" Fred and George nodded in agreement, "That would be Potions class and Snape: Boring to the point of nonsensical metaphors." That caused everyone at the table to laugh.

"Where are you guys heading to next?" Fred asked as he plucked Ron's times table up off the table where he had food all over it. "History of Magic? Exhilarating! At least you have your first flying lesson after."

The first years were confused at what they were laughing at when they'd called History of Magic exhilarating. But, they quickly found out. The combination of Professor Binns' droning, the lunch they'd just eaten, and the general suckiness of potions lulled them all into a nap through the most of class. Rebecca would deny it, but she may have been the first asleep.

Hermione had woken up as the other students started to file out of the room and woke the other three. Harry stretched, "Fred and George were right, that was absolutely exhilarating." Ron was standing and heading to the door before the other three were even packed.

"Guys, let's go! We don't want the dingiest brooms!" Ron sped them up and walked behind them to make sure they were weaving around anyone else in the halls and going at top walking pace. Once they'd arrived on the side lawn where there lesson was that day, the dropped their bags in the pile and took two sets of brooms facing each other. Neville had joined them as they walked to brooms and took the one on the other side of Rebecca.

Madame Hooch introduced herself and instructed them to hold their hands out and beckon the broom up. Most students had little to no difficulty while Hermione was with the few that took quite a few tries. When everyone's brooms were off the ground and in their hands, Madame Hooch told them how they were to step onto it, lift off the ground, and then land again.

Hermione had a death grip on the broom handle while Rebecca and Ron did so comfortably. Harry looked a little stiff, but not afraid. Neville on the other hand, he was arms were shaking horribly and he was jumping up and down the best he could to try and force his broom back down. It wouldn't budge. It leapt forward and zoomed to the castle before pulling up. He got caught on lip of the roof and the broom was ripped out from under him. He fell ten feet before his robe was caught on a statue. He was held in the air for a moment and then dropped the last ten feet. He crumpled and tried to catch himself but only cried out as he landed on his wrist.

Malfoy laughed while Madame Hooch ran to him. "Ohhohhohh, that's a break." She turned back to the class, "All feet will remain firmly on the ground. I am taking Mr. Longbottom to the infirmary and then we will resume."

Malfoy barked, "Again! He and Madame Pomfrey will be best friends at this rate." Malfoy lifted his feet and floated to where Neville had been standing before his mishap. "The tub of lard dropped this, guess it's mine now!" Malfoy tossed in the air and caught it a few times.

"Give it back Malfoy!" Harry told the blond brat. He furrowed his eyebrows in mock thought and said, "No, I don't think I will. I might just hide it somewhere for him to find next time." With that, Malfoy took off in the distance. Harry kicked off to follow him while Rebecca followed right after.

Malfoy had flown up over the main spire and was circling lazily. Harry went to get him in one direction while Rebecca went the other. Malfoy, realizing he wasn't getting away from them both, winded his arm back and let the remembrall loose. Rebecca caught it, as it was a weak throw and looked up to see Malfoy charging straight for her. "Harry!" She called and threw the small item much farther than Draco had. Harry turned his broom around and watched over his shoulder as he lined his path up with the throw. He leaned lower on his broom to get the boost of speed he needed to make it and caught the clear ball. He pulled up while turning around and did a little spin, narrowly avoiding the crash through the window that had seemed imminent.

Rebecca, after throwing it, had Malfoy on her tail for only a moment as she tore away from him with dodges, rolls, and dives. He gave up and returned to the class to be there before Madame Hooch returned. As Harry and Rebecca floated back to the class, Harry thrust the remembrall up while the Gryffindors cheered. Their celebration was shortly lived as they heard a sharp voice call, "Mister and Miss Potter!" Professor McGonagall stood at the entrance to the field.

"Follow me." The Slytherins oohed as the Potters were marched off the field. Rebecca tried to speak but was shhed by the professor. 

They went up to the Charms classroom where they were ordered to stand outside the door. Professor McGonagall entered the classroom and approached Professor Flitwick. They conversed for a moment before Flitwick said, "Oliver, you're needed in the hall."

A brown haired boy stood up from his seat and followed McGonagall outside. After the door had closed behind them, he said, "Yes professor?"

McGonagall smiled, "I have two gifts for you." She stepped to the side and gestured to the first years. Oliver smiled, "Professor, what do I say? I've always wanted children." She slapped his shoulder. "Wood, this is no time for jokes. I have for you a seeker and a chaser."

He looked at them skeptically, "Professor, you're not serious? They're first years!" McGonagall explained how she just saw Rebecca throw nearly 50 meters and then evade with finesse and Harry caught the remembrall without flaw." Wood nodded, realizing that it didn't matter what he said, McGonagall was adamant. They set up a time for next Thursday afternoon to meet and then Oliver Wood shook their hands and returned to class.

Harry asked the professor as they returned to the field to collect their stuff, "So, we're not in trouble?" She smiled proudly, "No. You two are going to be the youngest quidditch players in over a century!"

*******************************************

"The youngest quidditch players in over a century?!" Ron bellowed in the common room after dinner. "For not following the rules! I oughta do that more then!" Fred and George clapped them on the shoulders. "Wood's just told us the news! Don't worry, we won't let ya get too bloody!" Harry and Rebecca smiled at each other, they weren't able to say anything during dinner because Wood wanted it to stay a secret until the first match. The girls went upstairs to read McGonagall's chapter before the next day early in the evening.

Rebecca took a deep breath before she spoke while she and Hermione were working in silence, "Hermione-"

Hermione interrupted her, "Rebecca, don't." Rebecca was taken back, but Hermione continued before she could say anything. "I know... I know that she's just taking advantage. I didn't do very well in my old school friend-wise. I want Hogwarts to be different."

Rebecca stood up from her desk to go sit on Hermione's bed to be closer to her, "Hermione, friends aren't made by taking advantage of you. Please, don't let Lavender get this impression of you because you aren't someone to just do your homework. You're amazing."

Hermione looked down at her two sheets of notes and tore her top section off. "You're right."

Rebecca laughed as she said, "I've heard that a lot today, perhaps you're all going to catch on about how I'm always right!" They laughed together as Hermione rewrote the title on top of the remaining bit of scroll.

"Wait, what are you doing?" Rebecca asked. Hermione looked back at her with a devious grin. "Making Lavender notes." Rebecca caught on and grabbed her book to tell Hermione ideas of what to write for their dear, dear friend Lavender Brown.

Author's note:

So. This chapter kind of isn't my favorite. I feel like it's rushed and not that great, but I'll let that be future me's problem. I'm going to do a touch of time jumping up until Christmas as we get the Sorcerer's Stone's plot rolling. Comments are always appreciated. The read numbers are staying pretty consistent right now, which is nice. 

I always want to hear what you think! If you like something, don't like something, have an idea for future plot progression, anything! Comment away!

<3


	15. Chapter 15

This chapter is going to be the Wednesday next and Thursday where they have their quidditch introduction. If you have no interest, skip to Chapter 16 which will skip to Halloween.

*******************************************

Rebecca woke up to the alarm and looked over to the desk where Lavender's 'notes' were. She had pounded on their door late last night wanting to know where they were and Hermione said that she wasn't done yet. "They'd be done by breakfast." Hermione told her. 

Rebecca smiled at the thought. Hermione and Rebecca woke up and got ready in the routine that they had established. Lavender was waiting outside their dorm room and took the notes without even a thank you. 

The two girls were ready before the boys today, so they were the ones to lounge about on a couch and complain about how long they took when they finally started coming down the staircase. Harry's tie was completely crooked and Ron's hair was more up than down.

Rebecca looked at Harry concerned and asked to fix his tie. He looked down and nodded while he answered. "Sure, if you don't mind. I still haven't fully gotten the hang." She reached her hands up and untied the knot. "You guys okay?"

Harry laughed, "Yeah, we're good. All four of us forgot to set the alarm, so we only woke up five minutes ago." Rebecca nodded in relief, "Good! I didn't know if the Hogwarts Express had come by in the night."

Harry took the bait, "Why?" Rebecca went through the portrait first.

"Cause you look like a trainwreck!" Rebecca cackled and slapped her knee exaggerating how funny she was. Harry and Ron shook their heads and kept walking.

While eating breakfast, Fred and George squeezed to either side of Rebecca and Hermione. "So, young lady..."

Rebecca kept a straight face, "Yes, young men?"

George and Fred leaned closer, "What exactly was Hermione just telling us about? Because it sounded an awful lot like a prank."

Rebecca shook her head, "I have no idea what you're talking about. I'm just trying to eat my french toast."

George grabbed one slice on her plate while Fred grabbed the one out of her hand. "There, now you've finished!"

She sighed and looked at Fred and then slowly turned her head to George. "It's not a prank. It's about honour!" Fred and George just shook their head. "We want to hear about how our young protègé's first solo prank goes off."

"Not a prank!" She tried to say but they were now pretending that they couldn't hear her as they moved to a spot that wasn't actually occupied. She turned to look at Hermione, "I thought we weren't telling anyone!" 

Hermione just shrugged. "You meant now?"

****************************************

The Transfiguration classroom was silent as secret quizzes had been given out. McGonagall allowed them to use their notes if they'd written some. The class had, so far, followed Rebecca and Hermione's best-case scenario plan. 

McGonagall was circling the room to make sure that there wasn't any cheating going on. Lavender was one of the first people to finish and skipped up to McGonagall's desk to start the pile. McGonagall walked to the front of the class and picked up the quiz. Her eyes widened as she read the answers that the first year had written. Lavender was back in her seat and blushing at the professor's reaction. McGonagall called her back up to her desk and spoke with her.

Rebecca and Hermione strained to listen, but couldn't hear anything. Other students were finishing at this point and were walking up to deposit their papers into the pile. Lavender went back to her desk when McGonagall excused her and picked up 'her' notes again. Reading through them slower, she realized what happened. She looked over to Hermione with a furious look.

McGonagall looked up and saw that Lavender was glaring towards Hermione and Rebecca and started to realize what might have happened. McGonagall saw that most of the students were packing up as there was only two minutes left of the period. She dismissed them and asked said, "Would Miss Granger, Miss Potter, and Miss Brown stay a moment?"

Hermione shot Rebecca a worried look but Rebecca just shook her head at her, "Don't worry, let's see what she says first."

The boys said that they were going to meet them at Herbology and left looking back at the girls confused. The three girls stood in front of McGonagall's desk where she was flipping through the pile of quizzes. She plucked out Rebecca's and Hermione's and skimmed them, pleased with what she saw. 

She cleared her throat and decided on what she was going to do, "Girls, is there anything you want to say to me?" McGonagall looked at them one by one expectantly.

They remained silent. McGonagall continued, "Because it is strange to me that Lavender, you're handwriting on your notes doesn't match the cursive on your quiz." McGonagall looked up and looked straight at Lavender, "Why exactly did you print your notes and not your quiz?" 

Lavender's cheeks grew red once again, "I don't know, professor. Just felt like it."

McGonagall nodded her head, "Just felt like it...Okay." McGonagall took a deep breath and eyed the three girls. "Well, if that's all. Go along." 

Lavender stormed out of the room while Rebecca and Hermione had to pack up first. McGonagall stood up and went and stood near the remaining two girls. "Whatever happened in here this morning--doesn't happen again. Not in my classroom." 

She turned around to go back to her desk but both girls saw the hint of a smile on her lips first. "Yes, professor." They said. Then they went off to Herbology.

*******************************************

The next Thursday afternoon-

Rebecca and Harry were out on the field where they'd had their first flying lesson with Madame Hooch with Oliver Wood who was dragging behind him a large box. He popped the clasps when he was at the two Potters. "So, Fred and George said that you Rebecca are pretty familiar with the basics. That's good. Less to explain before the first weekend of November when we're going against Slytherin." He pointed to the different balls in the case and named them. 

"This is the quaffle, it gets tossed between the chasers, which is Rebecca, Angelina, and Katie. This is the bludger, it's a nasty bugger. The beaters, Fred and George, fly around whacking 'em with these clubs. They keep them from hitting us. Now, my job as the keeper, is to protect the three goal posts. And, that only leaves this one." 

He opened up a small compartment and took out a golden ball with wings that unfolded. "This is the snitch. The seeker, you, chases the snitch and catches it before the other teams snitch. If you catch it, the game is over and we get 150 points." Wood released the snitch so Harry could see how quickly it flitted about.

Oliver explained the practise schedule. "We'll meet about four times a week after dinner. We practice from 6:30 to 9:00. When we practise, we practise hard. Be prepared to be tired afterwards." Harry had a few questions about the rules and then had the most important question. "Does the school lend us the brooms we use for class?"

Oliver winced, "Yes and no. Yes because that's what you two will use. No because the rest of us bring our own, which are a lot nicer than the school's." Harry and Rebecca nodded. Wood told them that their first practise was going to be the next night. After showing them how fast the bludgers went around and letting them both take a hit at them, he caught it and wrestled it back into the game box. They carried the box back to the broom closet for Oliver as he talked strategy to them. They didn't really understand what he was talking about, but he didn't pause long enough for them to say that.

They went back to their dorms to do their homework. Rebecca reached into her bag to pull out some parchment and pulled out the unopened letter from Ginny! She gasped and tore it open. She skimmed it quickly and saw that she mentioned that she was worried that Rebecca would forget to answer back because she'd be too busy with school stuff.

She took out a piece of parchment for her response and started writing as quickly as she could. If she managed to get it to the owlery before dark, it would be there before she went to bed.

"Dear Ginny,

While I didn't forget about you, I did forget about your letter. I had put it in my bag to read later and then things have just been nuts since then. I am so sorry.  
On a happier note, Harry and I have been put on the Gryffindor quidditch team! He's the seeker and I am a chaser!   
Of course, that's not all I've been up to. This girl, Lavender, tried to force Hermione (my roommate and new friend) to write her notes for Transfiguration! We ended up doing something Fred and George-like... We may have given her notes with absolute nonsense. Maybe...

Anyways, enough about me! How are you? What have you been up to so far? Are you having fun?

Love, Becks XOXO"

Sealing it up in an envelope, she grabbed it and left for the owlery. Fred and George were in the common room playing exploding snap when she went down the staircase. "Where you headed?" Fred said as she walked by them.

"I forgot to answer Ginny from Tuesday, so I'm running to the owlery." George nodded his head at Fred who then offered to go with her. 

Rebecca didn't notice this exchange as she realized that she could have written something to Molly and Arthur on her letter. "Well, too late now. I need to write to them though. Tomorrow." 

"Sure, let's go quickly though. I'm hoping that it will get there before she goes to bed." Fred and her exited Gryffindor Tower. He walked so fast that he was always a few steps ahead of her. "Hey, are we going together or am I going with your back?" She called ahead of her.

"You said go fast!" Fred called over his shoulder as he started to run. "I'll beat you!" She started to run after him, her arms pumping as fast as her legs. If there was one thing Rebecca hated, it was losing. She had made some gain on him by the time that they'd reached the owlery stairs, but he was still ahead. He stopped at the stairs and put his hands on his knees, "Let's call it here." Rebecca was tired, but still had some steam. "Nope, to the owlery is not to the stairs." And she kept going up the stairs. 

He had tried to grab the back of her robes to slow her down, but she was one too many stairs ahead of him. When they both reached the owlery, they were red-faced and breathing hard. "I...won..." Rebecca panted. Fred just waved his hand at her as an answer.

They stayed like that for a minute until they'd caught their breaths. Rebecca straightened up and looked to where Hedwig was waiting for the letter impatiently--she was hopping from side to side.

"Sorry, sorry." Rebecca reached a hand up to pet her head. "This has to get to The Burrow." Hedwig looked up at her with wide yellow eyes and turned to leave. Before she flew away, she reached out and touched her beak to Rebecca's head. 

"You're so good with creatures." Fred said from where he was leaning against the wall. "It's eerie really." 

Rebecca put her hands on her hips, "Gee, thanks!" She said sarcastically. 

Fred scoffed, "That's not what I meant. I just meant that I haven't seen you with a creature that didn't like you yet."

She punched his shoulder, "I know. I'm just giving you a hard time." She went to the top of the stairs, "We racing back?" She asked. Fred's face grew serious. "Sure, if you want me to have a heart attack." 

She put her hand to her chin like she was thinking about. "Maybe another time then."

Fred feigned shock, "You had to think that long?" They walked back to the common room together giving each other a hard time.


	16. Chapter 16

~~Halloween~~

Rebecca woke up on October 31st in a spooky mood. Rebecca and Harry had grown very close, to the point where they could call each their brother/sister to others and not feel awkward like they had during the summer. She and Hermione were still great friends, best even. 

There hadn't been anymore trouble with Lavender, though Rebecca still thought that Fred and George had spoken to her. They denied it vehemently, but there was just a feeling that Rebecca couldn't shake and the fact that Lavender left the room if Fred and George were in it. 

She and Hermione left their dorm ready for the day and found that breakfast had a Halloween twist: The boiled eggs were labeled as "boiled eyes" and the toast was said to be bone based. Ron put two crusts of toast in his mouth and was acting like a vampire when Draco walked by on his way to the Slytherin table. He said to Crabbe and Goyle, his henchmen that followed him, "Careful lads, he's not kidding. Got no soul, you know?" They laughed like they had said something original while Ron took his 'fangs' off. 

Rebecca grabbed a piece of toast and did the same thing, but only talked to Ron in a transylvainian accent. "Ron, don't be so sad! blah blah blah. Draco, he speaks with his face like an arse and knows nothing. blah blah blah." Ron cracked a smile and kept eating. 

They went on there way to Transfiguration where they were going to put their lessons to work by transfiguring a match into a needle. Rebecca's went okay, though she was marked down because her needle had the same colour pattern as the match had (the red end being the eye of the needle). Harry's had a similar minor issue while Ron and Hermione's had gone excellently. Herbology went in a similar manner, though the students were chatty and unmotivated.

Soon enough, it was time for lunch, which went by far too quickly. 

The group of four had just entered the Charms classroom and found that each desk had a white feather on them. Hermione and Rebecca sat next to Harry and Ron in this class since the seats were rowed around Flitwick's stage in the middle. Professor Flitwick explained that today they were going to put the swish and flick into motion with the levitation charm. He wrote Wingardium Leviosa on the board at the front and had the students start trying.

Ron was putting emphasis on the wrong syllable and getting frustrated. Hermione leaned over and explained that it was, "LeviOsa, not LeviosA." He told her to do it if she was so sure, and she did. Her feather rose towards the ceiling. Ron put his head down on his desk muttering under his breath. Rebecca couldn't get hers off the desk. Hermione leaned over Harry and asked her to try again.

Hermione recommended that she relax her wrist and Rebecca tried again. The feather jumped a little, but didn't levitate. Professor Flitwick had come to their side of the classroom to check on how everyone was doing and didn't have any specific pointers for her, only, "Practise makes perfect!"

Rebecca was slightly off-put, but didn't stay that way for long. She and Harry had their first quidditch match the next day! It had still stayed a secret that they were on the Gryffindor team and Wood was certain that it was going to make Slytherin's team captain- Marcus Flint- furious.

After Charms, they were walking to the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom. Harry and Ron were walking in front of Rebecca and Hermione. Ron was mocking Hermione's advice on his pronunciation and then called her a menace. Hermione rushed past them and bumped Ron on her way by. Rebecca walked forward to be lined up with Ron and Harry, "What in the bloody hell Ron? She was only trying to help you, just like she did me. Next time, I'll remind her to just let you fail."

Harry wouldn't meet Ron's eyes. "What? You think she's right too?" Ron said incredulously. Harry shrugged, "I'm not choosing a side." Rebecca asked Harry to take notes so that she could read them later and went off to find Hermione. 

*******************************************

Hermione had gone a lot farther than Rebecca had thought. Rebecca spent most of the Defense Against the Dark Arts period looking for her and only found her because she had to jump into the bathroom to hide from Professor Snape who had just turned into the hall she had been in. In the bathroom, she heard someone sniffling from in a stall. 

She knocked on the door to ask if whoever was inside was okay and was shocked when Hermione opened the door. "I've been searching for you!" Rebecca said. Hermione's face was streaked with tears and let Rebecca enter the small stall. Rebecca looked around and said, "Now, I don't see the appeal and have to ask: Why are you crying in the toilet instead of the dormitory?"

Hermione smiled a little. "Well, I'd wanted to be alone and thought you'd look there after class." Rebecca went to stand up from where they were sitting on the floor, "I can go then." Hermione grabbed her arm, "No, that was before. I don't think I want to be alone." Hermione rested her head on Rebecca's shoulder. "I was just trying to help him." She said softly as tears flowed down her face again. Rebecca put her head on top of her friends. "I know! He's can be so dense sometimes. I think it's boys as a whole. We should leave school with a bunch of girls and go make a lesbian colony somewhere."

Hermione gasped and slapped her arm, "Rebecca! We couldn't! What about school?" Rebecca lifted her head to look her in the eyes. "That's your only concern with that statement?" They laughed and spent most of the next hour designing their colony and similar silliness. 

That was, until the troll came in.

*********************************************

Harry's Side

Harry enjoyed Professor Flitwick's teaching. He was always happy and never cross if you had difficulty with something. BOOM! The tables rattled as Seamus caused another explosion. A few days earlier, he'd been trying to turn his water into rum when a similar charge happened. Professor Flitwick rushed over and said that they needed a new feather.

Ron laughed at that, but then went back to his angry wand waving and charm casting. When Hermione had offered him the advice on his pronunciation, he got even more mad. Harry rolled his eyes, and tried to cast Wingardium Leviosa through the rest of the class.

Filing out of the classroom, Ron started going in on Hermione and how she didn't always have to be perfect, she needed to mind her own business, and so on. Hermione rushed past them and Harry stood next to Ron as Rebecca defended Hermione, and he was glad that she did. Ron turned to him, "What? You think she's right too?" I wanted to say yes, but I also didn't want to pick teams in something that didn't really have to do with me.

"I'm not choosing a side." And we continued to Defence Against the Dark Arts in silence. Professor Quirrell was talking about the theory of counter-jinxes. "What are we supposed to do with theories?" Harry thought to himself. Class went slowly. 

When it was finally over, Harry and Ron went back to the common room where they worked on homework separately. They stayed in the awkward silence until dinner, where Harry assumed that Ron would apologize, and then they could get back to usual. Sitting at the tables as Harry listened to Dumbledore's Halloween speech, he asked the people around him if they've seen Hermione or Rebecca all day. Most said no, but Neville said, "I've heard that she was in the first floor toilets, crying, all day!" Harry looked to Ron pointedly, but said nothing. 

Just as Ron opened his mouth, Quirrell came sprinting into the Great Hall screaming, "TROLL! THERE'S A TROLL IN THE DUNGEON!" He stopped running, "Thought you'd want to know." And then he dropped to the floor as he fainted.

The students started to scream. "Silence!" Dumbledore held his wand to his throat as his voice was amplified across the room. "Now, students are going to follow their prefects back to their dormitories." He turned to the professors at the staff table, "And the professors will go with me."

The Great Hall launched into disorderly action as students scrambled about to find their prefects and leave. Ron and Harry looked at each other and said in unison, "The girls!" Ron sounded worried when he said, "They're not going to know!" Harry saw that there was an opening to an empty hallway, "Let's go." He grabbed Ron's robe sleeve and pulled him that direction as they crouched down and ran. "Neville said which bathroom?" Harry asked Ron. Ron shrugged, "The first floor." Harry nodded and they crept down the hall keeping an ear out for any other students or professors. They had just turned the corner to the hall with the bathroom when they saw the knocked over suits of armor and the footprints made by something massive. 

They looked to each other, but started to run again when they heard a scream coming from the bathroom.

*********************************************

(Rebecca as per usual)

Hermione and Rebecca were still sitting on the floor against each other when Rebecca's stomach growled. Hermione looked at her with an eyebrow cocked. "What?" Rebecca defended, "It's supper time!" Hermione laughed and stood up. They left the stall that they'd spent the majority of the afternoon in and Hermione went to the sink to wash her face off. Rebecca had her hand out with Hermione's pack when there was a loud bang as the door was thrown open. The ground shook as a large foot entered the bathroom. Following the foot, with the next step entered a large body. Rebecca looked up at it's face, it being something she had no clue what it was. 

It let out a roar and dragged in a club that it had been holding. Rebecca was closer to the beast than Hermione was and she backed up slowly until she was standing between Hermione and it. The thing roared once more and it swung its club down onto the sink it was near. The marble sink fixture smashed down into the floor and water began to spray out from the busted pipe. Hermione pulled Rebecca into a stall and dove onto the floor just as the creature swung its club across the top of them all. Both girls were still digging themselves out of the rubble when they heard two familiar voices start calling out to distract the monster.

"Hey pea-brain!" Ron shouted and looked down for something to throw. "Bogey breath!" Harry shouted. Hermione and Rebecca were going to use their distraction to try and get past it and to the side of the toilets with the exit, but Rebecca knocked a piece of the door knob off a pile of wood pieces and it fell to the ground clattering loudly with each bounce. 

It turned it's head slowly back to the girls and walked towards them. Ron and Harry kept throwing things at them, but it knew what it wanted. He raised his club up above his head preparing to bring out down on the girls heads. Rebecca turned and pushed Hermione to the ground, covering her friend with her body. Ron, out of pure desperation, raised his wand and shouted, "Wingardium LEVIOSA!" And as the beast brought down its hand to deliver the killing blow, his club remained in the air. 

Hermione was looking as best as she could through Rebecca's arms, but couldn't see much through the strange hold Rebecca had on her. Rebecca had her chest held over the back of Hermione's head, protecting her neck and forcing Hermione to stay on her knees. Rebecca had her eyes closed tightly and her arms wrapped even tighter around Hermione's body. Ron moved his wand from side to side as the spell he held and then released it when the club was held over the troll's head. 

The troll caught the club right on the crest of his bald head and crumpled to the floor. Harry and Ron climbed around its grey, stinking body to get to them. Hermione was telling Rebecca that they could get up, but Rebecca didn't move. When she felt Harry's hands on her back, she opened her eyes and looked behind her. Seeing that the troll, as Ron had called it, was downed, she was about to get off of Hermione when the professors and Dumbledore trailed into the bathroom. Hermione was just standing up while McGonagall gasped and clasped a hand to her mouth. "Oh my..." Dumbledore surveyed the wreckage and the students and nodded once, the meaning unclear.

McGonagall had gathered her wits, "I should have known you lot would have found a way to muddle your way into this." She said quietly, louder, "Does someone want to share what's happened in here with us?"

Ron and Harry went to explain when Hermione jumped in, "It was me professor." The three other children looked at her wide-eyed. "I had read about trolls and thought I could handle one. Rebecca followed me and then they followed her. I thought I could handle it," Hermione looked at the body in front of her, "But, I was wrong. If they hadn't followed me, all three of them, I would have surely died." Ron looked at Hermione with his mouth slightly open. He was in shock, Is she...lying? 

McGonagall scoffed, "Yes, you would have! There are few stories of young witches coming face to face with a mountain troll and living to tell the tale!" She walked closer to the, and surveyed the troll's unconscious body. "Miss Granger, 10 points will be taken from Gryffindor for your ignorance." Hermione looked to the ground. McGonagall then turned to the other three, "And you three, you are each awarded 5 points--for sheer dumb luck!"

The four children smiled at one another and went to where McGonagall was ushering them to go to get out of the bathroom. While walking by, Snape narrowed his eyes at the young Potters. Harry looked down to where his robe was opened and saw a large, bleeding cut. Snape whipped his robe in front of him and turned to go back to the dungeon. Harry looked to the others, but only he had seen.

McGonagall walked them straight back to the common room. The portrait opened without prompting at the sight of McGonagall and she pointed for the children to enter. She no longer had her 'I'm extremely disappointed' face, but she was certainly not happy. 

She left without a word and the children entered. Fred, George, and Percy were the only ones in the common room and they all jumped up as the door opened. Percy was the first to start in, "Where have you been? Do you understand that I had to get ALL the Gryffindor's back here, not everyone but you!" He continued on about how they had caused a blight in his reputation as prefect and would have continued if Fred and George hadn't told him to can it. Percy's face turned a deeper shade of red and he stormed up to his dormitory.

The four children retold what had happened for Fred and George and in the silence that came as they digested what they'd heard, Rebecca's stomach growled again, louder. She winced, "Sorry. Missed supper." Harry and Ron went up to their dorms after Fred and George asked their questions. George and Hermione started talking about how dense Ron could be sometimes while Fred leaned down to Rebecca's ear, "Want to go get some supper?"

Rebecca's stomach growled again, "I really shouldn't go to the Great Hall. What if McGonagall catches me? Breakfast is only 10 hours away." Her stomach growled again just to spite her. 

Fred grinned, "Who said anything about going to the Great Hall?"

George looked at them across the room and nodded, knowing exactly what his twin was thinking. He stayed there and kept Hermione occupied which wasn't hard, he just let her keep talking.

Fred went to the portrait hole and opened it slowly to not make noise and alert Hermione. He held the door open for Rebecca and then closed it behind them slowly. "Leaving again?" The Fat Lady asked from her painting. 

Fred gestured to Rebecca, "She missed supper! She's wasting into nothingness, you don't want her to starve to death in her sleep do you?" He whispered to her. The Fat Lady just shook her head and shooed them off.

Fred went to the right and then down a flight of stairs. He paused at the bottom of the stairs and peeked around the edge. He motioned for Rebecca to follow him when he didn't find anyone. They crossed the hall and entered a dead end. "Fred? I thought you had mentioned food..." He turned slowly, "Are you doubting me?" 

She deadpanned, "Never." 

He put a hand up and pointed. "Tickle the pear."

"What?" She must have heard him wrong. 

He repeated himself slower, "Tickle. The. Pear." 

He waited a moment, "And then realize that I am simply the most amazing person you know." 

She sighed and put a finger on the pear and wiggled it back and forth. The little green pear opened it's little mouth and giggled. She furrowed her eyebrows and took her hand back. A little door was opening to the side of the mural. It was short. So short, that both she and Fred had to bend over to fit through it. 

Once inside, Rebecca didn't know what she was looking at. There were little goblin-like creatures flitting back and forth. They stopped what they were doing and froze at intruders in their kitchen. When Fred had come through the door and stood beside Rebecca, they cried, "Master Weasley!" A few of them ran up and asked what they could get him. He looked to Rebecca who just asked for a sandwich. Fred conveyed the order and they burst to action.

"Master Weasley?" Rebecca asked with her eyebrows raised. 

Fred blushed slightly, "All house elves call people master." She nodded her head, "So they're house elves?" 

Fred explained that they're the ones who made the feasts, cleaned their clothes, and cleaned their common rooms. Rebecca was shocked, "So their slaves?" 

Fred shook his head vehemently, "No! No, not at all. It seems like that, but they like it."

A little one came up to Rebecca and presented her with a sandwich on a plate, "Master Potter, dinner." She grabbed the plate and asked what the house elf's name was, "My name is Gonray." Rebecca then asked how she was doing. Gonray looked at her strangely, "Masters do not ask that." Rebecca insisted, "Please, don't call me master. Would you please call me Rebecca?" 

Gonray looked uncomfortable at the thought, but tried it, "Can Gonray get...Master Rebecca... anything else?" Rebecca gave Gonray a kind smile, "No thank you. Thank you so much for such a beautiful sandwich, Gonray. You don't have to call me master at all, just Rebecca is fine."

Gonray thanked her for the compliment about the sandwich, but did not say her name at all. She and Fred sat down on the wall near the door while Rebecca ate her supper. Fred asked a moment later, "You okay after the whole troll-tried-to-kill me thing?" He tried to sound nonchalant, but concern was evident in his eyes. 

Rebecca swallowed what was in her mouth, "I am. Really." 

Fred nodded and said, "Harry mentioned how you were covering Hermione." 

Rebecca's ears burned, "Really?" F

red nodded, not noticing her embarrassment. "That was brave." 

Rebecca took her plate over the the unoccupied sink and dunked it in the soapy water and gave it a few scrubs with the sponge that was on the edge. She rinsed it and put it on the rack and called a final thank you to Gonray, who had disappeared.

She and Fred left the kitchens and went back to the common room. The Fat Lady let them in after they'd said the password and remarked, "Look! She's no longer starving!" 

They all laughed and entered the now empty common room. Fred and Rebecca exchanged good nights. Rebecca started climbing the girls staircase and, right before entering the hall to her dorm, turned around to find Fred watching her from the boys doorway. He hurried into the boys hallway and quickly closed the door behind him after being caught. Rebecca laughed softly and continued to her dorm.

"Why was he watching me?" She thought to herself. Hermione wanted to know where they'd gone and wouldn't let it drop. "We nearly got killed and you go out again?" 

Rebecca snapped, "Hermione! I was with Fred--I knew I'd be just fine." Hermione let it go, but didn't seem to believe her. As they laid down in their beds to go to sleep, Hermione cleared her throat. "Rebecca?"

Rebecca opened one eye and mhmhhh-ed. Hermione continued, "Thanks for finding me this afternoon..." She trailed off and started again, "...And, I would cover you, too."

Rebecca was almost asleep when her eyes shot open, "The first quidditch match is tomorrow!" Sleep still came quickly, though her dreams were full of brooms, quaffles, and trolls. 

Author's Note:

A little bit of spice between Fred and Rebecca, though considering that their 12 and 11 respectively, they're not going to move very fast. Don't expect too, too much until they're in later years. 

As always, thanks for reading! <3


	17. Chapter 17

Rebecca slept deeply, but woke with a huge smile, "Quidditch day!"

She pulled out her regular school robes. Next time Gryffindor had a game she would be able to wear her game robes all day with the rest of the team, but Wood and McGonagall wanted she and Harry to remain a secret as long as possible. Entering the common room with Hermione at her side, she asked Harry how he felt. 

He gave a little shrug and didn't answer. Rebecca started to talk and found that she couldn't really stop. Ron gave her a strange look, "Rebecca, how are you feeling about the match later?" 

She looked at him, "Excited, why?" 

Harry laughed, "Because you're talking like you're on a motor!"

She blushed a little, "So I may be a touch nervous, but I'm mostly excited!" The four of them walked to breakfast. As the first owl came screeching into the hall, Hedwig was carrying two long packages with a handful of other owls. Hedwig guided the other owls lower and lower as the approached the Potter Twins who were looking at each other with identical confused looks. 

The packages hit their outstretched hands as they tried to keep them from smashing against the table. They laid them side by side as Hermione helped Rebecca look on one end for a tag. Upon not finding one, Ron and Harry ripped into one while Rebecca and Hermione did on the other. As the paper fell back, Ron sat back on the bench with a gasp, "Bloody hell, Harry! How'd you afford that! Rebecca? You too?"

"Afford what?" Harry asked, "I didn't buy this, we're not even supposed to have our own brooms!" Harry exclaimed. Rebecca took the paper off the handle of hers to see the label for herself. Her head circled the Great Hall and at the staff table, she saw that McGonagall was taking a drink from her goblet and caught Rebecca's eye with a knowing wink. "Harry," she whispered, "I think McGonagall sent these."

Harry nodded and looked to the staff table himself, "Makes sense really, she was telling me how Gryffindor lost by nearly 200 points to Slytherin last year. She's going to want her team as prepared as possible." They put the paper back over them quickly and finished as quickly as they could so that they could get them out of the Great Hall before it was crowded. 

Harry and Rebecca told Ron and Hermione that they would meet them at Transfiguration after they dropped them off at the Gryffindor broom closet. They didn't think to knock, as it was 7:45 in the morning and there wasn't likely to be anyone inside when they burst in on Oliver who was snogging one of the Hufflepuff boys!

The twins slammed the door shut on what they'd accidently barged in on and stared at the closed door a moment. After the shuffling inside had stopped, Rebecca reached a hand out and knocked on the door. The Hufflepuff opened the door slowly, "Yes?" he asked slowly.

Rebecca stammered at first, "W-we just wanted to put our brooms away." Before she was even done with her sentence, Oliver had thrown the door open the rest of the way. 

"You don't have brooms" he said flatly. His embarrassment replaced by confusion momentarily. 

Rebecca and Harry went to unwrap their brooms in the hall but were pulled into the small room by Oliver. The other boy, still smiling, stood with is back against the wall near the door. Once inside and secure, Oliver motioned for them to unwrap their brooms. 

His hand flew to his mouth. "You're holding Nimbus 2000's." He turned to the boy, "Sam, they've got Nimbus 2000's!" The boy at the hall laughed and went back to Oliver. He wrapped the other boy in a hug, but Rebecca and Harry saw him kiss Oliver's cheek on the way. 

"Don't have a heart attack before the match." Sam said as he waved goodbye to the first years.

Oliver realized again what they had walked in on and gave a weak explanation that that had been his friend and that they were playing a game that friends liked to play sometimes. Harry went to say something, but Rebecca answered for them both. "Got it. When do we meet at the pitch again?"

"Right after lunch, you miss afternoon classes on match days." Harry thanked him and he and Rebecca went to leave while he turned and erased what was on their play board. 

Once outside Rebecca said, "He clearly didn't want to say what they were doing. That's why he called it a game." 

Harry stopped in his tracks, "I knew that! I was going to ask if we needed to bring anything else!" 

Rebecca looked back to where he had stopped, "Well...I'll admit that I didn't expect that you would be that observant." 

Harry crossed his arms. "Evidently. Now you have to figure out if we needed anything other than the practise robes because I'm not playing nude."

Rebecca laughed, "No nude quidditch. Welp, there goes my plan!" They continued to joke about nude quidditch to the Transfiguration classroom where McGonagall stopped them and had them wait while another student entered. "You're afternoon teachers are aware that you will be absent for match-prep and your match uniforms are both in the back room." 

She looked down at them, "Are you ready?"

"Yes professor!" They said too loudly. She winced and waved them in the classroom, "Bloody foghorns..." She said under her breath as they walked in. They went to their usual seats: Rebecca sat next to Hermione and Harry next to Ron behind them. McGonagall wanted them to write about what they'd done wrong during the match-to-a-needle practise the day before. 

"The only way to fix your mistakes is to recognize them." She said as she explained the assignment. They were given the first half of class to work independently and, once they'd shown that they knew what they'd done wrong, they went up to her desk and tried again. Most students were more successful, though there were a few that still had a few snags. The line to show McGonagall their improvements took the rest of class.

In Herbology, they were replanting mandrakes. Professor Sprout handed out assorted ear muffs and instructed the students to keep them off for now, "When I tell you to put them on, you'll need them securely around the head and fully covering your ears. The cry from a fully grown mandrake is fatal, though these are still babies." She put her ear muffs on and motioned for everyone else to do so as well. She pointed at how she firmly grasped the base of the leaves and pulled sharply up. Out of the pot came a brown, melty looking, baby-resembling mass of roots that opened its mouth and let out a scream. Rebecca could see its mouth open and its leg kicking, but she couldn't hear anything. Neville on the hand, hadn't had his earmuffs on fully and dropped to the ground.

Professor Sprout repotted the mandrake and turned to the class, noticing the legs sticking out from the side of the table. She shook her head and started to deal with the unconscious student. By the time Madame Pomfrey had been notified and arrived to bring him to the infirmary, the class was over.

At lunch, Fred and George were insistent that Rebecca and Harry eat. They made them plates with half a sandwich and an apple each and put them in front of the younger twins. "You have to eat!" George said. 

Ron and Hermione nodded in agreement, "That's what we've been telling them." They said with sass.

Harry reluctantly picked his sandwich and ate most of it. Rebecca picked up the apple and tossed it from hand to hand. "Guys, I'm just not hungry." Truth was, her stomach was starting to flutter as she realized that in less than three hours, the match would start and she would be playing. 

She scooted her plate to the side and pulled out her text book to start the weekend reading. Ron reached over and put her plate on top of her book and said, "Eat the sandwich." He said it carefully and kindly. 

He was telling her just because he cared. She sighed and picked up the sandwich. "You are your mother's son." He shook his head vehemently at that, but was glad to see her finish the sandwich.

When lunch was over, Ron and Hermione went off to Charms with the Slytherin first years while Harry and Rebecca said goodbye and turned to go back to the Transfiguration classroom to get their official match uniforms. Draco saw them turn and go the wrong way and called down the hall, "Forget where the classroom is?" rudely. They just kept walking and ignored his continued taunts. Reaching McGonagall's room, the door swung open before they could knock. McGonagall led them to the back room and sent Harry in first with his uniform. 

While Harry was changing, McGonagall asked Rebecca, "How are you feeling?"

Rebecca shrugged, "I think that I'll be great if we could start now." 

McGonagall smiled, "Yes, anticipation can do that." McGonagall asked how she had felt at practises and such and Rebecca was just finishing her answer as Harry came out. Rebecca went in to change and found that the game robes were lightweight, even more so that their practise uniforms.

Rebecca exitted the backroom and McGonagall walked them to the broom storage room. She left them at the door, "I'll see you two at the game. Good luck and play well, you're house is looking to you." As she turned away, Rebecca thought she heard her say something under her breath, "Oh, James." 

Rebecca and Harry met each other's eyes, he'd heard too.

They shrugged and found the rest of the team in the room. Wood looked them both over and said, "Good. You're uniforms fit well. Don't want anything too big to cause extra drag." He turned to the rest of the team. "Alright. The time for fun is over. This is our first match of the season and we want to start just as we're going to finish: Strong. Be prepared, Slytherin is likely to play dirty."

The twins piped up, "They always do!" Wood went over a few strategy tips he wanted everyone to remember and then had them all grab their brooms. Those who hadn't seen the Nimbus 2000's looked at them with awe, but Wood only let them admire a moment.

"Let's go! I want plenty of time to warm up before Slytherin gets there!" Wood clapped his hands until the room was in action and moving to exit. When they'd arrived at the pitch, Wood told them that he wanted five laps around the perimeter and then for them all to meet up in the middle. The Gryffindor team started quickly, no one was happy if Wood wasn't. 

Rebecca and Harry pushed off the ground and instantly noticed the difference between the old Cloud Chaser 9's they'd been using and their new brooms. The turns were almost instant and the speed? Even though they'd started last on the laps, they were done by almost half a lap earlier than the others. Wood tossed the quaffle to Angelina and sent them to the posts and told them to start passing and scoring in drills. The twins were sent to the end near where the chasers were going to start to stretch and start practise swinging. Wood had Harry work on dives and climbs.

Fred and George were stretching, as they were told, but they were also commenting on Rebecca's performance. "Did you see that throw?" George asked Fred. 

"Yeah, its natural!" Fred answered back. As they started to stretch, the three chasers abandoned the shooting and started to pass. Angelina would dive low and throw it up and call "Katie!" or "Becca!" and the one she called would shoot to grab it as quickly as they could. 

Fred and George continued to spectate until they were interrupted by a voice from behind. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. You guys are good at this! Perhaps, you should give up beater-hood and look to column writing for the Prophet on QUIDDITCH!" Wood shouted the last word. The twins ducked onto their brooms, but not before Fred said, "Nah, don't have the grammar for it." Wood just put his hand to the bridge of his nose.

The Slytherin team was now arriving with only forty minutes until match start. Marcus Flint, the Slytherin captain, surveyed the field and narrowed his eyes at the raven haired new players. He kicked off on his broom in an instant and went to where Wood was instructing the chasers on what he wanted them to try next. "What're you doing with first years? They can't play!"

Wood turned with a serious face, "Hi Flint. How are you?" Marcus just stared at him in silence. "Oh, you mean the Potters? Yeah, they're playing. There's no actual rule against them playing, just tradition." 

Marcus tried to say something about how traditions were there for a reason, but Wood just replied, "We'll have to see, won't we?" And turned back to the chasers who were still waiting further instruction.

Marcus went back and started warming up his own team angrily. The first students arrived at twenty minutes to start, with Ron and Hermione in that group. They took seats near the middle of the Gryffindor seating and waved to their friends. 

Harry waved back, as he was in between drills, but Rebecca and the other chasers weren't. They were doing this drill where two of them were going in separate, clockwise circles and passing the quaffle between them while the third was going anticlockwise and was trying to grab it between the passes. When Wood called for them to stop, it was because Madame Hooch was at the bottom, middle circle of the pitch and had blown her whistle.

The stands were now packed to the very brim and it was time for the match to begin. Lee Jordan introduced himself as the announcer for that day's game. "Today, we're seeing the ultimate meeting between Gryffindor and Slytherin: Red and Green. Good and Evil." McGonagall cleared her throat. She had to make sure he stayed ambiguous in his thoughts on the match while he was announcing. "Scratch that last part. Here's todays line up as Madame Hooch lays down the law. We've got for Slytherin: Marcus Flint, captain and chaser, ..........." Lee said the players and their position. "And, for Gryffindor: Oliver Wood, captain and keeper. Fred and George Weasley, beaters. Angelina Johnson, chaser. Beautiful one, too. Brown hair that just looks-" "Jordan!" McGonagall's scolding could be heard through the microphone. "Sorry professor." Lee continued, "Katie Bell, chaser. Rebecca Potter Weasley, chaser. And, Harry Potter, seeker."

Rebecca, facing three scowling Slytherin chasers, tuned out the announcer and his humorous antics to focus on the game. She took a deep breathe in, a deep breathe out, and that was it. Madame Hooch said that she wanted a fair game and blew her whistle as she tossed the quaffle up in the air. Angelina had been instructed by Wood to be the one to dive into the mess and get it while Katie and Rebecca were to stay out to get the pass if she got it. Angelina was successful and threw it to Katie who went under a Slytherin and then threw it to Rebecca. They continued to pass it to each other as they worked their way down the pitch to the opposing goal posts.

While the chasers were working to score goals, the bludgers were released and immediately sent at Gryffindor members by Slytherin's beaters. Fred and George split up as they defended their team by hitting the bludgers back at the Slytherin team members.

Harry was doing a slow circle around the pitch when the first goal was scored. "GOAL! Angelina Johnson has scored Gryffindor its first ten points for the season with a tricky fake by Katie Bell. The quaffle is back in play in Slytherin possession..." He decided to fly higher to get a more bird's like view to try and catch a hint of gold against the endless green of the grass.

The bludgers were zipping around the field, whirring as they went. Fred and George had their hands full as Slytherin hit both bludgers at Katie, who was going to score the second goal of the game. 

As the Weasley twins hit the bludgers back, Madame Hooch called her whistle for a foul. Harry and the Slytherin seeker had shot to action, but Harry had been fouled by Marcus. Angelina took the penalty shot and the score was boosted to 20-0. 

The game moved forward in a steady pace as both teams battled for the quaffle. George hit a bludger straight at the Slytherin chaser who had the quaffle, forcing him to drop it. The quaffle dropped a few feet and then was swooped up by Rebecca. She flew towards the Slytherin keeper, but had one chaser heading her way. 

Fred saw this as he wound his arm back to hit the bludger that was sent his way by one of the Slytherin beaters. He sent it to where the other chaser was headed, in front of Rebecca, and he had to dive to avoid the bludger. Rebecca approached their posts with only the keeper between her and her first shot of the match. She made it look like she was going for the rightmost ring, but switched to the center ring as the keeper moved to go right.

"Another goal for Gryffindor! This one made by first year Rebecca, who has just made her first score!" Harry, who had just finished cheering for his sister's goal, found that his broom was moving by its own volition. It jerked itself forward and back, up and down, and side to side in rising ferocity. The other players, to engrossed in the match hadn't noticed, but the spectators had.

"Harry Potter seems to be under some form of malfunction, unless he thinks that he is replicating the wild snitch's mating dance-" "JORDAN!" "-Sorry professor!"

Rebecca's head shot to where she had last seen Harry at that announcement and stopped dead in the air as she saw him knocked off his broom by its rocking and was holding on by one hand. 

Hermione, in the stands, had looked around to see who could have been acting in a way to do this. "Has to be someone cursing it, like in Quidditch Through the Ages... No other explanation really." She saw that Snape had his eyes focused on Harry and his broom with unblinking rigor, his lips moving soundlessly. 

Hermione left without Ron's noticing and went down a level to where the professors were sat. "Incendio." She waved her wand and sent a small ball of fire under the professor, at his robe end. She hurried back to her seat, worried as the crowd let out a collective gasp.

Rebecca, still in a sea of moving parts, was a perfect target. The bigger of the two Slytherin beaters noticed her moment of pause and sent a bludger right at her. The Weasley twins were too far to make it in time, though Rebecca heard the whirring in time. Had she been on a Cloud Chaser, she would have caught it in the middle of her chest. But, she wasn't. She shot forward on the Nimbus 2000 and the bludger only clipped the top of her shoulder. Harry's broom had stopped jerking as one of the stands started shrieking and he was able to pull himself back up. 

As he swung his leg over, he saw the snitch near the bottom of the Gryffindor goal posts. He didn't know he was being watched by the Slytherin seeker, who, following where he was looking also saw the snitch's golden hue.

"Oh! That looked like it hurt. Rebecca's caught the bludger in the arm, though she plays on. There's no whistle blown at this time, though that was clearly a foul-able offence-" "JORDAN! I will take this job away from-" "Sorry professor, sorry."

Rebecca's shoulder was a white-hot epicenter of pain. She was able to lift her left hand, but not very high. She placed her hand across her chest and played on, heading towards where Katie was being boxed in. Katie hadn't seen the young player get hit and passed her the ball as she would have. Rebecca tried to catch it with her right hand only, but then her left hand had to grip the broom stronger. Rebecca, only halfway down the pitch, shouted out Angelina's name and passed it to her. The movement of throwing the quaffle brought tears to her eyes. Marcus, who was close by, saw and needled into her. "What, the ickle first year gonna cry?" Marcus mimed a tear wiping action and sped towards the quaffle. 

George, who had finally found a moment not occupied with beating, went to her. "Rebecca! How bad is it? We saw you get hit." 

She waved him away, "Fine! Go whack one back and don't worry about me!" George let out a strong laugh as he sped away.

Both seekers, now neck and neck, were diving lower towards victory. They made eye contact. Harry was not going to give this up. The Slytherin seeker's eyes widened as the ground grew closer and closer and pulled up. Harry held on a second longer and only pulled up with milliseconds to spare. The force was too great and he rolled off the top of his broom. He hit the ground hard and found himself continuing to roll.

"I think he's gonna be sick!" Hagrid exclaimed from where he was watching the match with the other spectators. Hermione put her head into Ron's shoulder to not watch. Harry, retching, caught a golden ball as it launched out of his mouth. "The snitch!" He thought as he raised it up above his head. "And that's the snitch! Harry Potter has caught the golden snitch!" Lee announced. "Gryffindor's won the first match of the season!" McGonagall reached forward and unplugged the microphone before he could do anymore damage and rushed to the emergency exit stairway to meet the team.

The Gryffindor team had all landed and piled together. Rebecca continued to hold her arm against her limp, though joined in the celebration. They were still cheering and hugging each other when Professor McGonagall met them. Ron and Hermione weren't far behind her. "Rebecca? Are you okay?" McGonagall asked tenderly. She went to put a hand on the child's shoulder to assess the damage and was unable too, at the slightest touch Rebecca sucked in a breath in pain and pulled away.

McGonagall nodded, "To the infirmary, immediately. Madame Pomfrey will have to see."

"I think I saw the infirmary, can I go too?" Harry asked. "No Harry, it's okay. Stay and celebrate." Rebecca said to him. He shook his head, "No, I want to go." Wood heard Harry say that and asked McGonagall if they could all just go. The professor shrugged, "Poppy is not going to be happy, but if you insist."

Wood started to talk about what they were going to differently the next match with Katie and Angelina while Ron and Hermione talked to Harry about what they'd seen happen with Snape and the broom.

Rebecca was in the middle of the red and gold clad group with one Weasley twin on each side. They kept repeating how sorry they were and that next time, one of them would always stay near her and the like when she interrupted, "Lads, it was a complete accident! It could have happened to anyone, and next time, you're not going to play any differently!" 

She shook her head emphatically, "Absolutely not!" 

The boys looked over her head, "She's awfully bossy, isn't she?" Fred said to George as if she couldn't hear them. 

"She is." George agreed.

Right as Rebecca went to tell them something that probably shouldn't have been said in front of her professor, they entered the infirmary. 

Madame Pomfrey got up from where she was working and crossed her arms at the group of students in front of her. McGonagall led Rebecca to the front of where they were all standing and explained what happened to the nurse. Madame Pomfrey tut-tutted and led her to a seat, pointing for the rest of them to stay back. Madame Pomfrey said that she would need the robe top removed. McGonagall asked if she wanted the curtain pulled across. "It's okay," Rebecca said, "I wore a tank top." 

Madame Pomfrey quickly undid the knot at the neck and held the right sleeve out so she could pull it half off. Madame Pomfrey tried to get it off the injured shoulder without hurting her, but it was undoable. "One...tw-" She pulled it down at two. Rebecca winced and asked why she didn't wait until three. Madame Pomfrey smiled, "So you think about that instead of about how that hurt." Rebecca smiled weakly up at the old lady.

Madame Pomfrey looked at her shoulder and pursed her lips, "This part up here," She pointed at the topmost part of her shoulder, "That's bruising already--going to be a dark, dark colour when its finished. Probably last a while too. What's causing so much pain is this part here," She gestured to small bump on the front of her shoulder. "Easy fix though." Madame Pomfrey took her wand out and flourished it softly while uttering, "Episkey."

Rebecca gasped as pain flooded her brain, taking over momentarily, but then faded. Her arm hurt considerably less. "Thank you." She said softly. Madame Pomfrey answered quickly and turned to the group behind her. "You, you, you, all you. Too many people in here." She started shooing people out. Fred and George tried to stay, but Madame Pomfrey kicked them out too. "I'm keeping her for less than an hour, you'll live!"

Harry, Ron, and Hermione moved to the sides of the bed. Ron brought a finger up and poked the edge of the forming bruise. "Does that hurt?" Rebecca jerked away from him, "Yes!" He sat back. They spent the hour talking about the match, Rebecca smiling proudly when Ron went into how her first goal looked effortless and drove Draco mad.

When Madame Pomfrey finally released her, the four of them headed back to the common room later than they normally would have, certainly after the students had to be in bed. Almost to Gryffindor Tower, Mrs. Norris, Filch's evil cat, yowled at them.

"Filch must be near!" Ron whispered. They had run to the nearest door, but it was locked. Hermione pulled out her wand and waved it at the lock, "Alohomora!" The lock clinked and the door opened. The four children ran inside and closed it silently. Harry reached down and looked through the lock as Filch walked by. He turned around as Rebecca pulled on him for the fifth time, "What?!" He whisper shouted as he turned around.

He gulped as he understood why. He had turned to see a gigantic, three-headed, sleeping dog begin to wake up as the intruders disrupted its sleep. Ron let out a squeak which only further disrupted the dogs.

The middle head leaned forward with its teeth bared and begin to utter a ground shaking growl. Hermione threw the door open and they rushed back into the hall. They moved as quickly and as quietly away from the door and only began to whisper about what they had seen when they were closer to their dormitory. They paused their discussion when entering the common room in case anyone else was inside and found Fred and George, still in their game uniforms, waiting by the portrait hole.

"Did Madame Pomfrey get it all fixed?" "Still hurt?" 

They started to throw multiple questions at Rebecca. Harry and Ron went to the boys staircase and Harry said, "We'll talk more tomorrow." Vaguely.

Hermione stayed downstairs and relayed some of the information that Madame Pomfrey had given them: Going to bruise, going to be sore for a while, etc...

George nodded, "Great, its decided then. I'll carry your bag for you to your classes before lunch." And Fred piped in, "And I'll get it after lunch!" Their tones said more than their words did, there would be no changing their minds. 

Rebecca just nodded and gave them soft hugs good night. They wrapped their arms around her like she was strapped with explosives, as if they made a wrong move that she would crumple into a million pieces. She sighed, but understood where they were coming from. She and Hermione went to bed and, once in the privacy of their room, spoke about the dog once more.

Author's Note:

Super long chapter, but we're heading into the Sorcerer's Stone's plot now!

As always, thanks for reading!

<3


	18. Chapter 18

Harry and Rebecca both woke up very sore the next morning. "At least it's Saturday." No classes, no homework, just two days of relaxation. It was a good thing too, Rebecca's shoulder had turned a deep shade of purple in the centre and had greenish flecks around the edges. She sat up in her pajamas, which consisted of the usual patterned pants and plain tank top. Hermione, who was flipping through a large book in her own bed, winced as she saw her friend's bruise.

Rebecca changed and got ready for the day slowly, there was no need to rush. When she and Hermione were both ready, they went out to the common room to catch the end of breakfast. Harry and Ron were waiting on the couch closest to the fire. 

"About bloody time!" Ron shouted as he saw them, "Do you know how long we've waited?" The girls smiled at each other. He could have had to wait five minutes and still react like this. "No Ron, how long have you had to wait?" Hermione asked with pseudo-seriousness. 

Ron was shocked at the question, this of of course being the one time that he hadn't kept track. "Well, I don't know. But its been ages!"

Harry shook his head from behind Ron. They went to the Great Hall and found it to be moderately crowded. The four of them had just dug in when Hedwig came in with the rest of the owls. She had only had two things: A letter from the Burrow and a little scrap of parchment for Harry.

Rebecca opened the letter are found that McGonagall must have sent a letter to Molly in the night.

"Rebecca,

We just received word about the match, congratulations to you both! From what we heard, you two played excellently. Professor McGonagall mentioned an injury--are you alright?" Ginny's hand writing took over, "Mum's going to have a fit if you don't write quickly!" Molly had clearly not noticed this addition and kept writing. She wanted to know if Fred and George were keeping out of trouble and if everyone was doing their work on time.   
Then, she wrote finished with some slight plan changes, "Children, Charlie has invited the three of us to go out and see him in Romania for Christmas and we've decided to take him up on the offer. It's going to be a little different this year, us being apart and all, but I want the lot of you to make the holiday special for each other." She added a few more instructions, but they weren't too bad.

Ron read the letter next, and his face fell slightly at the idea of not going home for Christmas. Harry, who had read the letter as well, told him, "I'm staying, too!" 

Harry slid the piece of parchment that he had gotten in the post to Rebecca and Hermione as he and Ron had already read it. It was from Hagrid! He was inviting them down to his cabin today to meet for tea. Harry scribbled, "We'll meet you then." And Hedwig took it with her as she left. Ron seemed to have come to terms with the Christmas at school plan and said that they should ask Hagrid about the dog.

Hermione leaned closer and spoke quietly, "Something has been sticking out at me about that. Did you see what it was standing on?" Harry and Rebecca shook their heads no while Ron said, "Uh, no. No I wasn't looking at its feet, I was looking at its heads. There were three if you'd missed it!" 

Hermione continued as if she hadn't heard him. "It was standing over a trap door. It must be guarding something!"

Harry said, "Perhaps we could bring it up to Hagrid, he would know more than anyone." The others agree with him. Rebecca said that she was going to go back to the common room to write back to Molly. Harry and Ron said they were going to go down to the Black Lake again and Hermione was headed to the library. 

The four went their separate ways at the exit of the Great Hall, "See you at Hagrid's!" 

*******************************************

Fred and George were laying feet to feet across the couch by the fire and had there arms folded back behind their heads. "Comfortable?" Rebecca asked. "I'm headed to Hagrid's later for tea." They nodded that that was neat and asked if she knew how to get there. She said she did and grabbed some parchment to write.

First, Rebecca said that she was going to be fine and that Madame Pomfrey had done all that she could. Now, there was just a bruise. (Rebecca decided against describing it in too much detail.) Realizing that Fred and George wouldn't have heard about the change of Christmas plans, she handed them the letter so that they could read it. They didn't seem upset about not being able to go home, but they were upset at not being able to see Charlie. 

Rebecca sealed up the letter when she was finished and yawned. The combination of comfy chair and warm fire were making her more and more tired. Fred and George noticed after the third yawn. "Becca?" Fred asked, "You can close your eyes if you want." George lifted his head and looked at his watch, "We'll wake you around 12:30?" 

Rebecca nodded through another yawn, "Please..." The two boys on the couch started to converse about something that Rebecca couldn't quite hear, she was already too close to the edge of sleep.

****DREAM****

She was walking along the forbidden forest, but found herself drawn further and further in. She tried to turn back, but her body wasn't under her control. All she could so was watch. The tree roots grew larger under her feet as she went into the deeper, older part of the forest. Along the faint, beaten path she was following was a flowing line of metallic silver. It had a pungent, sweet smell that wafted up from the ground. The forest was changing--the path she was following was widening into a small opening that looked directly at a patch of grass that was under one of the largest trees. The river of silver ended abruptly, but there was no source. The forest seemed to stir around her; her intrusion was not welcome there. She tried to turn back but still couldn't move! The forest began to thump and the noises around her grew louder and louder. She wanted to turn her head to look behind her and see what was growing nearer, but couldn't even turn her own neck. She felt a hand lay on her bruised shoulder soft like a falling snowflake, but it wrenched down and grabbed her with a flash. It wrenched her around and as she opened her eyes she saw-

Fred and George? They were crouched down in front of her waking her up like they said they would. Fred grabbed the letter that had fallen from her lap and looked up at her, "You alright there?" George piped in, "Yeah, you were sleeping with a frown...Didn't even know people could do that honestly."

"I'm fine. Thank you for waking me." She went to stand up and winced as her arm moved from the position it had been in for too long. "I'm going to go up past the owlery before I head to Hagrid's." She said to neither of them in particular as she moved to go to the portrait hole. She was still mulling over her dream and its strangeness. 

Hedwig looked at her with her wide yellow eyes and pushed her head under Rebecca's hand to make her scratch her head. "You're so sweet, angel." Rebecca went on about, "And so beautiful, so, so beautiful. You are!" 

Hedwig fluffed her wings up, as if she was saying, "I know." 

Rebecca attached the letter to the owl and Hedwig turned and flew out the large owlery windows. Rebecca watched the snowy owl disappear in the distance and turned to walk to Hagrid's hut.

Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle were heading up from the dungeons and saw Rebecca as she exited the castle. "Potter!" Draco called. She turned and walked backwards, not stopping, "What?" Draco walked faster, "Just stop, I want to talk a minute." 

Rebecca slowed down a little more, but not fully. "Malfoy, I'm not really feeling a row right now. Can we just reschedule this for another day, Tuesday perhaps?"

Malfoy scoffed, "No, doesn't work for me. I'm here now." He continued with a less confrontational tone. "Not everything I say is going to be a fight." 

Rebecca scoffed, "And I would think this because why exactly?" 

Draco's face hardened. "You know, I was going to ask if you were alright after yesterday, but I just remembered, I don't care." He and his cronies turned and went back to the castle.

"That boy has some serious issues..." Rebecca continued down the hill to go see Hagrid and her friends. She saw the three of them in the distance, "Hey!" 

They turned back and waved, turning to backtrack and meet her halfway. "Get your letter off?" Hermione asked as they met. 

Rebecca smiled, "And a nap by the fire! So far, a great Saturday." There was no need to relay what had happened with Malfoy, it would only upset Ron who took it as a personal affront everytime Malfoy took a breath. 

Harry laughed, "You took a nap? You haven't done anything today to need one!" 

His sister reached her hand out and put it on his head, making sure she had his full attention, "That, my unenlightened pal, makes it even more enjoyable." Harry shook his head so her hand fell off. 

When they approached the door, Ron was the one to reach up and knock. "Coming!" Hagrid boomed from somewhere within. A dog let out a howl. "Quiet Fang! I told ye we're having some guests for tea." Hagrid pulled the door open and smiled at his favorite first years. "Come on in!" He waved them towards the table and chairs that had to have been home built, not in reference to workmanship, but the sheer scale of them. Most things in the hut were extra large to accommodate Hagrid's size. He put five tea cups of assorted prints and sizes and poured water from his kettle into them. He then reached behind him and put a platter of homemade cakes in the centre of the table. 

The kids all put one on their plate. Rebecca broke a piece of the top off and popped it into her mouth. "Hagrid! These are even better than the ones from summer!" Rebecca exclaimed. Ron shot her a strange look, no one really liked the hard, crunchy baked goods. 

But, there Rebecca sat. She would dip a broken piece off and dip it in her tea like a biscuit before popping it into her mouth. Hagrid started to talk, "Couldn't believe that match yes'erday. Absolutely mad!" He went on for a bit while they sat there.

Hermione made eye contact with the rest of them and cleared her throat, "Hagrid, I have a question." Hagrid nodded for her to go on. "Why is there a three headed dog in the castle?" 

Hagrid paused a moment a looked from one child to the other, "Why're you messing wi' Fluffy?" Ron laughed, "Fluffy? Someone named that beast Fluffy?" 

Hagrid raised his voice, "Don't you call him a beast, sweet as can be. particularly wi' some music!" Hagrid went pale, "Shouldn't ha' told you that." Harry hopped onto it, "So he likes music...What about what he was standing on: The door?"

Hagrid sealed his mouth and put one big fist on the table, "Listen here, what's in that room has nothing to do with you, it's only the business of Nicholas Flamel and Dumbledore himself!" Hagrid nodded his head once, he had clearly lain down the law. Hermione finished her tea in one movement and went to exit the table, pushing the others to as well. 

They rushed their "thank yous" and said they'd have to schedule tea again soon. Rebecca heard Hermione say, "Nicholas Flamel...I've heard that name before!" But, the three of them rushed off while Rebecca stayed a moment longer while Hagrid insisted on putting some cakes in a bag for her to take back for later. 

"Rebecca, don't go poking around in things not ought to be poked." Hagrid's final words were etched in foreboding worry. 

"I'm going to keep them in line, don't worry!" She called back to him from the doorway. "Bye Fang!" The droopy dog lifted his head from where he was laying and drooled as Rebecca patted his head on her way out.

Turning to go back to the castle, she watched the Forbidden Forest intently. The forest was alive with the usual forest ambience, nothing malevolent like in her dream. She shook her head as she smiled and went back up the path to the castle. Fred and George were leaving the castle and stopped to chat with her, "We're heading to the lake. Didn't you hear?"

Rebecca shook her head, "No, hear what?" 

George answered, "Ron and Malfoy are gonna fight at the lake!" Rebecca's mouth dropped and she turned to run down there. 

She didn't know what she was going to do, but she certainly wasn't going to do nothing! Fred laughed first which made Rebecca pause, "Are you serious?"

George let a cheeky smile fill his face, "Perhaps..." Rebecca sighed and went to continue back into the castle. 

"You can come too, if you want!" Fred called from behind. She considered it, all she was going to do back at the common room was sit and read a little. 

She turned back to the twins, "I think I'll take you up on that." They went the opposite direction that Rebecca had come from, going towards the Black Lake's shore on Hogwarts' grounds when she felt the little baggy she was holding be pulled from her hand. "I can carry a handful of pastries." 

Fred smiled, "So can I." Reaching the shore, Fred set the bag on the picnic table and bent down untying his shoes as George was doing too. Rebecca plugged her nose and asked nasally, "What're you two doing?" George laughed, "Fred! She's saying your feet stink!" 

Fred gave a sarcastic, "Ha. Ha. She means you too." 

George looked at her in mock shock and clasped a hand to his heart. "That's so hurtful!" 

Rebecca laughed and went to sit on the bench when Fred reached down and undid her knots in one movement. "Oh, no no no no... I don't really want to get wet."

Fred looked up from where he was about to slip her shoe off, "Please?" He stuck his bottom lip out. She was about to say no when he continued, "For me?" She sighed, "Well, if you're going to be so bloody sentimental." 

She reached down to take her own socks off and had the back of her hand smacked lightly. "Hey!" Fred ignored her and rolled her pant legs up a bit. The end of her long scar showed, to which he lightly brushed his thumb against it. 

This caused a shiver to rise up her spine, which caused him to pull his hand away. "Sorry." He said immediately. "It's okay. Doesn't hurt or anything, just feels strange."

They walked to the water's edge and let the water go over their toes. George was already in up to his ankles and was skipping stones. "Thought you were afraid of water?" He asked as he dug around the mud for more smooth stones. 

Rebecca shook her head, "Not this little bit. I don't like not being able to stand and walk and move freely. Not being able to see what's under me, that's the worst... But, as a plus, I can't swim, so if I really were to end up in the middle of a lake I'd drown before I had to worry what was under me."

George looked up to her with a blank expression on his face, "Nice place to bring the conversation to." 

Rebecca kicked water towards him, splashing him. "Only answering what you asked!" 

George reached up and wiped the water off his face slowly. When he opened his eyes, he narrowed them at Rebecca and whispered, "You will rue the day you splashed me." He cupped his hands and started splashing so much water that even though Fred had been between them, the water went up and over him, drenching the other two in the process. 

Rebecca reached down with her right hand and started splashing back while Fred splashed his brother and back at her. This lasted nearly a minute and only ended when Rebecca, going to wipe her face, noticed that she'd lost her glasses. 

"Wait, wait! Truce!" Fred and George paused and turned to her, raising their arms for a double-team attack. "My glasses fell off." They dragged their feet over to her, to not step on them, and started tracing the muddy bottom a ways away from her while she did directly around and under her. 

They ended up looking for nearly ten minutes before George shot up nearly three metres from her with them in hand. "I've got them!" He was wiping the lenses off on the edge of his shirt and found that the lenses on one side were spider-webbed across the middle. The three of them exited the lake sopping wet. Their clothes hung off them, heavy with the results of their splashing war. The chill from the Autumn air was more evident, their breaths made little clouds in the evening light.

Fred grabbed his wand and waved it confidently holding her damaged glasses, "Oculus Reparo!" He'd repaired them before she even had the chance.

Rebecca thanked him and slid her glasses on her face. George looked at him strangely, "Where'd you learn that one? I don't remember it from Charms." Fred shrugged and changed the subject. 

Rebecca put her socks back on so her feet weren't bare in the cold grass for their walk back to the castle and planned on carrying her shoes. Fred grabbed both of her shoes with one hand and tossed them to George who caught them without even looking up from where he had just finished tying his shoes together. 

Rebecca bent in half and let her long hair dangle down in front of her and used one hand to put it all back so it wasn't hanging in her face. She went to grab her bag from Hagrid and could feel someone staring at her, prompting her to look up. Fred had his eyes locked on her scar, which was plainly visible with her hair wet and back. 

She went to put hair back over it by instinct and twinged her shoulder, eliciting a slight wince. Fred looked away quickly and took his top robe off putting his hand out for the bag and giving the robe to her. She went to say no, but found that her teeth were chattering. "Thank you," She told Fred. 

George saw the exchange and whined from where he was standing, "I'm cold too Fred!" They laughed at his antics and left the picnic table for the castle that seemed much farther than it had earlier in the afternoon.

When they arrived back at the castle, Professor McGonagall was at the gates. "What on-They're not...Were you three swimming?!" She said as they approached, "In November? What in Merlin's beard were you thinking?"

Fred and George both went to answer, but only ended up drowning the other out. Rebecca answered when they were done and quiet, "We weren't swimming professor, only put our feet in."

McGonagall raised an eyebrow, "Are your feet on top of your head?" Rebecca shook her head, "No." 

McGonagall turned to the two boys, "What about you two, are your feet on top of your heads?" George said no, but Fred reached up and patted his head as if he was checking before answering. 

McGonagall narrowed her eyes, "Detention. Two nights for you all next week. Perhaps that will teach you to use some common sense when out of the supervision of your professors." McGonagall turned to the side and pointed in the general direction of Gryffindor Tower. 

The three children marched on, sock cladden feet squeaking as they went. McGonagall sighed when they had turned the corner on the stairway and went into her office to finish grading the exams she had from the 6th and 7th years.

On the stairs, the three children were quiet until they were out of view of their professor, then they laughed. Fred mimed like he was checking his head again and sent them all into another fit of laughter. They arrived at the portrait hole and entered the common room. Hermione, Ron, and Harry were all sitting on a couch near the fire, talking intently. 

Fred and Rebecca went to stand in front of the fire and warm themselves while George sprinted to their dorm claiming first shower. 

"Where were you guys? We looked for you at dinner." Harry asked, not noticing the state they were in. Hermione gasped, "What happened? You're drenched!" Rebecca had opened her bag of pastries and had most of one shoved in her mouth. 

She looked to Fred and gestured for him to answer. He told them how they had gone wading and then splashing, mentioning that McGonagall had caught them as they came back and that she was really unhappy. Ron chimed in, "At least you didn't get detention!" Fred looked to Rebecca and said, "Well..."

Harry and Ron laughed while Hermione did not see the humor, "Why are you laughing? This isn't funny!" This only made the two boys laugh harder. 

Fred and Rebecca smiled at each other and walked towards the stairs. "Thanks for fixing my glasses." She said to him.

"Thanks for going in the water. Did you have a good time?" Fred asked her. 

She put a hand to her chin, "Nope." His face fell. She spoke again, "Had a great one." 

He reached out his arms, to which she reached out her right arm. His arms went out and were about to wrap around her, and they grabbed his robe off her. She looked up with red cheeks, "Sorry, didn't know that's what you were going for."

He reached an arm up and rubbed the back of his neck, "Good night then."

"Good night." She said back to him as she went to go take a warm shower and go to bed. "How much more awkward could I have possible made that?" She asked herself.

"God, why didn't I just hug her ?" Fred was asking himself.

Author's Note:  
Is that...budding romance? Who knows...

<3


	19. Chapter 19

Sunday passed with the same slow tempo that Saturday had. Monday and Tuesday, too. By Thursday, Rebecca was almost excited for her first night of detention--it would be something to mix up her daily routine. Wood nearly had an aneurysm when he'd heard that she was going to miss two nights of practise. Then he realized he was losing his beaters too. "How am I supposed to have a practise with half the team gone?" He shouted. 

Sitting in Potions which was especially mind-numbing, Snape must have noticed the glazed over look in her eyes because he went to her desk and leaned over her, "Am I boring you, Miss Potter?" He intoned. 

She shook her head out of her daydream and bent over her parchment to take notes. Snape, while unhappy in her lack of response, backed off. Harry whispered from beside her, "You alright there?" 

Rebecca whispered back, "Just can't focus today." He didn't have anything else to say to that, and Rebecca took to doodling so that she could be off task but at least appear busy. When class was over, she had the worst drawings in the margins of her notes. There was a lion that looked more like a circle with eyes and an afro. There was a broom, which wasn't too bad except for the lack of straight lines. She was just putting the final touches on a lightning bolt coming down from a cloud when Snape slammed a cauldron on their desk.

"Since you are clearly so versed in Potions and no longer need a teacher, here," He motioned at the rest of the supplies, "You are going to be making the Wiggenweld Potion."

She went to apologize and decided against it. Half of the Slytherin students had had their heads in the hands with their eyes closed before Snape slammed the desk but he'd only narrowed in on her. She wasn't going to apologize for not following the double-standard that he had set and followed religiously. 

Harry stood up to help, but Snape told him to sit down, "For once Mister Potter, you're going to hear the word no. She's going to do this all on her own, since she clearly knows enough that she doesn't need to pay attention."

Rebecca looked at the instructions on the board and took a minute to read through them all. Looking at the ingredients he had tossed on the desk, she was missing two. "Professor, I need another lionfish spine."

He scoffed, "I gave you the four you need." Rebecca kept her face as serious as possible, "Sir, the recipe calls for five. I'm also missing the dittany it calls for. Unless, you don't know what potion I'm supposed to be making..." Snape stilled, "Five points from Gryffindor." He stopped and turned back to her, his dark eyes staring straight into hers "Actually, make that ten and get out of my classroom."

Snape turned away from her and faced the board. Rebecca went to argue, but Harry reached up and grabbed her arm. "Please, don't make it worse." He was saying mouthed. Rebecca shoved her school supplies and left the classroom. 

She didn't have anywhere else to be and the other students had potions for nearly two more hours. She didn't want to go back to the common room, she started to walk and let her feet take her wherever they wanted. She slowed down when she'd ended up on a bridge overlooking the majority of the castle. She leaned against the side and observed Hogwarts. 

Pulling out her now crumpled parchment, she ripped off the top portion that had her "notes" on it and tore it into small pieces, allowing the wind to take them off the bridge and into the distance. She heard the bells chime signifying the end of class and the beginning of lunch, but stayed where she was. 

A minute after the classes were excused, second and third years coming from a class on the other side of the bridge began to cross back to the main castle. Fred and George were heading to lunch with them.

"Rebecca?" George asked as they got closer and leaned against the wall on one side of her. "What're you doing here?" 

She just shrugged and kept looking in the distance. "Becca? Did something happen?" Fred took the other side. 

"Just another day in Potions." The boys nodded. They were already aware of what happened between Snape and the Potter children. "He told me to do the potion on the board since I 'already knew everything' and he didn't give me all of the supplies!" She paused, "So I told him that the recipe called for more and he took ten points and kicked me out."

The twins turned and looked out at the sight she'd been staring into. "So you decided to bore yourself to death?" George asked. 

"No. I'm just," She took a short, shuddering breath, "I've never done anything to him. I've never misbehaved. I've never not done the homework. I didn't do anything to make him hate me."

The boys looked at each other over her head. They didn't really know what to say, nothing she was saying wasn't true. Fred went to say something but decided against it.

George broke the silence a moment later, "Why don't we give him a reason to hate you."

Rebecca looked up at him confused, "What do you mean?" 

Fred caught on and answered for him, "He means a prank!" 

George shook his head, "Not just any prank though."

The three of them conversed the entire way back to the castle and came to the bare bones of a plan that they were going to finalize over their polishing detention that night. They entered the Great Hall and found the others hissing at one another. Hermione asked her if she was okay. Rebecca shrugged, "It is what it is. I'm not going to let it bother me anymore."

Ron looked up from his lunch, "Really?" He asked. "No. If he's so set on hating me, he needs a good reason too." Harry leaned over and said quietly, "Do we want to know what you have planned?" She shook her head and gave him a smile. He sighed, "Well, we've been asked down to Hagrid's tonight. He says its urgent and it can't wait until you're not in detention."

"Well, don't get caught. Wouldn't want anyone to say I've corrupted you."

********************************

The afternoon went quicker and soon it was time for Fred, George, and Rebecca to meet McGonagall in the trophy room. She was waiting at the door and led them to the back wall. "Here, here, and here." She handed each of them a bucket and a stack of rags. "You're finished when everything has been polished." She raised her eyebrows as she left, but spared them from another admonishing.

George went to the first of the three shelves and claimed it. Fred took the next one and Rebecca walked to the one closest to the door. "Bet I'm the best polisher." George called to the other two as he grabbed the first trophy. 

Fred called back, "You sure practise a lot!" George's head popped out of the edge of his row. "Ha. Ha." George cracked a smile, "I'm serious, let's make it a race and see who can finish their shelf first." George started scrubbing furiously and trying to go as fast as he could.

Fred followed in the breakneck speed and didn't notice that Rebecca started at a normal pace. She plucked the trophy down, read what it was for while she went over the nameplate, and then went over the rest of it and put it back. Fred and George started to pant and complain that their fingers hurt before they were even done with their first section. Rebecca only stopped when Fred called her to his row.

"Oh thank god, I thought we'd never have a reason for a break!" Fred ignored his brother, "Look, this belonged to your father." He handed Rebecca the small trophy. Rebecca let her hand trace lightly over his name engraved on the cup awarded for Best Seeker in 1984. Rebecca handed it back to Fred who put it back as she said, "It's strange to think that he was here, my mum was here, just twelve years ago." They looked at her quietly.

George fell to the floor with a thud. "I can't polish anymore, my arms...their dead!" Fred dropped behind him and put his head to George's chest as if he was looking for a heartbeat. "Becca! You pump his chest and I'll do the mouth to mouth!" Fred commanded. Rebecca reached down to put her hands on his chest but he laughed before she'd even pushed once. 

"Fred, did you know dead people laughed?" She asked. 

"Why no, I did not." George lifted his head and glared at them, "I cannot help how ticklish I am. Nor can you, Fred." 

Rebecca stood up and went to get back to her row, filing this information away for later. They polished and polished and eventually were all pretty equally done, just a few left each. McGonagall's footsteps were heard coming down the hall, but she went right by the trophy room. They all looked at each other strangely and continued their punishment. They stood and stretched when they had finished their task. Fred stacked the buckets and Rebecca gathered all of their used rags from their rows. When they were at the door, they went down in the direction McGonagall had rushed.

They heard Malfoy's whine as they approached her office, "Did I hear you right professor, the four of us?" McGonagall looked to the doorway where they had just arrived, "While you had heard me right, it will actually be the seven of you."

Draco tried to worm his way out of whatever they'd walked in on, but McGonagall wasn't budging. "You will all report at the main entrance tomorrow at 9 o'clock. From there, Mr. Filch will escort you to your detention." She dismissed them. Once outside, Draco turned with a flair of his robes and went off towards the Slytherin dormitories.

"Guys, what happened?" Rebecca asked as soon as they were out of ear shot from McGonagall. "I thought you were just popping down to Hagrid's?" 

Ron scoffed, "We bloody were! Malfoy followed us and went and got McGonagall." 

Harry interjected, "Hagrid had a baby dragon, Rebecca! You would have absolutely loved him. He named him Norbert, but he needed us to go down there so he could get a letter to Charlie." 

Rebecca looked over to where Hermione was wide-eyed, she had nothing to contribute to the telling of their evening other than, "I've got detention. McGonagall said that since this is only our first infraction, it won't go on our records. But the next one?" 

Hermione shook her head ferociously, bouncing her hair. "There will not be a next one." Rebecca just nodded her head as Ron took over and went on about Norbert some more.

"How was your first detention?" Harry asked noticing red hands. George looked at him and deadpanned, "Fantastic, can't wait to do it again." 

Fred threw his arm around George. "Don't worry, you won't have to wait too long." George scowled. 

Rebecca smiled. 

*******************************************

Rebecca was grateful that she was done with Potions for the week after the hassle it had been the day before. Only a Friday's load of courses, detention, and then they were into Christmas Break! Students who were returning home would have the weekend to pack and then leave on Monday.

Hermione woke up in a dreadful mood, though Rebecca couldn't complain after how grey she'd been for the past week. She tried her best to cheer her friend up though. McGonagall had an extra busy Transfiguration class that morning, but the only homework she assigned for the weekend was to have their notes trimmed and ordered so that their pre-break work was easy for to review before their Year-End Exams. Most of her classes had similar work for them to do to keep them busy and quiet for the last day of courses. Supper found the group in tense silence. The Weasley children were exceptionally cross. Molly had heard of their detentions and sent in a howler that arrived right at the start of dinner. It went a little something like:

"What have you been thinking? What HAVE YOU BEEN THINKING? Fred and George, two in a week? It's one thing to tank your selves, but Rebecca? And Ronald! Don't even get me started! The only Weasley at Hogwarts whose acting like he deserves it is Percy!" Her tone changed abruptly to a kinder one and turned to Rebecca, "Dearie, it wouldn't kill you to write back to us." 

The envelope turned back to the rest of them once more, "If there is so much as a toe out of line for the rest of the year, you will be sorry, sorry children!" The envelope started to rip itself to pieces and the Weasley children turned as red as their hair at the public shaming. Dinner couldn't have ended any sooner.

After dinner, they loitered around the main entrance until it was time for Malfoy and McGonagall to meet them. McGonagall was perfectly punctual and arrived with Mr. Filch, but Malfoy trailed up a few minutes late. He scowled at them all standing there. "Thank you for arriving punctually, Mr. Malfoy. Would you care for another night?" McGonagall asked him. He answered no. McGonagall explained that Filch would be taking them to their detention and that they were to heed his every word. She left them at that and Filch opened the castle door with a twisted grin.

"Come along, children." He ushered them through the door and started walking ahead of them. "You all oughta be thanking your lucky stars! In the good ol' days, we'd hang you in the dungeons by your thumbs. Ah, the screams would last for hours." He smiled as he reminisced. Hagrid's hut came into view. He and Fang were out front and he had a massive crossbow across his lap. He sniffled as they went up to the house. 

"Still crying about that bloody lizard?" Filch said, not wanting an answer, "Get it together! You're going to need to be aware to enter the forest!" 

Malfoy's head shot up, "The forest?" We can't go in the forest. It's forbidden." 

Filch smiled, "Don't worry, you have permission." He turned and walked back to the castle as Hagrid began to explain their detention. "We've got a big task tonight. There's a unicorn out there that's been hurt. We have to find it and," He paused, "deal with the situation as best we can." 

He asked that Harry, Fred, and Hermione accompany him while George, Ron, Rebecca, and Malfoy were going to be the other group. Malfoy called quickly, "We want the dog then!" 

Hagrid shook his head, "You can have 'im, but he's a bloody coward." They entered the edge of the forest. Rebecca's mind flew back to her dream, but she tried to push it away. "Enough is in here to be scared of without making up more." Hagrid went to the west while he pointed vaguely in the eastern direction. He told them how to send up sparks with their wands, which they were to do if they found anything. 

Rebecca's group mostly walked in silence, aside from Malfoy's repeating threats of how his father was going to hear about it. Ron snapped at him to shut it after about the tenth time. Malfoy skulked quietly for a bit. Malfoy bent down and put his fingers in a silvery speck on the ground. "Hey, look at this. Isn't this what he said we were looking for?" 

Malfoy went to grab his wand, but Rebecca told him to wait. "That's just a speck. We haven't actually found anything yet." Ron sniggered and Fang whined. 

Malfoy stood next to Fang and made up some excuse about standing there so they'd no where they started. Rebecca continued along the path that they'd started on and noticed that the tree roots were getting larger, the trees getting older. They were going along the path that she'd dreamed! The forest sounds ebbed and peaked around them. George and Ron followed behind her closely. "Hey, do you know where you're going?" George called up after a minute of her brisk pace. "I think so, I dreamed this." She called back.

Ron nodded, "Great George, she's dreamed this. We're bloody saved now."

Rebecca continued on as if she hadn't heard him. She smelled the sickly, fruity scent that was in her dream and paused, crouching and looking under the brush on both sides of the path. Flowing slowly, a minute stream of silver. 

Rebecca stood up and continued into the forest. She twisted and turned along a path that, to Ron and George, only she could see. When the path opened into a clearing where the silver now flowed freely, she stopped in her tracks. The unicorn was where she'd seen nothing in her dream, but there was something else with it. A person, draped in black robes and indistinguishable from where they were, was leaning over the whining unicorn and drinking from its wounds. Ron bent over and retched. George turned in the direction that they'd entered in and shot red sparks up above the trees. 

The creature turned its head toward them at the sound and red light. It snarled inhumanly and crawled over the unicorn. It ran at the children, its path only stopped when a centaur with glowing eyes jumped out from the tree line in between them. He went up on his back legs and slammed his front hooves into the ground with such force, the ground shook under the children. The creature in black turned and ran deeper into the forest.

The centaur turned to make sure they were alright, but only saw two red-haired boys. The girl was running to where the unicorn was lying. She bent to her knees in front of it and stroked its face with her hands. 

The centaur approached from behind, "The forest grieves at the loss of such innocence." 

Rebecca bent and let her forehead touch the unicorn's still body. She was weeping softly. This wasn't as if predator had eaten prey--this was just evil. The centaur held a hand up to the boys who had been approaching Rebecca and watched what was happening. The blood was ceasing to flow from the long, numerous gashes along the body of the dead unicorn. The gashes themselves seemed to fill in from the inside out. He watched the girl, her breathing was rapid and uneven. 

Rebecca's hands burned like fire where they touched the unicorns head. The pain grew more and more intense, but she didn't let go. In all honesty, she wasn't sure she could. She didn't know what was happening, but her mind was flashing with pictures. There was a waterfall where unicorns were drinking from the water's edge, a grassy embankment where unicorns were laying in the grass, there was a tree where the sweetest fruit dropped from. These are memories! Rebecca realized. 

The unicorn shuddered and its body began to move as it breathed once again. The inferno that had taken over her hands was diminishing slowly. She found herself able to take control of her body once more and she lifted her head from the unicorns warming body.

It was watching her with its deep eyes. The blood in the clearing remained, but the unicorn's deadly wounds were gone. Rebecca was hit by wave after wave of deep-seated, bone-aching exhaustion. The unicorn slowly got to its feet and put its head down in front of Rebecca, offering it to her for her to get up. She wrapped an arm around its neck and tried to pull herself up. She managed to stand, but stumbled into where George and Ron were staring at her gape-mouthed and wide-eyed. They both put their arms under hers and held her up. 

The unicorn walked so that it was in front of her once more. It bowed its head so low, its nose was against the dirt. 

The centaur and children noted the unicorn's new markings, two handprints black as night along the side of its face where she had had her hands. The unicorn raised its head slowly and trotted out of the clearing. The centaur looked to the opening where Hagrid and the others were stumbling in. Hagrid took survey of the blood, but saw no unicorn. "Rebecca," He called as the large man went to go to her, he was stopped by the centaur. "Firenze! What happened?" The centaur and groundskeeper stayed back as the children flooded around her. 

They spoke in hushed tones, "Rubeus, what have you brought into this forest?"

Hagrid was confused, "What d'ya mean by that Firenze? Wha' happened here? The blood... where's the unicorn?" 

Firenze, the centaur, shook his head slowly, "I feel strange forces at work," He explained what happened with the unicorn as they went to the group of children. "That unicorn had entered the beyond, though no farther than the gates. She pulled him back, though I know not how." 

Hagrid looked to Firenze in disbelief, "Are you saying Rebecca brought 'im back to life?" Firenze nodded, "Precisely." 

The centaur paused as Hagrid crouched down next to Harry so he was level with Rebecca. Fred had taken the other side of her where Ron was so that she was evenly held up. "Rebecca, can you hear me?" She was looking at him, but not seeing him. 

While Hagrid was told what had happened by Firenze, Harry, Hermione, and Fred had been told by Ron and George. Harry reached a hand out and waved it in front of her face, but no reaction came from her. He looked to Hagrid with his face filled with concern. 

Hagrid stood up and took moved George out of the way. He scooped her up so that she was held in his arms and Firenze led the way through the dark forest back to castle. The rest of them trailed behind and Hagrid, though he wouldn't have admitted it, completely forgot Draco who was sitting on the stump of a tree when they'd passed back through. Draco, unaware of anything that they'd all taken witness too, tried to get them to tell him what had happened and why she was being carried out, but the others walked on in silence.

******************************************************

Rebecca could hear Hagrid talking to McGonagall. She could feel the end of his beard tickling her arms. She just couldn't open her eyes even though she was fighting to stay awake. 

"Argus, make sure Poppy is awake. Get Albus, too!" McGonagall called. Rebecca heard her talking to the others, "All of you can't go to the infirmary, you need to return to your rooms." They all argued back, "No! Now, return to your dormitories!" McGonagall said to them, the sharpest they'd heard their Head of House ever before.

McGonagall's tapping footsteps led the way, but Rebecca couldn't fight the darkness anymore and let herself drift away.


	20. Chapter 20

The other Gryffindor children watched as Hagrid followed Professor McGonagall as she rushed to the infirmary. When they turned the corner, Fred started herding the shellshocked students towards the stairs. They arrived to the portrait hole and entered the common room, still silent. Harry and Ron walked Hermione to the girls staircase and she turned to them halfway up, "She'll be fine, right?"

Ron nodded his head slowly. "Of course, Hermione. We'll go see her first thing in the morning." Hermione nodded and sniffled. "First thing. Good night." 

They answered good night and went to the boys staircase where Fred and George were sitting on the bottom step. They stood up as Harry and Ron approached them and they all went to their dormitories. 

*******************************************

The sun rose on a cold morning at Hogwarts. The students, entering their last weekend before those returning home left the castle, slept in for the most part. The exception being Harry, Ron, Fred, George, and Hermione who were up with the sun. They were all in the common room. They hadn't heard any other people awake in Gryffindor Tower as they exited through the portrait hole. They walked quickly through the empty corridors of the castle, but as they grew nearer and nearer to the infirmary, they went faster and faster.

When they arrived at the doorway to the infirmary, the door was open. McGonagall sat on one side of the bed that Rebecca was in and Dumbledore the other. Hagrid was sitting on a chair near the end of the bed. "Is she okay?" Harry asked before they were even all the way to her. Dumbledore stood up and raised his hands, asking for quiet. "She's doing alright Harry. She hasn't stirred yet." 

He gestured for them to follow him to the deepest end of the infirmary where Madame Pomfrey was sitting at her desk. "I'd like to hear you all tell me what you saw happen last night."

Fred, Harry, and Hermione all looked to Ron and George. Ron started, "Well, Malfoy had found a spot of unicorn blood on a tree. Rebecca started going deeper into the forest. I asked if she knew where she was going, and she said that she'd dreamed this. It was really weird." 

George took over, "She was walking like she knew exactly where she was going. When we entered the clearing where the unicorn was dying, there was something over it. Eating it. Firenze leaped out of the tree line and scared it away from us." He paused and took a deep breath. "She knelt by the unicorn and put her hands on its head. When she reached down to put her head against its forehead...That's when things started happening...Steam started to rise from around her. We went to run to her, but Firenze stopped us. This lasted for nearly a minute. When she took her hands off of the unicorn, it had her hands printed on its cheeks in black. It helped her up, and then Ron and I grabbed her. She was burning hot." 

George stopped and took a deep breath. Ron finished, "The unicorn bowed to her and then left. Then Hagrid came and...well, she's been here all night." Dumbledore, who had stayed completely silent as they retold their evening stood up.

Hermione asked him what had happened when they were walking back to her bed. He just sighed, "We're not certain. There has never been a way to bring something back to life before. There's the case of Harry and Rebecca living through the killing curse, but no one has ever died and come back to life before." He trailed off and left the children around her bed. 

McGonagall stood and addressed them, "Whatever happened out there last night, we're going to keep it to ourselves until we understand it. Do you all understand?" They all nodded but couldn't take their eyes off of her. 

Harry took a seat on the edge of her bed and took her hands in his. He turned them over when George asked him too. They were unharmed. 

Fred grabbed her other hand to turn it over as well when she grabbed his hand with one and squeezed Harry's with the one he was already holding. When her eyes fluttered open, her bed was entirely circled by her friends. She let go of their hands and looked around for her glasses. Ron grabbed them off of where they were and handed them to her. 

She looked at them all. Madame Pomfrey rushed over from her desk with Dumbledore close behind her. "Miss Potter?" She asked as they moved to make a path to her side. "How are you feeling?"

Rebecca answered, "Not too bad. I'm confused." Madame Pomfrey nodded, "To be expected." Rebecca continued, "What was that thing last night?" 

Hagrid, standing at the foot of the bed, answered, "Unicorn blood will save you even if yer an inch from death. But it brings about a cursed life, a half life. To kill something as innocent as a unicorn, yer better off dead if ya' ask me." 

They all nodded, and then Dumbledore asked her a question. "Rebecca, do you remember how you did what you did last night?"

Rebecca shook her head, "I had a dream earlier this week, a nightmare really. I was walking in the forest and the forest went crazy around me. By the end, I couldn't move at all and something was creeping up on me. That dream was in the clearing from last night. That's how I knew where to go."

McGonagall asked again, "Yes, but specifically to the unicorn." Rebecca thought for a moment, "I don't know. I wasn't trying to do anything. I couldn't believe that such a creature could have been killed like that. I just sort of, did what I felt I should have." She looked at the palms of her hands herself, "When my hands were on his face, it was like I had stuck them into a fire. I could see his memories, where he and his herd drank, where the best fruit was, his life and what he was leaving. I think I was watching his reasons to come back. I saw it all and then the heat was gone."

They heard footsteps running in the hall towards the infirmary. In through the door burst a red faced Arthur and Molly with Ginny between them. "Children?" Molly called as she started grabbing as many as she could fit in between her arms. "Oh my, that's it! You're never leaving my sight again!" She tossed the children she'd already hugged and went to Rebecca's bed side. "What on Earth have you gotten into, dearie?" 

Rebecca smiled, "Same old, same old." 

Arthur went behind his wife, "Then I never want to see you try for trouble then!"

McGonagall cleared her throat at that, "There's been an unfortunate occurrence on that note. Apparently, someone put honey-soaked yarn across the entirety of Professor Snape's classroom and peanut butter on every surface. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would any of you?" They all shook their heads no. 

McGonagall looked to Rebecca with her eyes slightly narrowed, "Professor, when would I have had time for that between my two detentions?"

McGonagall crossed her arms, but said nothing more. Molly asked, "We got the owl and came as soon as we could. It's a good thing we weren't headed to Romania until tomorrow or else Errol would have had a field day trying to find us." McGonagall led the adults to Madame Pomfrey and Dumbledore who were back at her desk and began to speak in hushed tones.

Ginny pushed Fred back and off her bed and took his spot at Rebecca's side. They began to talk about everything that had happened since school had started and, while Ginny wanted to ask more about the night before, she didn't. 

Rebecca asked Ginny about Romania and listened as the younger girl went into every facet of Charlie and what he did in Romania that she knew. Rebecca looked to her friends who were sitting around her. George was leaning on Ron's shoulder and they were both looking at their little sister. 

They'd missed her and were glad to get the chance to see her before the summer. Harry was sitting on the other side and was looking between Ginny and Rebecca every few seconds. Hermione was looking past them all to where the adults were discussing quietly. Fred... Fred was sitting cross-legged at her feet and was staring straight at her. When they made eye contact instead of looking away like in a normal situation, he stared on.

Rebecca looked away, since he clearly wasn't going to. McGonagall and the Weasley parents were coming back to where they all were. McGonagall sent all of them off to the Great Hall for breakfast with orders to bring back plates for Rebecca and their parents. They left reluctantly, but didn't dare argue with the professor with their parents right next to her. The kids gone, they pulled chairs up around her bed.

"Rebecca," Dumbledore began, "You have put us in a strange and complicated position." McGonagall clarified, "Through no fault of your own." 

Dumbledore nodded, "Yes, through no fault of your own. We're not really sure what we're supposed to do with you. The magic, the sheer power that would have been required for what you exhibited last night was marvelous...And dangerous. It is pertinent that this does not spill out of those who were there and that you do not attempt something like that again until we have a deeper understanding." McGonagall spoke again, "To try to use more magic than you have is a fatal endeavor and certainly not something to be trifled with."

Arthur and Molly leaned closer to her and took her hands, "Love, are you sure you're okay though. Head to toes, all okay?"

Rebecca sat higher against the pillows, "Yes, I feel a little tired, but other than that I feel right as rain!" 

Molly smiled and Arthur squeezed her hand, "So strong." They wrapped their arms around her. There was a knock at the infirmary door and a familiar blond head poked inside. He took a few steps in, but continued no farther. Rebecca waved from behind Molly's back where it was holding her.

He lifted a hand and waved back slightly. He approached the bed closer, "So. Just checking that you were alive, which you are." Rebecca looked at him, "Not dead today." He nodded. "Okay then." He left the infirmary as quickly as he'd arrived. 

Arthur looked at her with his eyebrows raised, "Strange, strange boy."

Rebecca agreed, "Yes, strange."

*******************************************

After everyone had eaten, Molly and Arthur gave their final hugs and kisses. There was no reason for them to stay any longer because Madame Pomfrey had decided that since she was having no effects from the night's events, there was no reason to keep her any longer. Dumbledore returned from his office in time to say goodbye to them and give Ginny a small sweet from the bag he was carrying. He placed it at the foot of Rebecca's feet with a wink. "There is precious little that cannot be cured with a good sweet." 

Rebecca swung her legs off the bed and slipped into her shoes. Ron grabbed bag and stood by the foot of the bed. She stood and yawned, everyone in the room watching her with varying degrees of intensity. "Guys?" Rebecca asked them. They all acted like they were doing something.

McGonagall walked them to the door, "Please, please, please, let us get through break before we do anything else unheard of?" 

Rebecca laughed which only raised a few smiles through her friends. McGonagall turned and left them. Rebecca took a few steps and stopped again after noticing the looks on their faces. 

"Guys? Why do you all look so," She paused looking for the right word, "I don't know--sad?" 

Harry answered for them. "I don't know about them, but last night I thought you were dying. I thought," His voice broke, "I thought that I was going to lose you after only just finding you." 

Tears were streaming down his cheeks now, the rest of them in similar states. Rebecca pulled Harry against her and started grabbing everyone she could fit her arms around. 

Rebecca pressed her head to Harry's shoulder and whispered to him, "Harry, it's going to take a bit more than a little weekend resurrection to take me away from you." She turned her head to the rest of them, "From any of you. I'm not going anywhere, I haven't gone anywhere. Let's go up to the common room and eat this candy until were ill and enjoy this last day before Hermione leaves for home!" 

She started walking to the common room without releasing them. They shuffled a few feet before trying to pull out of her arms. 

"Uh, Rebecca?" George asked from somewhere in the hug. "I think I'm being trampled."

*******************************************

Rebecca tried to get them to do something fun on Hermione's last day, but they were all tired from the stress and exertions from the night before. Rebecca put the bag of sweets on the table near the fire and tipped it sideways. She plucked out a licorice wand and sat back on the chair, noticing how Ron was looking at the bag. "Go for it! There's more than enough to share." Ron smiled and reached in. The others reached in, too. The chocolate frogs were gone first. Hermione jumped as Harry called her name loudly, "Look! Nicholas Flamel!" He pointed at the card that had come with his frog. It was Dumbledore's and it said, 

"ALBUS DUMBLEDORE  
CURRENTLY HEADMASTER OF HOGWARTS  
Considered by many the greatest wizard of modern times, Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the Dark Wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel. Professor Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and ten-pin bowling."

Hermione turned to the three of them, "So, we have a lead now. Alchemical excelling wizards. You three can research in the library while I'm gone and we'll hope we find something." 

Ron groaned, "You're giving us homework?" 

Hermione said nothing, but checked her watch. "We could always go now..." 

Ron shook his head quickly, "Break is fine."

Fred and George were tossing Bertie Bott's beans into the others mouths from opposite sides of the couch. George tossed one to Ron, who caught it and made a face, "Eggplant!" Fred turned to Harry who shook his head. Fred turned and looked at Rebecca who opened her mouth. He lined up the bean and tossed it. Rebecca caught it and bit into it carefully, not wanting a disgusting flavour. "Lemon!" She called out happily--Yellow Bertie Bott's had a higher chance of being foul than good.

They stayed in the common room for hours enjoying each other's company. When McGonagall went through the Gryffindor portrait hole later that afternoon, she found more of the asleep than not. Harry and Hermione were the only two awake and were conversing quietly over the sleeping others. 

"Miss Granger," McGonagall said as she approached her, "I've compiled the reading list if you're still interested." Harry raised his eyebrows at her to which Hermione simply ignored. 

"Thank you professor, I'll miss being able to pop to the library everyday." 

McGonagall smiled, "Yes, I can imagine you would. Don't forget that the holidays are also meant to be a break." McGonagall surveyed the state of them around the common room. Ron had a blanket of wrappers down the front of him, Fred was snoring lightly, George had his arm draped over his eyes, and Rebecca had pulled her legs up onto the chair so that she was mostly under her robes. McGonagall wished Hermione a happy Christmas and turned to leave the common room.

Harry and Hermione went back into their previous conversation of muggle Christmas specials that they liked on TV.

********************************************

Dinner that evening was a happy affair. Every student around the school was smiling and laughing and why shouldn't they? Christmas was next week and school work was paused for a few weeks. 

The group of friends were joking with one another and cackling as the jokes got worse and worse. Dumbledore stood and raised his hand for attention, "Now I know that some of us are going home for the holidays and some of us are staying here. No matter where you'll be, Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus. That will be all." Then he sat back down. 

They retired to their dorms early that night, but not before they all exchanged the goodnights and hugs that had become their nightly routine in their first term at Hogwarts. Hermione was just finishing packing the last of her belongings when Rebecca left the bathroom with her hair still wet. "I hope you have a great Christmas, Hermione." Rebecca said as she as sat on the edge of her bed. Hermione smiled over her shoulder from where she was laying her books down as a top layer on her trunk, "I hope you do, too! You all are in luck, they're saying that there'll be snow before Christmas."

They started talking about what Hermione's plans were with her family. Hermione finished and went to shower. Rebecca lay in her bed and looked out over the castle. She was still looking when Hermione was finished and she jumped onto Rebecca's bed next to her. Rebecca put her head on her friends shoulder and they watched the stars come into view.

Across the tower, Harry and Ron were having similar conversations about how excited they were that school was on break now. In Fred and George's room, they were talking about the days events freely since their roommates hadn't come back from dinner yet. George was going on about how crazy it had been to see that and how lucky they all were that she was alright. 

Fred said before they turned to go to sleep, "Yeah, it was crazy... She's so strong..." 

Fred's voice took on a tone that led George to sit up and look at him, but Fred didn't notice as he finished, "I don't think there's anything she couldn't do." 

George smiled, but said nothing as he lied back down to go to sleep.

Author's Note:

Whew! Bit of a strange chapter, yeah? Christmas brings up the next slew of plot movements for the group, but their first year is already half done... I can't believe it! 

<3


	21. Chapter 21

Rebecca was woken up early Christmas morning by Errol tapping on the window next to her bed. She opened the window for him to come inside, but he only stuck his foot inside so she could remove the parchment from his leg. He knocked some of the freshly fallen snow off from where it had fallen over night into the room and then left as quickly as he had arrived. She unrolled the parchment with a big yawn, the sun was hardly poking above the horizon yet. 

"Hurry up! Meet in the common room!" It was Harry's chicken scratch. Rebecca put on her slippers to meet them downstairs. The common room had had a tree up for a while, but this morning it was filled with presents! Rebecca was nearly down the stairs when she got a parcel thrown at her from Ron. "I get presents?" She thought to herself, "Talk about change of traditions..." The tag on top said that it was from mum and da. 

Untying the string around it, she opened the box and pulled out a jumper. "Mum knits us all one every year." Ron explained. Rebecca pulled it on over her pajamas and found that the beautiful dark orange jumper had a big R in the middle in green. Harry got a similar package and pulled out a green jumper with an orange H. 

Ron was still under the tree pulling out three smaller boxes and an oddly wrapped oval parcel. Ron tore into his box and found that it was a collection of small treats from home. Rebecca and Harry also received the box of homemade goods. The odd package was addressed to both Harry and Rebecca, but didn't have a sender on the tag.

Ron tossed it to them and Harry caught it. He undid the wrapping and pulled out a blue patterned cloak of some sort. Harry pulled it on while Rebecca started to peek through the pile of wrapping for the card that had been with it. Ron gasped loudly, causing Rebecca to stop her search and look up. Harry's body had disappeared! His head floated where it had been when he'd flown the cloak around him, but the rest of him was gone.

"Bloody hell, that's an invisibility cloak!" Ron exclaimed. "Who sent you that?" Ron asked. Rebecca turned back to the wrapping and was joined by the boys in searching. They eventually the small card where it had fell under the edge of the couch. It said, "This belonged to your father. Use it well." There was no name, just the anonymous message. 

Rebecca groped along the floor until she felt the end of it and lifted it up slowly. Harry remained invisible as long as he was covered by it. She climbed up under it with him and let it drop to the floor. Harry brought his head under the edge of it. "Blimey, that is incredible." Ron said as his two friends completely disappeared. They took it off and folded it compactly. 

She ran up the stairs and down the hall, putting it in her trunk and changing her pajama pants for regular pants. Heading back to the common room, she found that Fred and George had woken up and were now pulling on their jumpers.

"Morning Fred, George. Happy Christmas!" Rebecca said as she called the Weasley with the F jumper George and the other with the G jumper Fred. They laughed, "How'd you know?!" and swapped jumpers back. 

Rebecca between George and then Fred and answered, "Fred's got this little scar, right here on the edge of his eyebrow," She gestured on herself where she was talking about, "And George...Your head is bigger."

George grabbed the sides of his head, "Really?" Rebecca laughed and shook her head, "No, but you do have a freckle right on the bottom of your ear that he doesn't have." 

George shook his head slowly, "Even mum can't tell us apart!" Rebecca snorted, "You two are always doing something to keep her busy!"

They, now in the correct jumpers, picked up their boxes and unwrapped them. They started to eat one of the pastries that Molly had sent and watched Ron take out the Gryffindor public set of wizards chess. "Harry, Rebecca, let me show you wizard's chess." Harry sat on the floor next to where he was setting it up, but Rebecca just waved him down. "No, thank you. I like my games to be fun and not make me think." Fred and George jumped over the back of the couch so that they were suddenly sandwiching her. "That's what we said!" They said in unison.

While Harry quickly caught on to the rules of chess and learned how wizard's chess was different than muggle chess, Rebecca and the Weasley twins went to go get breakfast. Ron and Harry had said they'd go with them in five minutes, but twenty minutes later the group of three decided to go without them. The castle, while not entirely empty, certainly felt a little bare with the Great Hall as quiet as it was. McGonagall and a few of their other professors were at the staff table when they'd entered the Great Hall where there were only a few Hufflepuff and Ravenclaws eating. 

The tables were only set near the staff table since there were so many students home for the holidays. There was a chorus of "Happy Christmas-s" from the staff table as the Weasley's took one side of the table and Rebecca took the other. They ate breakfast slowly and leisurely. They had already opened their presents and had nothing planned for the rest of the evening. 

Rebecca had met eyes with Fred who was staring at her multiple times before asking, "Is there something on my face?" Fred's face turned bright red. "No!" He said loudly. Then quieter, "No. I was just thinking I was really happy you were okay." 

George nodded and with a mouth full of food said, "Yeah, thought we were going to end up with grey hair after that."

Rebecca changed the subject to the poppers that were at their seats. "Want to open 'em now?" She asked the two boys. They nodded and grabbed one. "One...Two...Three!" They twisted them open and laughed at the popping noises. Out of them all dropped a handful of chocolate galleons. They scooped them up and stuck them in their pockets before leaving the great hall. They filled two plates for Harry and Ron and brought them back to them.

In the common room, Harry was ordering his chess pieces around like the general of an army. He wasn't too bad, but Ron had years of experience on his side. When Rebecca put the plate on the table next to them, Ron's queen got off of her throne and swung it straight at Harry's last knight. "That's horrid!" She said as she went back to the couch. 

Fred and George were both sitting with their feet up on the couch, taking up the spot where Rebecca had been sitting. She walked to the end of the couch and sat on it. She let herself fall backward as George let out a groan. She pushed her way down the couch until she was laying on it flat over both boys.

They both looked down at her with matching expressions of intrigue. They continued to talk about something or other when Rebecca hopped up and ran to the large window. "Look guys!" Ron and Harry jumped up and went to the window. "Christmas snow!"

The kids all ran to their dormitories to get dressed and put on their winter gear to go out to the courtyard and play in the snow. Rebecca took off the jumper that she had gotten so that it would be dry and warm for when they were done. 

They stormed through the common room in their winter clothes loudly, cueing a stern scolding from Percy. They walked through the castle to the courtyard near McGonagall's office. It had the least amount of castle around it, so it would have the most snow accumulated.

Harry and Ron decided that they were going to have a snowball fight. They started building up a barrier to hide behind while Fred and George did the same across the way. Rebecca walked to the past their battlefield and flopped onto her back. She started to move her arms and legs to make a snow angel. 

When she was done, she sat up and looked to both sides of the courtyard. Ron and Harry were focusing more on having a taller wall while Fred and George had a smaller wall and a larger pile of snowballs ready to throw. Rebecca meandered around her snow angel and started to roll the base for a massive snowman. She was facing away from the boys when she felt a snowball smash into her. She turned to them slowly. The boys said nothing, though Ron was hiding behind Harry. 

She acted like she was ignoring them and continued with her snowman. When the boys weren't looking, she focused and whispered, "Wingardium Leviosa!" On the large snowball she had formed. She levitated it lightly off the ground and crept along the sidewalk. Harry and Ron were busy throwing snowballs furiously at Fred and George and never even noticed the shadow forming over them. Rebecca released the spell when the snowball was over the younger boys heads. The snowball fell down and apart, coating them both heavily with snow. They turned around in a flash and started grabbing snowballs to throw at Rebecca, who was running away from them.

"Becca! Come here!" Fred called. She turned and ran through the snow to their smaller wall and dove behind it as Harry and Ron paused their throwing. She huddled down between Fred and George. They were laughing at how much snow piled on their heads when she dropped the huge snowball. 

George said, "I'm going to peek up and see what's taking them so long. You two stay down." George stood up slowly and sighed, "Oh no."

Fred stood up and saw a blur of two heads as Harry and Ron charged their wall to tip it on them. He ducked down as the wall came down on the three of them. Harry and Ron cheered as there enemies were defeated. George's head poked out from where he had been with a scowl, "That was a dirty trick!" But he laughed quickly after saying, "I should have thought of it."

Rebecca was facing Fred's face in the pocket that he had made when he'd ducked over her. They were silent, but looking at each other deeply. Fred pulled his hand free from the snow and offered it to her, "You might want to cover your eyes, this is going to collapse when I get up." Rebecca nodded and grabbed it, "Wait."

Fred paused and felt two cold lips brush against his cheek. "Thanks." Rebecca's face was as red as his hair. Fred could feel his face and ears ignite. "No problem." 

Fred stood and pulled her up as he went. Above the snow pile, George was still digging his legs out with Harry and Ron's help. George noticed Fred and Rebecca's red faces, but blamed it on the cold of the snow. They left the courtyard and found McGonagall leaning against the wall at the entryway to the castle. Rebecca looked up at her warily, "There's no detention over break, right?"

McGonagall smiled, "No. Though, you probably shouldn't track water all over the halls." McGonagall flourished her wand at them all and they found that their clothes weren't wet anymore. "Thanks professor!" They said as they passed her on their way to the common room. 

****************************************

After the magnificent Christmas feast, they had stayed around the fire with their stomachs filled entirely too full. Fred and George were being chased around the common room by Percy who was shouting for them to give back his prefect badge. Ron wished Harry and Rebecca a happy Christmas one more time and went to go upstairs to his bed. Harry and Rebecca took the rare moment of privacy to talk about the cloak. 

"We're going to go use it tonight, right?" Harry asked her. "Of course! Meet at 11?" 

She said as Fred and George approached them. "Of course, what?" George asked curiously. 

"Oh," Rebecca faltered a moment, "He had just asked me if I had had a happy Christmas. Of course I did." 

Fred and George nodded, "We did, too." They sat around the fire for a while longer before Harry feigned a yawn and said he was going to go up to bed. The twins and Rebecca told him good night. Rebecca stood up shortly after he left and said that she was going to head up, too. They walked her to the bottom of the girls staircase and hugged her. They went up the boys staircase as she did the girls, waving once more at the top before they entered their own dormitories.

Rebecca sat at her desk and set her clock so that she could see it. She still had over an hour before she and Harry were going to meet, so she took out some parchment and began to write her thank you note to Molly. When her clock showed that she had five minutes, she pulled her trainers on instead of her slippers and pulled her Weasley jumper on. She left her bedroom and shut the door quietly. She exited the girls dorm and went down the stairs to find that Harry wasn't down there yet.

"Psst!" She turned around. "Harry?" Harry's head poked out of thin air with a grin. She smiled back at him as he opened the cloak for her to climb under. Once hidden, they left the common room. Harry led the way and Rebecca followed without question. He took a few lefts, a few rights, went through a few doors. Deep into the castle, they heard voices.

"Couldn't even give me the holiday. What am I going to do with you?" That was Snape's voice! Who was he talking to so angrily? Harry had slowed down as he and Rebecca turned the corner silently. Snape had Professor Quirrell held up against the wall by his robes and began to speak again, "I've told you once before leave well enough alone!" 

Quirrell stammered a response, "I-I-I was j-just looking for-" "For what? Another place you don't belong to be looking through?" Snape interrupted. 

Harry's shoe scuffed against the floor. Both professors looked over to where they were standing. Snape pulled Quirrell off the wall and pulled him with him as he took a step near them. Harry backpedaled quickly and pushed Rebecca back around the corner just as Snape had reached a hand out and grabbed where they had been a second before.

Harry and Rebecca turned one more corner and then opened the first door in the next corridor. The door was unlocked and they closed it slowly to keep it as quiet as they could. Inside, the two of them looked around and, after finding that the room only held a large covered piece of furniture, removed the cloak from around them. Harry walked around the edge of the room while Rebecca peeked behind the sheet. It looked like a mirror. She pulled the edge of it and caused the sheet to fall off of it. Harry had come to where she was looking at it and peered into the mirror. He gasped and stepped closer to the mirror.

"Rebecca! Rebecca, look! It's our parents!" Harry said quickly as he put a hand up on the glass. Rebecca stood behind him, but saw nothing but the two of them. "Harry, I don't see anything." Harry turned to her and got out of the way of the mirror. He guided her to where he had been standing first. "There, try now."

Rebecca looked at herself in the mirror and saw an image becoming clear in the background. "It's The Burrow...We're all there, we're older though--Grown ups it seems." Harry stood next to her and looked at the mirror, "What?"

Rebecca continued to watch. She was sitting in the dining room with the Weasleys, Hermione, Harry. They were all laughing and smiling. "We're all eating around the table and-" Fred looked over to her and gave her a wink before reaching over and grabbing her hand. He squeezed it and smiled at her. "And what?" Harry asked. "And we're all still friends."

"Let me look again." Harry scooted her out of the way. "No, I still see them. Everyone is right when they say we have her eyes. Though," Harry turned and looked at Rebecca, "Your face is more like hers." Rebecca went up next to him and found that the images from before were coming back to the mirror's surface.

They heard a clock strike once from somewhere in the castle. "We should head back, don't you thing?" Rebecca asked Harry, who was staring at the miroir still. "Harry? We can always come back."

Harry looked away from the mirror and walked to where she was waiting at the door, "You're right." They covered themselves and went back to Gryffindor Tower. Harry wrapped her in a big hug. "Happy Christmas." They decided that they were going to bring Ron out to see the mirror tomorrow night.

"Happy Christmas." She responded and turned to go up the stairs. When she was halfway up, Harry called her name. "Hey Rebecca?" Rebecca turned around. "You know, back in the summer, that you'd said we'll talk about where you were for 11 years soon?" Rebecca heart clenched but she answered, "Yeah."

Harry continued, "I want you to forget about it. When, or if, you ever want to talk, know that I'm here for you--Always, but don't think you owe me anything." 

Rebecca nodded, "Understood, thank you." She continued to bed.

Author's Note:

Wow guys! We passed 400 reads as I was writing this one up! That's crazy. A bit of a mixup chapter. I'm kind of just taking the basic, basic plot of Sorcerer's Stone and using it in here how I please. 

I do need your opinion, though: I'm thinking of skipping their second year all together. Maybe a one chapter recap of what would have happened, but no writing out the entire storyline for it.

Would that kill anybody? I just feel like at 13 and 14 years old, they're more likely to have a more dynamic relationship growth? If that makes sense? The little awkward bits of budding romance has been doable for their first year, but I think it would get annoying to drag it out through their second year as well.

Anyway, thanks for reading and don't forget to tell me what you think about skipping their second year and just writing a long recap chapter!

<3


	22. Chapter 22

Rebecca had had an uneventful day, the day after Christmas. They meandered about the common room. She took a nap in the afternoon. She played exploding snap and accidently singed the couch, which Percy fixed with a scowl. After dinner, she was throwing a balled up pair of socks up and down while she laid on her bed as she waited for 11:30. She and Harry were taking Ron to the mirror then. 

Rebecca was excited at the idea of looking into the mirror again; At first, she thought that perhaps it was showing her her future. Then she realized that couldn't be it because Harry saw their parents. She puzzled on this as she kept throwing the socks up and down. Up and down. With only a few more minutes, she realized just how much she missed Hermione. Granted, she could definitely be a stickler for the more regimented lifestyles, she could also be hilarious and would have just the right insight about the mirror and its... Red-haired related issues...

Rebecca shook the thought out of her head and went to the door. She snuck out to the common room as she had the night before. She and the boys positioned themselves under the cloak and began their long, midnight walk.

***********************************************

"I'm Head Boy! I'm holding the quidditch cup! Blimey, I'm quidditch captain, too!" Ron exclaimed as he looked into the mirror. Harry sighed, "I guess it doesn't tell the future."

Ron looked at him, "What's that supposed to mean?" Rebecca could sense the oncoming fight and jumped to negate it, "Harry? I'm sorry." 

Harry looked to where Ron was standing, "No, no. I didn't mean it like that. I just..." 

Ron nodded, "I know what you meant." Ron stood there a moment longer before turning to Rebecca, "So, what do you see?" Ron stepped to the side to clear a space for her to go stand.

Rebecca approached the mirror and watched as the surface began to move. She wasn't at The Burrow, she was in a tent. The top was opened and she was lying on someone warm as she looked up at the stars. She looked up to see a familiar smirk and shining pair of brown eyes. His eyes were so bright, the stars reflected lightly on the surface. She smiled up at him and was shocked out of her beautiful image by Ron clearing his throat, "Well? You've been there for ages." Rebecca's cheeks were warm as she answered, "Just, at The Burrow you know. Nice family dinner like last night." Ron sat down next to where Harry had parked himself in front of the mirror. "Mate? You ready to head back? We've gone nearly an hour and I don't want Neville to wake up and find us not in bed."

Harry nodded sadly, he didn't want to leave the mirror. He asked if they wanted to come back the next night. Ron declined. Ron was worried about being so tired he would sleep through breakfast and Rebecca, well, even though Rebecca thought that the mirror had given her enough questions, she didn't want Harry to sit in front of it all night alone.

The walk back to the common room was uneventful: They came across no other students or teachers, not even Mrs. Norris. 

The three first years snuck into bed and went to sleep.

*******************************************

Rebecca woke early the next morning to someone pounding on her door. She walked sleepily to and opened the door interrupting the next barrage of knocks. Standing outside the door was... no one? She peeked her head out to look down the hall, but everyone was still in bed, like they should be so early on vacation.

Rebecca shook her head and lie back in her bed. She tossed and turned and even put the pillow over her head, but she was too awake to go back to sleep. She sighed and sat up. She got dressed and plucked a random book off of the pile Hermione had made that she had thought Rebecca would enjoy. Rebecca went to sit in the common room until her friends were awake while she thumbed through "Magic's History: A Tale of Witches."

Rebecca was engrossed in her book when she heard one of the dormitory doors opened. Neville came down yawning. Rebecca called, "Good morning!" from her favorite chair near the fire. Neville looked to where he'd heard her speak from shocked, 

"Good morning, though I didn't expect anyone else to be up this morning." 

Rebecca smiled, "Well, woke up and couldn't get back to sleep. Why're you up so early?" 

Neville rolled his eyes, "Ron's snoring again." 

Neville sat on the couch and plopped a large book on his lap. He was reading "The Guide to Magical Plants You Never Knew You Needed!" They read quietly for over an hour in a peaceful silence. Fred was the next person to wake up, though all he did was pull a chair up to Rebecca's and try to read with her. "Come on, flip the page!" He'd say ten seconds after she'd turned it the last time. "I'm not done! Are you actually reading?" Fred looked at her strangely, "You're reading this on purpose? I thought you were just looking at the pictures!" 

Rebecca rolled her eyes and looked to him. "How do you fit so much strangeness into your body?" He just shrugged and stretched, "What is taking everyone so long today!" 

Standing up, he asked, "Do you want to go get some breakfast?"

Rebecca slapped her book closed and stood up, "Yes! Been up too long to not have had a beautiful, delicious, perfect muffin." 

Fred scoffed, "And you called me strange?" Fred held his elbow out with a grin, "Madame?"

Rebecca locked her elbow into his, "Sir?" Fred nodded and began skipping wildly, dragging her along. Neville watched them leave and smiled as he turned back to his book.

*******************************************

That night, Rebecca and Harry went to the mirror once more. They encountered no issues on their way, the door was unlocked again. Harry went straight to his accustomed spot where he sat cross-legged and stared up at the mirror with longing in his eyes. Rebecca put the cloak where they had been up on the counter that went around the entire room and walked up behind him. Looking into the mirror, the two of them wavered and then disappeared altogether. She was looking into another scene of herself and those she loved. She was behind them, watching the backs of the Weasleys and Harry walk along the beach. She reached out for Fred's hand and he smiled at her. They continued their beach walk. 

Rebecca would have been content watching the peaceful scene a while longer, but the sound of a throat clearing behind them startled them away from the mirror. Dumbledore came away from the shadows by the entrance, "I see you two have found the Mirror of Erised." 

Harry quickly asked, "What does it show? It's not the future." Dumbledore chuckled, "No, not it isn't." 

Dumbledore walked until he was looking into the mirror himself. "The Mirror of Erised shows what one desires most." 

Harry looked down, he had secretly hoped it was the future. Rebecca on the other hand, was a little more confused. "Fred? Fred Weasley?" Dumbledore turned to the young children going through different crises. "Many a man have gone mad looking into this mirror. Know that what we desire is not concrete, it changes as we change as people." Dumbledore sighed, "This is going to be moved tomorrow, and I want you two to promise that you won't go searching for it." 

Harry and Rebecca nodded. Dumbledore led them to the door and smiled at the cloak on the counter, "Your father got plenty of use of that." He chuckled and left the room, leaving the children to hide themselves and return to their dormitory.

Harry sighed and looked at the mirror as Rebecca pulled the cloak over herself, "Do you want to look once more?" She asked him. Harry answered after a moment, "No. If I look at them again, I'll never pull myself away." Rebecca nodded, only partially understanding. She'd never known about her birth parents, so she had had nothing to miss. Even now, the Weasley's had taken her in so readily that, while of course she would have liked to meet Lily and James, it was a different want than what Harry experienced.

As they exited the room, they passed the signs for the library. "Harry, you know what we should do, right?" 

Harry looked over his shoulder to her and shook his head no, "No, what?" Rebecca pointed to the library's opened door. "We should go into the restricted section. It's the only place Hermione and I haven't been able to check yet." 

Harry nodded slowly, "Right! There's got to be something about Nicholas Flamel in there!"

Harry was glad to have found a new path on their mystery to follow, it would distract him from the quickly passing school year which was leading to the return to the Dursleys', which he dreaded greatly. 

Rebecca put her hand on his shoulder and squeezed once, letting him know that she was there for him. Harry led them into the library. Rebecca grabbed one of the lanterns off the wall and pulled her wand from her pocket. "Incendio!" A little flame shot out of the end of her wand and the lantern was lit. 

They kept the cloak on unlatched the gate door blocking the main library's shelves from the restricted section. Rebecca took the left side of the rows and Harry took the right. They came across a book titled, "The Greatest Witches and Wizards Through the Ages" and they pulled it down. Rebecca was flipping to the Fl- section and was reading through the names. "Flare, José...Flant, Christina...Flamel, Nicholas!" 

Rebecca read his section, "Harry! It says that Nicholas Flamel is best known for his alchemical work, including the creation of the Sorcerer's Stone with his colleague and friend, Albus Dumbledore! That's what's under Fluffy, it has to be!" 

Harry said, "Excellent! Now we wait for Hermione to come back and keep an eye on Snape. We don't want him to try to get it again." Harry reached up and grabbed the book next to it. He pulled it down and opened it only for a face to come out of the book and let out an ungodly scream. Harry jerked the book closed, but accidently knocked the lantern off from where it had been set. The lantern fell and shattered against the ground loudly.

"We've got to go!" Rebecca told him. She stuck the book back where it had been and pulled Harry down the row that they'd been in and then up the first row. She stopped abruptly when Filch ran in through the gate they were right next to. They heard him go down the aisle that they had just been in, but didn't stay still any longer. Rebecca led the way this time, back out the library door and then down towards the mirror's room to go down that corridor to get to the staircases. Filch left the library and ran up past them, not seeing them as they were invisible under the cloak. He panted heavily and only stopped when Snape turned the corner.

"Lamp...found...in...restricted...section..." Filch paused and caught his breath. Swallowing, he looked up to Snape, "Students are out of bed!" He spat the last word and smiled evilly. FIlch turned and continued his strange, galloping run down the hall in search of a student who needed a good torturing. Snape turned with a flourish of his robes and walked towards the library. Rebecca and Harry were holding their breaths under the cloak as the professor they thought to be planning devilish plans passed them. When the hall was clear, the snuck around slowly to get back to Gryffindor Tower without any other close calls.

Once in the common room, they went over what they'd learned before giving each other a hug and wishing the other a good night. They only had to get through the weekend. Then, Hermione would be back from vacation at her home and classes would resume.

Author's Note:

Touch of a shorter chapter than I've been writing lately, but it'll have to do. I had to take a midterm today and, while I thought it was easy, it was extremely stressful preparing for it. At least that was the only one I had to take this semester. 

Next chapter will skip to when classes resume and I think that the Sorcerer's Stone storyline should last until about chapter 30-35 depending on how I divvy the plot up.

Votes and reads continue to grow, but there's still zero comments. Please, even if you feel a little silly commenting something like, "Awww...Fred's so cute." Or "It's the repeating adjectives for me." I'd be more than overjoyed. I hope for this to grow into a big story someday. By commenting today, you could be one of the first comments people see in the years to come.

Anyway, thank you for reading this. 

<3


	23. Chapter 23

Rebecca was sitting in Transfiguration next to Hermione the day that classes had resumed. "Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying. The door under Fluffy must lead to the sorcerer's stone!" Rebecca whispered to Hermione who was trying to listen and take her too-detailed notes. "I understand that," Hermione paused as she finished a sentence she was writing, "But how do Professor Snape and Professor Quirrell fit into all that?" 

Rebecca paused a moment. Harry whispered from the other side of them, "Snape must want the stone and Quirrell must've found out!"

The girls nodded and Hermione went to respond when Professor McGonagall, who was quite tired of their whispering, turned and walked to their tables. "Students! What could you possibly be talking about that could be more important than this," She gestured to her boards which were full of information, "That you will all be tested on in your year end exams?" 

Hermione and Rebecca blanked. Harry looked up at the professor and said cooly, "We're sorry for interrupting professor. It's just, nevermind." McGonagall raised a thin eyebrow, "Nevermind? You've already interrupted the class. Please, enlighten me."

Harry looked up to her with wide eyes, "Rebecca was saying that you must transfigure yourself in individual pieces when you go, ummm, feline." Rebecca understood and jumped in, "Yeah, but Harry was trying to tell me that you only transfigure your whole body at once."

McGonagall took the bait, "While ingenuitive, when going feline, I am not transfiguring at all. We'll cover animagi and the differences in a later year. Now, can we please focus on what we are learning right this second?" 

"Yes, professor." They chorused. They fidgeted through the rest of Transfiguration and got a similar scolding in Herbology. By the time lunch rolled around, they could hardly wait to have a few uninterrupted moments to talk.

"Hermione may be on to something guys, why does Snape want the stone?" Rebecca asked her mates as they sat down. 

Ron answered immediately, "The stone, not so sure. But we already know he's bloody evil! The broom cursing, how much he hates you too, threatening Professor Quirrell," Harry interjected, "And his leg, don't forget his leg on Halloween. It was all bloody."

Hermione nodded, "Yes, he's not a good person and he's done some shady things, I just don't know if we've proven that we need to go into a forbidden area to get something that Dumbledore has hidden so deeply!" 

Harry looked up to her, "But you would go with us if we had proof?" Hermione sighed, "I don't feel there's much choice. Someone's got to keep you alive." Rebecca smiled. Ron nodded to Harry, "Proof then."

The two girls went about the rest of lunch and their afternoons as usual while the two boys obsessed over what would prove that Snape was going for the stone once and for all.

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Their hunt for proof stretched the rest of that week. And the next. And then the next. Soon, there were only seven more weeks of the term. Their classes were in full fledged, heavy workload review sessions. The group of four spent more time in the library than anywhere else in the castle and had hardly spent more than brief conversations with the Weasley Twins who were caught in their own end of year rushes.

One day though, Hermione ended up finding the proof she'd sent them on a mission for. She was in the library until it closed and had been packing her bag while Librarian Pince cleared her own desk. Rebecca had left Hermione minutes before hoping to catch Fred and George and spend a few minutes with them in the common room. Alas, the common room only had a few first years; including Harry and Ron. She sighed and sat with them. 

Hermione, now leaving the library, found that Professor Snape was walking down the hall in her direction with a stack of papers. He passed her without so much as a glance and lost a scrap of the papers he was holding. She reached down to pick it up and give it back to him, but he was already gone. She turned the paper over in her hand and found that it was a crude sketch of three circles, one to the right, left, and center, with different lines drawn to each of the heads and notes scribbled along each path.

Hermione rushed back to the common room. She'd found her own proof.

*******************************************

She burst through the portrait hole and ran to where her friends were. The older Gryffindors around the room laughed and shook their heads, reminiscing on when they were strange first years. Ron had Rebecca's scroll in his hands and was shouting, "Where'd we learn this! This- We never learned this!" Harry was laughing, not getting in between the whirling limbs as Rebecca fought for her homework. "If you'd ever read the texts, you'd know a lot more!" She grunted as she got her crinkled scroll back into her own possession. Hermione reached them out of breath. "Guys, look," She paused a moment, "Guess where I found this?" They were looking at the scrap of parchment she'd given them, but weren't really sure what they were looking at. Hermione continued, "Snape dropped this as he passed me in the corridor outside the library. I think he's planning on going to get the stone tonight!"

Rebecca and Ron stayed silent. Harry said definitively. "Then we go tonight. We'll meet back here at midnight, okay?"

All four of them nodded. Hermione and Rebecca were going to go back to their dorms to sleep for a bit when Hermione said, "Sure am glad we finished our essays already."

They'd all set an alarm to buzz them when they needed to be up to go back to the common room to stop the Potions professor from intercepting the sorcerer's stone. Descending the stairs, they saw that someone was sitting in the facing the portrait hole. The figure jumped up and stood in front of the exit as the approached.

"Neville?" Harry asked as they got closer. Neville took his wand out with a shaking hand, "No. You lot aren't going out tonight to lose us even more points." Ron scoffed, "C'mon mate. You don't know what you're talking about tonight. Let us out."

Neville shook his head, "No! I'm not letting you. I'll-I'll hex you if I have to!" Hermione whipped her wand up from where she had been holding it at her side and said, "Petrificus totalus!" 

Neville's body locked stiff and fell like a board. Rebecca leaned forward to grab at his shoulders so his face didn't smash against the floor. She and Harry, who had decided to help, lay him down softly and rolled him so he was on his back. Hermione had grabbed a blanket from the couch and draped it over him. "I'm sorry Neville." She said softly. Stepping out of the portrait hole, the four scrambled to position themselves under the cloak as quickly as they could. Once happy with how they were hidden, Harry led the way to the forbidden corridor. 

Aside from Neville, they met no opposition on their way to where they had met Fluffy all those months ago. Harry reached out to grab the door handle and found that the door was already cracked open. He looked over his shoulder to the wide-eyed sets of eyes behind him and opened the door the rest of the way. There was soft music coming from the corner where a harp was playing by itself. 

Fluffy had his (their?) three heads resting. Two heads were on folded paws and the last one was sideways with its tongue sticking out. Ron and Rebecca grabbed the two handles of the trapdoor and lifted it slowly. It squeaked once as it was propped open, causing the closest of Fluffy's ears to twitch.

Harry peered down the dark hole. "I'll go first, alright? I'll call up if it's safe." Ron shook his head, "You want to leave us with this thing?" He gestured to Fluffy. "No way, we'll all go." Harry insisted, "No, we don't know what's down there!"

Rebecca grabbed both of the boys shoulders, "We're about to know." Hermione looked to where Rebecca was staring. The music had stopped playing and Fluffy was waking up!

Rebecca pushed Ron and Harry down the hole first, as she was already grabbing them. She heard a wet sounding plop come from the bottom of the tunnel. She looked to Hermione who held her hand out for her to grab. The girls linked hands and jumped just as Fluffy's middle head lunged where they had been standing a moment before.

Landing next to each other, the girls took notice of where they'd landed. It was dark and smelled strongly of dirt. They were all encompassed by black, vein vines that slithered as if they were alive. Hermione nodded, "Devil's Snare!" Rebecca was struggling to get her arms free from the tangled mess. "Devil's Snare?" Harry asked from a few feet to Hermione's right. Rebecca's breaths were coming quicker, every movement she made to free herself only caused the plant to tighten around her. She could feel herself being pulled down. Across the dank darkness, Ron was struggling in a similar manner. Hermione was muttering to herself, "Devil's snare... Relax! You have to relax or it's going to kill us faster!" 

Ron scoffed, "Kill us faster? That's reassuring." Rebecca fought the veins harder. Hermione, perfectly still and relaxed, sunk through the veins and dropped into a room below. She called up, "Listen to me, all you need to do is relax!" Harry did as she said and also dropped into the room below. Rebecca, perfectly not relaxed, was fighting as Ron was.

Hermione and Harry were brainstorming as quickly as they could. "Devil's snare, it's deadly fun...but will sulk in the sun!" She held her wand up to the bottom side of the plant and said, "Lumos solem!" A ball of light flew out of her wand, causing the plant to retract its vines. Rebecca and Ron dropped to where she and Harry were standing in crumpled piles. Rebecca got to her knees and then stood slowly. Ron went to her and asked, "What have we gotten ourselves into?" 

Harry ignored the question and, after making sure his friends were going to live, continued to the next room. There was a subtle flapping noise, it was loud yet quiet. The four passed under a tall, marble archway and found the source of the noise: Birds. Well, nearly birds. They were keys that had paper-thin wings along their handles. In the corner were two broomsticks thrown into a pile. "Harry." Rebecca called his name as she tossed him the other broom. He caught it and turned back to the keyhole he had been inspecting before hand. 

"There's so many, how are we supposed to know which key it is?" Harry asked as he turned from the door and sat on his broom, peering up at the numerous keys above him. Ron looked at the door and then up at the keys. Turning back to the door, Ron said, "Well, look. This door's really bloody old. Probably not one of those new shiny keys." Hermione nodded her head and surveyed the keys once more, "Look up there! The bigger one with a broken wing!"

Rebecca and Harry went to lift off from the ground, but the second their feet were off the ground, the keys started to zip around with much more speed than before. Rebecca looked to Harry, "Guess that's the challenge." They took off once more and rose to the upper half of the room. Rebecca started to zip around, looping lazily as she watched for the key that was different than the rest. Harry took a different approach. He would stay back from the keys for a moment and then charge into the center of a grouping of them. They flew for a minute until Harry charged into the right grouping. The second he grasped onto the old key, the other keys turned and flew straight at them. Harry dove under Rebecca who was trying to give him the seconds he would need to get the key into the door. 

"Rebecca! It's open!" As soon as she heard the call, Rebecca dropped like a stone on her broom and flew to the door. The keys struck the door as the other three slammed closed when Rebecca dove through it. Looking around the next room, Rebecca saw tall stone statues around the room. Ron tried to walk straight across the black and white checkered floor, but was stopped when the stone figures on both sides of him pulled swords from their sheaths and crossed them so he could not pass.

"This...This is a chess board." Ron said, "We're going to have to play our way across."

(Guys, I really don't understand chess. I'm going to skip over the play by play and just get to the end.) 

"Ron, no!" Hermione cried from where she was standing. 

"What? What's he going to do?" Rebecca shouted. She'd listened and followed his every direction, but she was still at a loss as to where certain pieces could go and why. 

"He's going to sacrifice himself." Harry said from where he was. 

Ron turned from where he was sitting on his horse, "It's chess! Sometimes you have to lose a piece to win the match." He took a deep breath. He'd already watched what happened when a piece was taken by the other side. 

"Rebecca, after the queen takes me, you're going to move forward to the space in front of her. The game is done after that."

Hermione went to protest once more, but was interrupted by Ron shouting, "Knight to E-5!" The stone horse grated as it slid, right one space and then forward two more. The queen turned and pulled her chair out from under her. She swung it around her body and smashed into the body of Ron's steed. He fell off the back of his crumbling statue and Rebecca went to run to his side. "No!" Harry shouted. "You're still playing." 

Rebecca nodded and walked to where Ron had directed her. The queen looked down at her and paused. After a brief, tense moment, the queen bowed and moved out of the way of the exit. 

Rebecca tentatively stepped off her tile as she watched the queen carefully. When nothing happened, Rebecca ran to where Ron had fallen. Hermione was at his side first, she had pushed the hair off his forehead and had put his head up on her knees. Rebecca crouched on the other side of him, "Is he okay?" She asked breathlessly. Hermione shrugged and looked to her, "He's still breathing." Rebecca nodded. Harry had just reached them from where he had been across the board. 

Rebecca and Hermione switched places, gently moving Ron's head from one lap to the next. Rebecca insisted that they continue on. "I'll stay right here with Ron and you'll have to come back through on your way out, okay?" 

Harry didn't argue, he didn't want to lost the progress they had made. Rebecca shooed them off and turned back to Ron. She took off the sweater she had been wearing and used it to wipe the blood off his face. She stayed there with him on the cold, hard marble playing field until Hermione ran back in a long while later.

"There was a riddle to pass into the final room. Harry took the first sip and went on." She dug into her pocket and pulled out a tiny purple vial. "This is the rest of it, one sip left. If you go quickly, you should be right behind him!" Rebecca looked to Ron one last time before thanking Hermione and leaving the chess board. She was pumping her arms as fast as she could, pushing her legs to carry her faster than she'd ever gone before. The walls around her were changing, the stones seemed older and were more cracked. She turned a corner and found herself face to face with a row of fire. She put the small vial to her lips and drank the small amount that was left. "I sure hope that was enough..." She thought as she jumped. She looked down at herself once she was free of the flames and found herself to be singe-free. 

She crept up to the archway that was ahead of her. Peering into the wide room, she saw Harry looking into the Mirror of Erised with Professor Quirrell? She didn't have a single second to process this change in events as Quirrell directed Harry sharply and to look into the mirror. She could just barely hear what they were saying, "Master? Master you don't have the strength."

Another voice spoke, though she didn't know from where, "I have strength enough for this." Quirrell put his shaking hands to where his turban was latched closed. He began to unravel it delicately. Rebecca crawled to the pillar that was in front of the archway, getting even closer to the middle of the room.

Peeking around the pillar, she saw that Quirrell had a twisted face growing out of the side which began to talk, "Let me see him." Quirrell turned around so that he was facing the opposite wall. The face began to speak to Harry, "You are lying about what you see in the mirror. Look again, do not lie to me boy." Harry turned back to the mirror and Rebecca took the opportunity to run forward to the last pillar before the stairs that led to the lower floor space they were in.

"I see the house cup! I'm head boy and I've got a girlfriend!" Harry said stubbornly. "Lies!" The head hissed, "Do you know who I am? Do you know who you dare lie to?" Harry nodded his head once, "You're Voldemort, and I'm lying to an ugly shriveled face!" Harry turned at his exclamation and went to run up the stairs. Quirrell turned and clapped his hands causing another row of flames to be ignited, blocking both Harry and Rebecca.

Quirrell seized Harry, causing Harry to turn back to him. Rebecca left the safety behind the pillar. She ran and jumped as high as she could to clear the flames, feeling them lick momentarily at her ankles. She landed on the other side of Harry. Quirrell snarled at her sudden appearance and Voldemort's voice was heard once more, "Get the stone!"

Quirrell grabbed an arm of Rebecca and tried to grab the arm of Harry, but he pulled his hand off his skin like it was fire! Harry noticed and put his hand on Quirrell's arm. Quirrell let out a scream and tried to use his hand to pull Harry's hand off. No matter what he did. Harry's hands seemed to burn him into ash. Rebecca had been pushed behind Quirrell and was stuck staring into Voldemort's red, slitted eyes. "You think you two can stop me? Two children? You are sorely mistaken." He trailed off forebodingly as Quirrell's body turned straight to ash. Rebecca walked over the turban that had once belonged to their Defence Against the Dark Arts professor and crouched down to where Harry was. They were holding each other in the other's arms when the circling shadow that left the pile of ash went through them.

They were holding each other still when they were found unconscious later.

Author's Note:

Yay! Chapter done! It took a while as I had to do some research as well as I'm not really liking anything I write right now. I think it's just because I've been upset, but this is what you're getting after rewrite after rewrite after rewrite. I hope you like it.

One more chapter of Sorcerer's Stone. I'm thinking a cute chapter of them all returning home from school for the year. And then one chapter of what happened in the Chamber of Secrets. Then starting Prisoner of Azkaban as usual.

<3


	24. First Year's Conclusion

Rebecca woke to the sound of Harry calling her name over and over. "Rebecca? Rebecca?" She turned her head to him and cracked her eyes open slightly. 

"Yes, Harry?" Harry reached his hand out across the gap between their hospital beds. 

"Are you alright?" She put her hand out to where he was holding his out and grasped his hand lightly. 

"I sure am. Spelindid dream I was having. Would have enjoyed it a bit longer." Harry squeezed her hand, "Rebecca? The stone! Do you have it?"

Rebecca's eyes flew open, "The stone! The chamber! RON!" She pushed herself upright and swung her legs off the bed and reached around feeling her pockets, "I don't! Where's Ron? Have you seen him?" Harry shook his head and went to stand up as well. Dumbledore entered the infirmary and went straight to the two of them.

"Children, let's not leave before Poppy lets us. She's not one to be trifled with." He was met with an instant barrage of overlapping questions. He pulled a chair between them and waited for silence. "As for the stone, it has been destroyed. Nicholas Flamel and I have decided it's a loose end worth snipping. " One hand twiddled with the end of his beard. Harry blurted one more question, "Did you ever find Snape?"

Dumbledore looked to him with an eyebrow raised, "Professor Snape, Harry." Harry nodded, "Yes, him." 

Dumbledore continued on, "Professor Snape was with us when we found you. Turns out, he was right all along with his concerns about Professor Quirrell. I should have paid him more heed." Rebecca asked, "Ron, have you seen him? Was he okay?" Dumbledore chuckled, "He's just fine. He was waking up as we got to him and Miss Granger and was already checked and freed by Madame Pomfrey." Rebecca sat back against her pillows while Dumbledore cleared his throat. "Do you want to know why you were able to get the stone through the mirror Harry?" 

Dumbledore waited for Harry to nod his head, "Because you didn't want it. One of my more clever tricks, if you ask me. You could only have it if you didn't want to use it." 

After a brief silence, Harry asked, "How was that Voldemort?" 

Dumbledore paused, "Evil...Evil finds a way to climb up through the dark into those most desperate." Harry seemed content with the answer, but Rebecca was not. 

"Why? Why us?" 

Dumbledore paused longer before answering, "You two have to understand, the night your parents died and you two lived shook Voldemort to his very core. It literally ended the reign of terror that he had built. He's bound to hold a grudge after that. " He changed the subject abruptly, explaining that the four of them were excused from their end of year exams and that they were very lucky to have made it out of that alive. "I expect next year to be less...intense... do you two understand?" They nodded. 

Dumbledore stood up and motioned to their gift baskets, "You have many friends who have been quite worried. Mind if I have a Bertie Bott's? I have terrible luck when it comes to them, though I wonder if it's changed." 

He popped one in his mouth and smiled at the two lightning bolt-adorned kids, "Alas, earwax." He turned to the door, "What happened has been kept under tight wraps," He paused at the door, "So naturally, the whole school knows." He opened the door and stepped aside as four familiar faces pushed their way into the infirmary. Dumbledore gave them a small wave and left.

Hermione and Ron ran straight to their bedsides while Fred and George stayed at the foot of Rebecca's bed. After Hermione shared what had happened after Rebecca left the chess room Ron said that he was fine. (Quite a few times, but Rebecca was worried and couldn't stop asking!) Hermione and Ron were listening around Harry as he told their story of what had happened past the chessroom. 

George asked quietly from the end of the bed, "Why didn't you tell us what was going on, that you were going?" 

Fred added, "Didn't you think we'd like to know? Instead of being woken up in the night to hear that you two- you four-were all in the infirmary from fighting Voldemort?"

Rebecca could feel her cheeks warming. She didn't like this, this deep guilt that was slowly filling her up. The guilt that came with hurting someone you cared about, albeit inadvertently. "I-" Fred continued, "One time this year was enough. Two times I- We didn't even know if you were alive!" 

Fred was trying to be angry, but his voice broke at the end. George on the other hand, had tears streaming down his cheeks. The two boys went on either side of Rebecca and wrapped her in their arms. She welcomed them and squeezed them back. She was enveloped in their warmth. "I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry." She said into the embraces.

"Uh, George?" She asked. "I might drown down here if you don't stop crying." George laughed, but only pulled her tighter. 

Fred had his head buried on the top of her head. "At least warn me next time?" He whispered.

She leaned her head on his chest, "I will." Fred pulled his head up and looked to the bed of the other three that were in a similar position. Madame Pomfrey had left her desk to find the source of the sniffling, not expecting six teary eyed Gryffindors. "Shoo, the lot of you! You have time to change and then make it to final supper!"

They all stood and left, only releasing one another to stand and then wrapping their arms through each other's as they left. "Strange, strange lot that is." Poppy said to herself as she turned their beds down. "Probably not the last time they'll be in here at this rate!"

*******************************************

Rebecca sat sandwiched between Fred and George while Harry was between Ron and Hermione. They were overjoyed to be among their classmates and surrounded by their friends, but the sight of Gryffindor's measly house points put quite a damper on the supper. The Great Hall was decorated with green and silver banners to celebrate Slytherin's victory. Dumbledore stood to address his school for the last time of the year, "Silence." 

He looked from one end of hall to the other, "Another year has come to its somber conclusion. I know that you are eagerly awaiting the awarding of the House Cup, but I do, however, have a few last minute awards that need to be, well, awarded!" He looked to their table in the Gryffindor section, "30 points are awarded to Hermione Granger, for the best on the fly thinking and riddle solving this school has ever seen." 

The Gryffindor's clapped confusedly, they'd just surpassed Ravenclaw and were in third place! "To Ronald Weasley, I award you 30 points for his self-sacrifice in a match of wizard's chess." 

The Gryffindor's clapped louder. Ron's face burned as brightly as his hair. "To Rebecca Potter-Weasley and Harry Potter, 30 points are awarded to you both for the protecting of your friends in the face of danger." 

The Gryffindor's fell quiet, although their earning of so many points the night of the cup awarding was miraculous, they were still five points below Slytherin.

Dumbledore spoke once more, "And finally, for Neville Longbottom. I award you 10 points for standing up to your friends, the hardest people to stand up to." Neville looked shocked, "I think this calls for a change in decoration?" Dumbledore asked over the cheers from the Gryffindors. He clapped his hands and the Great Hall was suddenly decorated in the scarlet and gold Harry and Rebecca had come to love deeply.

Fred and George put their arms around Rebecca and leaned their heads on to hers. Harry, Hermione, and Ron had stood up from where they were and congratulated Neville as they passed him. They threw their arms around the other three and held each other as the Great Hall's tables were instantly holding a magnificent feast.

And, with that final sweet memory still fresh in her mind, Rebecca finished packing her school things into her trunk and looked around her and Hermione's empty dorm. Hermione was pulling her trunk to the door when she said, "Don't worry, next year will start soon enough."

Rebecca nodded, "I sure hope so."

*******************************************

It was a teary separation at King's Cross the next day. Rebecca practically forced Harry to take Hedwig with him so that he could write to her. He swore up and down that he would write every week, "As long as they let me! You don't know Vernon and Petunia, they're mad!" Rebecca just shook her head, "Just," She sniffed loudly, "Don't forget me, okay?"

Harry looked like he wanted to cry too, but he didn't let any of his sadness reach his voice, "Rebecca, that is the daftest thing you've ever said." He wrapped his arms around her as he continued, "I could never, will never, ever forget you. I love you." 

She said the she loved him too, their first exchange of the words, and pulled herself from him as a large mustached man and thin, blonde woman approached with a rotund boy in tow to where Harry was saying his goodbyes while the Weasley's stood behind as they looked for Molly and Arthur.

"Let's go boy, meter's running." The man, Vernon Rebecca supposed, said gruffly. Rebecca put a sugar sweet smile on and stepped out from behind Harry. The eyes of all three Dursley's widened comically at the girl identical to their dreaded nephew appeared. "Hi there, Rebecca, nice to meet you." She stuck a hand out at them and shook theirs, ignoring how they shook. "I just wanted to introduce myself." 

Rebecca stepped closer to them and dropped her voice so Harry couldn't hear. "You see that lot back there, the redheads? Yeah, they're all with me. You'd best hope Harry only tells me fabulous stories of his happy, carefree summer. You know what one angry wizard can do already, but I promise it's nothing compared to what we can." She looked into Dudley's eyes from where they were peering at her from behind Petunia's legs. She gave him a little oink, oink before stepping back and speaking at a normal tone, "It's so good to meet you. Maybe next time we'll be able to chat longer! Don't want to run up that meter and all..."

Molly had appeared in the distance and was running to where her children were. She wrapped them in hugs and showered them in kisses, "Where's Rebecca?" She asked. 

Rebecca turned from Harry and gave him one more hug. "Write to me!" She reiterated once more. She turned with her trunk in hand and went to join the rest of her family.

"Rebecca!" Molly cried and suddenly Rebecca was caught in the whirlwind of maternal affection the other kids had already gone through. Rebecca loved every second of it and surprised Molly by not letting go when she was done. Rebecca looked up to her, "I missed you so much."

Molly patted her head, "I know love." Arthur put his arms around them both, "Let's go home, shall we?"

Ginny, Fred, George, Ron joined into a massive group hug while Percy stood off to the side. "We shall!" Fred and George called in unison. God, I love them all so much. Rebecca thought to herself as they all piled in the Ford Anglia they'd arrived in all those months before. 

*******************************************

Author's Note:

That's it! Sorcerer's Stone is done! Let me know what you thought and any improvements or changes you want to see in the future, I want to know. As much as I enjoy writing this, I want you to enjoy reading it, too.

I'll do one long chapter of little summer bits and then one mega chapter of what happened during Chamber of Secrets. Probably start tomorrow if I don't die from how much school work I have. (Or, I may do it beforehand and neglect responsibility ;) 

<3


	25. Summer at The Burrow

The summer at the Weasley household quickly fell into a pattern similar to the year before: They woke up, had a few household tasks to do, and then had the rest of the day to themselves to putter around the house and they almost always ended the day with quidditch.

Rebecca and Hermione exchanged owls every few days, but were both confused as to why Harry wasn't responding. By the end of the third week of the summer, Rebecca was in a dark mood. She woke up early every morning to catch Errol the second he crashed into the house and found that Harry still hadn't returned her numerous letters.

*******************************************

Rebecca became withdrawn. She did her tasks and then returned to her and Ginny's room and flipped through books on her bed. She was fully and entirely consumed with worry and anxiety. "Harry promised he'd write, has something happened? Is he okay? Kidnapped? Voldemort? Amnesia?" Her speculations grew wilder and wilder as the days passed. Molly and Arthur had noticed this change in behaviour and tutted worriedly. 

Fred was concerned, to say the least. He talked to George while they were taking the trash to the bin and formulated a plan to go fetch Harry that night. The first month of summer had nearly come to an end when Ron, Fred, and George left that night...In the flying car they had been expressly forbidden to drive...

Molly woke up the next morning and sensed something was off about the house. She entered the kitchen to put the kettle on and decide what she was going to get done for the day when she noticed the clock moving. Fred, George, and Ron were bouncing between "Travelling" and "Trouble". Molly walked to the living room and peered through the window only to find her suspicions confirmed, "You think they'd close the bloody garage door!" She said to herself angrily.

"What?" Rebecca asked from the doorway with a stretch. "Oh, just children trying make my heart give out." Molly said. "You don't happen to know where they went, do you?" 

Rebecca's head tilted slightly, "Who went where?"

Molly sighed, "Never mind that. Tea?" Rebecca nodded as she turned back to the kitchen, "I haven't missed the post, have I?" She asked. Molly opened the window Errol came through as she answered, "Not yet love." 

A while later, Molly heard a clatter from out near the garage. She wiped her hands on her apron and went out to slam skulls. "Where have you been?!" Rebecca heard from the kitchen. The kettle began to whistle and Rebecca poured out the water. Errol smacked into the open window. Rebecca rushed to where he had pulled himself up and grabbed the letters from his talon.

"I just don't understand." Rebecca had begun her daily downward spiral as Molly entered the kitchen with Fred, George, and Ron trailing behind her sheepishly. Molly had a smile playing at the corners of her mouth, "Becca, you get a letter?" She shook her head no slowly, "No." 

Molly sighed, "That's too bad." The Weasley boys stepped aside, revealing Harry down the hall with his trunk beside him.

"Harry!" Rebecca cried as she ran down the hall and threw herself onto him. He wrapped his arms around her and turned in a slow circle. He'd missed her so much. "What happened? Why didn't you answer my letters? Are you alright? What happened?" Harry chuckled into their embrace. "It's a long, long story...But, I am fine. I'm so happy to see you." 

"They had bars on his windows and they were starving him, mum!" They heard Ron say in the kitchen. 

"You'll be lucky if you don't have bars on your window after this stunt, Mister! You had better be kissing Merlin's robes with the luck you have. You could've been seen! Just you wait until your father gets home this evening." Molly scolded them a moment longer while Rebecca held onto Harry a moment longer.

Harry and Fred made eye contact down the hall where Fred was standing against the wall outside the kitchen. Harry mouthed, "Thank you!" and Fred smiled. In the span of a single morning, Fred watched the Rebecca he knew make her grand return. Molly had whipped up a quick breakfast while she talked to Harry. "It's a pleasure to have you, dearie! Make yourself right at home, we'll have a bed made up in Ron's room."

Sitting down to eat, someone mentioned how worried Rebecca had been. She looked up from her plate, "I wasn't worried!" 

Molly play-whispered, "Sweets, if you'd worried any bit more, your hair would have gone grey..."

Rebecca laughed, "Okay, I may have been slightly concerned." 

George nodded as he ate, "Yeah, just slightly." 

*******************************************

"Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday Harry-and-Rebecca! Happy Birthday to you!" The Weasley's sang to the now 12 year old Potter children. Rebecca and Harry were hugged from Molly who was standing behind them and Arthur reached his hand out and shook their hands. 

"12 years old! I tried telling Molly that you two really needed some denture cleaner," He leaned closer to them with a straight face, "In your advanced age and all. But, she didn't think you two would appreciate that."

Ginny came back into the room after she'd reached into the hall and brought in two small gift bags. "Can I give them mum?" She asked.

Molly nodded and sat back into her chair with a smile. Ginny reached over the table and gave them the bags with a small smile.

Harry and Rebecca reached into their bags and pulled out a small box with an H and an R carved onto the top. Rebecca opened hers and found a silver chain with a locket on it. When she opened the locket, it was a picture they'd just taken a few nights before of all of the children sitting together.

As it was taken on a wizard's camera, the picture moved to show them all laughing as Fred and George had their arms around Rebecca while Harry, Ron, and Ginny were on the other bench in a similar position. "This is amazing," Rebecca said as she thanked them for such a gift. 

To her right, Harry was in a similar state of gratitude. He opened his box to find a small framed collage. There was a picture of his parents, a picture of the Weasleys, and a picture of Rebecca, Ron, and Hermione as well. 

They got up and thanked them all again. Molly waved her wand and cleared the table of their cake plates. "Go on! Just enough light for some quidditch, you think Arthur?"

He leaned back in his chair and peeked out the window, "I think you're right! Shoo!"

The kids, save Fred who'd been asked to stay a moment, scrambled with their usual stampede and grabbed their brooms. "Don't you fly in this house Ronald!" Molly called from the kitchen. Ron, who had mounted and lifted off slightly in the hall, landed with a sigh. Harry laughed and put his arm around Ron as they exited the house.

As Rebecca passed the dining room, she heard Arthur say, "That was a brilliant idea with the locket." 

Molly nodded her head in agreement, "Yes, darling. We just wanted to tell you that we thought it was perfectly splendid."

Fred looked to the hallway where he saw Rebecca. He at the thought of her hearing that it had been his idea and she feeling like she'd intruded on something private, began to blush. Rebecca rushed down the hall, one hand lightly touching the locket.

"Thanks. Can I go now?" Fred asked as he looked down and left the table, not waiting for an answer. Molly and Arthur made eye contact as he left. "Oh my," Molly sighed.

"What?" Arthur asked her. 

Molly gave him a look, "Arthur, clearly there's something there."

He looked to his wife in confusion, "On the table?" 

Molly smiled as she shook her head, "No, with Fred. The boy child who just left the room with his cheeks on fire?"

Arthur just shook his head, "No way, he's only 13. Too young to be interested in girls just yet."

Molly shook her head slowly, "I don't think its girls with an -s love and besides, I happen to remember you at 13."

Arthur smiled and reached his hand out for her to grab. When she did, he began to sway with her around the table. "Well, yes. I guess I do remember how you chased me at 13." Molly lifted her head from where she'd rested it on his chest. 

"I? Chased you?" Molly laughed, "Alright, if that helps you sleep at night." 

Arthur twirled her away and pulled her back, "Perhaps you are correct. We Weasley's fall young."

Molly giggled at his dancing, "Perhaps. You've given him the talk, haven't you?"

Arthur groaned, "Oh no, not again. It's your turn. You talk to him and George, too."

Molly shook her head with an even bigger smile, "Nope, I get the girls, you get the boys. Said it before we even had them."

Arthur let his head fall onto hers in defeat, "That was before we had so many boys." They were quiet a moment until Arthur said, "Remember after I talked to Charlie?"

Molly laughed, "Yes! Oh my, he was so embarrassed!"

That's where they stayed, slow dancing while the kids were all outside, reminiscing on the past and speculating for the future.

*******************************************

The days turned to weeks and soon enough, they received their Hogwarts letters and shopping lists. Molly announced at breakfast they they would be going shopping the next day. Ron groaned while Ginny clapped her hands excitedly. Her letter came with the rest of theirs, as Arthur had been reassuring her it would. She couldn't wait to start her first year at Hogwarts but for Molly, the thought of all her babies gone for school left her misty-eyed.

*******************************************

The next morning, Molly herded them all into the front room with the pot of floo powder. Rebecca and Harry were at the back of the group. "What're we using to get there?" Harry asked her quietly.

"Oh, it's the Floo Network. You just take a pinch of the powder and throw it at your feet while you say where you want to go."

They entered the room as Arthur went through first. The room flashed green and warm as the man was engulfed by flames. Harry's eyes widened.

"Harry dear, you go on next." Molly beckoned as she held the pot out to him. "There you go, a little more, that's it."

Harry stepped into the fireplace. "Just say 'Diagon Alley' nice and clear now." Molly instructed. Harry took a deep breath, "Dia---EY!" He said quickly and then he disappeared. Molly pursed her lips, "What'd he say?"

They shrugged and continued to floo to Diagon Alley. When Rebecca went, she saw the looks on their faces as soon as she'd arrived. "Harry didn't get here, did he?"

Arthur put his hand on her shoulder as he looked up and down the road, "No, no he didn't." Molly appeared in the fireplace. Arthur explained what happened while Ron went over to Rebecca's side, "This happens sometimes." George hopped in, "Yeah, don't worry. He'll show up soon."

Rebecca nodded, she knew they were right. He couldn't have gotten too far, could he?

While started to look for him, Harry tried to find a way out of the dark, crowded alley he'd found himself in. He'd already watched Malfoy peruse a dusty pawn shop and been thoroughly freaked out by the other wares in the store. His vision was slightly impaired, when he flew out of the fireplace he'd arrived in, they were bent and a lens was cracked.

He picked a direction and went on it, trying to avoid those along the shadows at the side of the road who called for him to stop a minute. He went to turn right, thinking he saw a head of bright red hair when he heard a familiar voice calling.

"Harry? What're you doing down there?" Hagrid called from the top of the stairs. "You shouldn't be down 'ere, nasty place this is."

Harry ran up the stairs, "Where are we?" Hagrid looked down to him, "Knockturn Alley. How'd you find yourself somewhere you don't know?"

"I used the Floo Network to get here with the Weasleys. I ended up down here though." 

Hagrid nodded, "Not a fan of the Floo Network m'self."

Hagrid motioned for Harry to follow him and guided him to the top of a stairway and then down a ways back to the familiar sights of Diagon Alley. "What were you doing down there Hagrid?" Harry asked.

"Flesh-eating Slug repellent, they're making a comeback at Hogwarts. Wanted to get a head of it before you all arrived." Harry said goodbye to his large friend and followed the signs to the Floo Arrival gate in Diagon Alley.

"Harry!" Ron called as he caught sight of his friend down the block. 

Molly rushed over, "You alright? Okay? No bumps or bruises?"

Harry smiled, "No, I'm fine." Hermione had joined them in their search for Harry and saw the state of his glasses, "May I?" She asked as she gestured to them. She also looked to Molly for permission, who gave it readily.

Holding his broken glasses, she cast, "Oculus reparo." And the mended almost instantly. Handing them back to Harry, Hermione turned to Fred. "Did you ever end up using that yet? Wasn't really sure why you'd asked about it since you don't wear glasses, but to each his own..." She trailed off. 

Molly looked to Arthur with a wink, "Making up your own homework Fred? We can write to McGonagall and ask that she give you more, if you want."

"No thank you mother!" Fred said loudly and quickly. Hermione looked at him strangely. Ron and Harry were chatting as they looked over at the broom shop's windows while Rebecca, Ginny, and Hermione were talking about how they hoped Ginny was the one to get their extra bed. 

George was walking with the girls, "If she gets Gryffindor! I don't know... I could see you in yellow and black." Ginny pushed him away and continued her conversation as if George had never interrupted.

Fred had bent down to tie his loose shoelace. When he stood up, his father was right next to him. "Forgot to tell you earlier son, but I think it's time you, I, and George had a chat this afternoon."

Fred looked at him confused, "What kind of chat?"

Arthur winced, "An informative one..."

"Oh."

*******************************************

School shopping went quickly. They finished before the annual deadline for ice cream as a final treat and went home, Harry given more instructions and tips this time. Ginny was ecstatic when they arrived home that afternoon and dragged Rebecca up the stairs to pack their trunks together. Ron and Harry went off to their room under the guise of packing as well, but Molly knew that they were going to end up doing it last minute.

She went off to fetch her laundry from outside. Arthur saw the opportunity and seized it, "Fred? George? Why don't you come join me in the living room."

Arthur took a chair while the boys sat on the couch, "We didn't do it, honest!" They said quickly.

Arthur chuckled, but then fell serious, "No, no. You aren't in trouble." He took a deep breath, "Okay, so when a man loves a woman, or a man, or anyone," He rambled a moment. "What I'm trying to say is that when you love someone very much, you'll find that sometimes strange things can happen..."

Fred and George sat through the embarrassment that was sex education. When Arthur was finished, he asked if they had any questions. They both shook their heads no. "Well, if you ever do, I'm only an owl away." They nodded and left the room. Arthur sighed, "One more. One more boy, one more talk."

*******************************************

That night, the last night of the summer, they went around the table and shared their favorite part of the summer like they did every year. Ginny offered to go first, "My favorite part of this summer had to be... yeah, getting my wand for Hogwarts." 

Ron went next, "Going to fetch Harry for me. Bloody difficult, but made for a better summer if you ask me." 

Rebecca leaned over to Ron, he was sitting between she and Harry that night, and thanked him again. He smiled at her as Percy went next. He gave the same generic answer he had last year. 

George went next, "My favorite part of the summer was driving the car to get Harry." Molly shot him the same look she had Ron for mentioning their adventure. "Though I'm very sorry for not leaving a note." He amended.

Fred went next, "Personally, mine has to be the morning after we brought Harry." Molly smiled, "Any reason?"

"Nope." He popped the p and looked to Rebecca.

She, unknowingly, put a hand up and touched her locket as she thought. It felt hot in her hands. "I think my favorite was our birthday." She paused a moment. "Now I get to keep everyone I love right next to my heart all the time."

Molly thanked them all for participating and collected their written answers for the book while they dug in.

*******************************************

At Platform 9 3/4s, Percy went first. They Fred and George, followed by Rebecca, Ginny, and Arthur and Molly to get Ginny situated and wave goodbye from the platform. Harry went to go through the platform and ran straight into brick wall.

Ron slapped the wall, it was solid.

"Why the bloody hell is the portal closed?!" He said in a panic. "Mum and dad! If we can't get in, they can't get out!"

Harry looked around and had an idea. A bad, good idea that was probably going to get them in some trouble.

"You still have the keys?"

Author's Note:

And that's the summer! Next up will probably take a few days because it's going to be super long and go briefly through the entirety of the Chamber of Secrets.

<3


	26. Chamber of Secrets

Harry and Ron started off the year with a bang. Although, it was more of a crash really. On the train, Rebecca sat with Hermione and Ginny and chatted until they went to change into their robes. The three girls had simply assumed that Harry and Ron were in another compartment catching up with other students. 

Fred and George passed them in the aisle as they went towards the bathrooms and said something about passing a message to Ron about not saying anything after not showing up when he had told them to save he and Harry a seat. After they realized that both Harry and Ron weren't with either of the groups, they started to search the train. 

*******************************************

A few days into the start of term, Rebecca and Harry had the displeasure of meeting a new Gryffindor first year named Colin Creevey. He followed the two of them around with a camera every chance he got. Harry seemed more embarrassed than upset, while Rebecca wasn't having any of it.

"Hey Colin? Step over here with me." She called to the first year who'd just snapped a picture. He ran to her side of the hall. She looked down to the petit, red-faced boy.

"Look Colin, you see Harry over there." She gestured to where he and Ron and Hermione were standing and talking to each other quickly. "He's not a big camera man and is starting to feel a little nervous. I have, however, convinced him that you don't mean any harm."

He shook his head emphatically, "Oh no! I'd never!" 

Rebecca nodded, "I didn't think so, you seem like you have a kind heart." Rebecca looked into his eyes and gave him a shy smile, "Do you? Have a kind heart that is." Rebecca felt a little guilty, playing the first year, but even she was getting sick of being followed by flashes everywhere she went.

Colin nodded. Rebecca continued, "Do you think you'd be able to maybe take less photos of us then? I'm a huge fan of pictures, though you can't really be getting the best of us since we're never ready...I'd hate to see your reputation as a photographer tarnished by us not posing and smiling. See what I'm saying?" She gave him a smile.

Colin nodded, his cheeks still red at being so close to one of his idols. "Excellent!" Rebecca put her hand out for a shake, "I'll see you around, Colin!"

Colin stayed where he was standing as Rebecca turned and went back to her friends. "What was that?" Ron asked. "Really. What in the bloody hell was that?"

She looked to him confused, "What was what? I asked him to stop taking so many pictures of us." Hermione laughed and prodded them on to their next class. "What he means is: how'd you get him to agree? Ron and Harry have both asked him already."

Rebecca let a cheeky smirk cover her face, "Guess you don't have the doo, Ron."

Harry sighed and took the bait, readying himself for whatever Rebecca was going to say, "The doo?"

"The voodoo."

*******************************************

Gilderoy Lockhart, their new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, turned out to be just as conceited as his books made him appear. Their first assignment of the year what's the take a quiz on his biography! The final straw for the group of four though, was when he released a cage full of Cornish Pixies as a learning activity. Despite their previous annoyance with him when he announced the dueling Club he was starting, they all signed up.

Dueling Club turned out to be a joke. Professor Snape was the co-leader and also one of Lockhart's biggest skeptics. After Snape had shown his prowess in the art of dueling, he and Lockhart both chose one student to lead as an example. Snape, of course, chose Draco while Lockhart opted for Harry. Hermione scoffed with Rebecca, Lockhart had made his preference for the male students and male half of the Potter children clear enough.

Draco took the same potion that Snape had and held the ready position. The Lockhart gave them the go ahead, Harry hit him with the knockback jinx before he could even get a spell in. Lockhart clapped his hands while Snape picked Draco up by the back of his neck and put him back on the dueling mat. Draco's face had recovered the scowl they normally saw.

Draco struck first this time, casting an unfamiliar spell when Lockhart was on "two." A large hissing snake shot out of Draco's wand and slithered towards Harry. It was distracted by the vibrant yellow on Justin Finch-Fletchley's Hufflepuff robes. Harry held his hand out and hissed like a snake. The snake turned and looked at Harry with its head turned slightly on its side.

Harry hissed at it once more and the snake coiled into a circle and let its head rest on the mats. Lockhart had pulled his head from his arse at this point and cast a spell at the snake to make it disappear. Unfortunately, all he managed to do was throw the snake up in the air and have it land in an angry pile. Rebecca and Hermione had pushed their way closer to the mats throughout the ordeal and, as the snake turned back to Justin, Rebecca stepped between them. She felt no urge to hiss at the snake and she was a little confused as to why Harry was.

As the first meeting of Dueling Club dismissed, Harry rushed out of the room after Justin accused him of egging the snake on. Hermione explained what being parseltongue meant and Ron oohed and ahhed over it. Harry and Rebecca were confused as to why he would be able to and she wouldn't. Harry looked around to make sure that there wasn't anyone else in the hall and said softly to Rebecca, "Could you understand the snake and what I was saying?"

Rebecca shook her head, "No, all I heard was you hissing."

Harry shook his head, "There's so much I don't understand about us and these things we can do."

"Things we can do?" Rebecca asked confused.

Harry looked at her strangely, "The unicorn in the Forbidden Forest last year?"

Rebecca blushed and looked down, "Oh...that...Forgot."

Harry laughed, "Forgot? Forgot! You're mental."

Ron turned around from where he and Hermione were ahead of them. "I could have told you that!"

*******************************************

A week later, as Harry had left his last detention with Professor Lockhart from the damage to the Whomping Willow, Hermione and Ron had met him to go to the end of dinner with him, they were being blamed by Filch for petrifying Mrs. Norris. There was a message written on the wall near the cat's still body in blood: 

"The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the heir, beware."

Before Harry had finished his detention, Rebecca had run to the owlery to send off a letter the Mrs. Weasley and had found Fred and George loitering around the entrance. 

"What're you two doing?" Rebecca asked curiously at their suspicious faces. 

"Are we not allowed in this quarter of the castle?" George asked sassily. Rebecca shook her head, "No, no. I was just wondering... You two, hanging out in an empty hall... Do I need to be worried."

Fred shrugged, "Worry? Why worry?"

As Rebecca went to answer, a thud and a scream came from down the hall. "We were with you the whole time!" Fred said quickly.

Rebecca's eyes widened as Professor Snape tore down the hall in his usual dramatic fashion. "Weasleys!" 

"Yes, professor?" George asked with a blank face.

"Don't 'Yes, professor' me! Why did a dungbomb just go off when that door was opened!"

Fred shrugged, "Someone must have put it there, but it couldn't have been us: We've been with Becs the whole time!"

Snape turned to the young girl and pointed a finger at her, "Is this true?"

Rebecca answered immediately, surprised as she found herself lying through her teeth, "Yes, they were keeping me company as I went up to post a letter home."

Snape's eyes narrowed in disbelief. He turned with a swish of his robes and said not another word.

Fred and George hi-fived once in the relative privacy of the owlery steps. Rebecca shook her head, "Come on then! Now you get to go post it with me for real!"

*******************************************

A few weeks later, Hogwarts experienced another sorrow: Colin Creevey was found petrified in the corridor outside Gryffindor tower. He was frozen in time, semi-permanently squinting into his camera. The other Gryffindor students gathered around his bed in the infirmary. Ginny cried softly, uncharacteristic for her. Rebecca wrapped her arm around her red-haired friend. "She must have been closer to Colin than I thought...That or she's afraid of what's going on."

*******************************************

Christmas came and went, the castle taking on a somber mood. Justin Finch-Fletchley had been found outside the Hufflepuff corridor petrified and the week after that, Penelope Clearwater, a Ravenclaw in Percy's year.

Harry was the prime suspect as the Heir of Salazar Slytherin after the parseltongue incident. It seemed that everyone except Ron, Hermione, Rebecca, Fred, and George believed that it wasn't him. 

Draco had only increased his torment of the four second years. When they were heading to Hagrid's hut the week after Christmas, Draco, followed by Crabbe and Goyle, pounced.

"Oi!" Draco shouted from the ledge he had been sitting on. "Potter!" He jogged to catch up with them. "Where're you lot going? Picking the next victim?"

"Shut it, Malfoy!" Ron spat at him. 

"Don't think I will." Malfoy looked to Rebecca, "So, if he's an heir, that must make you an heir, too. What's your role? Do you pick them? Petrify them? Hold them down?"

Rebecca scoffed, "Come on guys. Harry? Just ignore the stupid git."

Hermione put her hand up to Harry's shoulder and turned to lead him towards Hagrid's hut.

"Don't you walk away from me, mudblood!" Hermione gasped and put a hand to her mouth. Rebecca looked to Ron confused. Ron's eyes were narrowed and his hand shot to his wand. 

"Eat slugs!" Ron shouted! His wand, in its damaged state, cast the jinx on Ron instead. Ron dropped to the ground and heaved. Harry wrapped his arm under Ron's and rushed him down to Hagrid's hut.

Rebecca put her arm around Hermione's shoulder and they walked as well. Goyle tapped Malfoy, who had already turned away from the four. "Malfoy! Malfoy! Look!" Malfoy turned with a snarl, "Don't tap me! What? What could possibly be so important?"

Sticking away from Hermione's shoulder, Rebecca had her hand sticking up so that Malfoy could plainly see the crude two-fingers she held up at him. He scoffed. "We gonna do anything?" Goyle asked.

"No." Malfoy said curiously.

Hermione and Rebecca met Harry and Ron at Hagrid's moments after they'd arrived. Hagrid had Ron sitting on a chair with a bucket between his legs. "Better out 'an in!" Hagrid chuckled. Noticing Hermione's tear stained cheeks, he asked if she was alright.

"Don't you worry about Ron now, he'll be jus' fine."

Hermione shook her head and didn't answer. Harry asked Hagrid the question both he and Rebecca wanted to. "Hagrid, what's a mudblood."

Hagrid sucked in a breath, "Where'd you hear that filth, Harry?"

Hagrid looked to Hermione, "Is that why yer cryin'? Someone call you that?"

Hermione nodded and looked to Harry, "It means dirty blood. My parents are muggles, so I am dirty to some wizards."

Hagrid shook his head and gestured for Hermione to come closer. "No, not at all. There are some magic folk that believe that, that's true, but you're not dirty. You're the brightest witch of your year, if not the school!"

Hermione cracked a smile and blushed a little, "Do you really think so?" 

Hagrid nodded, "I know so!" 

The touching moment ended with another heave and plop into Ron's bucket. 

*******************************************

It was after the Easter holidays now. The Gryffindor-Hufflepuff quidditch match was due to start in only a few hours. Hermione and Rebecca had run down to the library to investigate a lead into the Chamber of Secrets when, according to Harry, the worst tragedy of all struck. As the Gryffindor quidditch team was heading to the pitch, Wood having a heart attack over the thought of one of his chasers being late, McGonagall stopped them. 

"Wood!" She said sharply. Wood looked to his professor confused and walked with her to the end of the hall. They spoke softly, looking to Harry intermittently.

"Professor, are you certain?" Wood asked, but McGonagall was already heading back towards the rest of the team.

"What's going on?" Fred asked as he pushed his way to the front of the team. George was right behind him, "What's wrong?"

McGonagall looked to the three boys, "Boys, there's been two more petrifications."

Harry's eyes widened, George gasped. "No..." Fred said under his breath.

"Miss Granger and Miss Potter-Weasley were found outside the library."

*******************************************

Fred and George sprinted down the halls, Harry right on their heels. McGonagall called out for them to wait, but her cries landed on ears filled with the pumping of their hearts.

Harry pumped his legs faster, his arms faster still. Tears were welling in his eyes, his sister. Whatever had hurt his classmates had crossed the line, now it was personal.

Fred and George were experiencing similar thoughts, though they were grateful that at least Ginny hadn't been with them. 

Reaching the infirmary, they threw the doors open and continued their sprint. Approaching the beds of their friends. Harry went between them and put his head to Hermione's hand as he grabbed Rebecca's with his other hand. Fred had Rebecca's other hand. George had his arm wrapped around his twin and had his head buried in Fred's shoulder.

McGonagall had caught up with them and found the three young men crying at the bedside. Fred was whispering to her words softly "You're going to be just fine. You have to be just fine. Do you hear me? You're going to be fine. You have to." He repeated himself over and over. He only looked up and stopped when Ron ran in a minute later, "Where are they?!" He shouted. Seeing his brothers farther in the infirmary, he went to them.

"O-oh no..." Ron said softly as he looked into their frozen faces. Hermione's face was stuck with her eyes wide, her eyebrows arched. Her body was curling to the right, exactly into where Rebecca was frozen in a protective cover. Rebecca's eyes were open with a strong, fearless stare. Her wand was in one hand, the other stretched out to her side. 

Fred sniffled loudly and turned to McGonagall, "Where's Ginny?"

McGonagall shook her head and said softly, "There was a message where they were found: Ginny's been taken into the Chamber."

*******************************************

All students throughout the castle were sent to their dormitories that afternoon. Dinner was to be brought to them and Hogwarts was ending the school year early--The safest place in the world could no longer deny its inability to protect its students at the time.

Molly and Arthur were sent for at Ginny's disappearance. Fred, George, and Percy stayed with them in the front office while Harry and Ron returned to their dorm. As soon as they were out of earshot of the adults, they were already cementing their plan to enter the Chamber of Secrets to save Ginny as soon as the sun had set.

Harry paced in their room and collected the invisibility cloak and their wands. Ron's was still spell-o-taped, though he hoped to get a new one before the next school year. Harry walked back and forth until Ron asked him to stop because he was making him dizzy. Harry sighed and sat down. "Let's go over the plan once more then..."

By the time they'd ironed out a solid plan, the sun was sinking below the horizon. They tucked themselves under the cloak and left Gryffindor Tower. They walked along the abandoned castle corridors until they found themselves outside of Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. 

They entered and were relieved to find that Moaning Myrtle wasn't there. She had an obsession with Harry. Ron and Harry took the cloak off and did a circle around the sink fixture. "It's here Harry!" Ron said as he pointed to a small snake engraved into a faucet. 

Harry leaned towards it and spoke in parseltongue. 

"Well, well, well...You boys aren't planning on making any trouble, are you?" Professor Lockhart stepped out from behind the wall he had been watching them from. "Harry? I'm awfully disappointed in you."

Ron and Harry reached for his wand and Lockhart told them to stop Lockhart cast a spell and Harry and Ron's wands flew to his hands. "This works out well. Saving 'the boy who lived' will be an excellent addition to my lineup of written adventures."

Harry sputtered, "Wh-What? You're not saving me, we're going down there to save Ginny!"

Lockhart let out a tut-tut, "No, I think you're going to stop right there and close up the Chamber before you go sleepy-time."

Ron interrupted his monologue, "You never did anything you wrote, did you? The banshee, the werewolf?"

Lockhart chuckled darkly, "No, no I didn't. Never been very good with the Dark Arts honestly. I do, however, have a penchant for memory charms! Learnt my lesson after that bloody hag, always cast with the owner's wand. No evidence that way!"

Lockhart raised Ron's wand, "Obliviate!" The spell shot out of the handle and struck Lockhart right in the center of his chest. He lout out a grunt as he shot back into the tile wall. He lifted his head groggily, "Mummy? Mummy where are you?"

Harry shook his head, "Ron, we've got to go!" He ran over and collected their wands from the stunned, memory-less professor-no-more.

Harry and Ron started their descent down the dark spiral staircase into the unknown of the Chamber of Secrets. 

*******************************************

At the bottom, the Chamber door slammed closed behind them. Ron let out a shuddery breath, "That's not creepy or anything."

They went down the walkway coated with a layer of water with caution, but as soon as they saw Ginny laying in front of a large face carved in the stone walls, they ran to her side. Tom Riddle appeared at entrance to one of the caves to the side.

"Sorry lads, you're too late." The young, dark haired Slytherin said.

Ron looked to him, "Who're you? What do you mean 'too late'?"

Harry put a hand on Ginny, her skin cold and clammy. "This is Tom, Tom Riddle! Remember the diary? It was his, his memories led me to look in Myrtle's bathroom. He helped us save Ginny!"

Tom shook his head with a sinister grin, "No, not quite Potter."

Tom walked to them, "It was my diary, that's correct. But, I fear I haven't helped you with Ginny at all. She was so easy to get to trust. Just had to offer a compliment here, reassurance there. 11 year old girls and all. It wasn't long before she was doing my bidding: Getting the blood for the messages and writing exactly what I ordered."

Ron shook with anger, "You! You brought her here!"

Tom shook his head once more, "I didn't have to bring her anywhere. After she realised who she'd helped strengthen, she came down here to finish me. Didn't work out as she planned though."

"Who you are?" Harry said softly.

Tom pulled his wand out and scratched Tom Marvolo Riddle in the air in fiery letters. He swiped his wand once more and the letters rearranged...

I am Lord Voldemort

Ron stood up and charged him, not trusting his wand to cast a spell on who he wanted it to. Tom swished his wand almost lazily, causing Ron to be flung to the side and smash into the stone wall. He slumped. The only movement from his was the slow rise and fall of his chest. 

Tom turned back and shouted in parseltongue, a scraping sound grew louder and louder. Out from the tunnel Tom had entered in came the Basilisk. It was easily 40 metres long and had fangs that stuck out from its lips. Its eyes were a cruel, callous yellow. It slithered straight at Harry.

Harry looked at Ginny once more before sprinting back to where he and Ron had entered the large room. He hoped to lose the Basilisk in the maze of tunnels. Harry turned left, then right, and turned left once more only to find himself facing a tunnel grate: He'd trapped himself in a dead end!

He crouched down and picked up a rock from the floor and then focused on slowing his breathing. The Basilisk slowed at the entrance to his tunnel. It stuck it's large head in. Harry tossed the rock down the hall and the Basilisk lunged towards the noise.

Harry poked his head out into the main hall, making sure the coast was clear. Once he saw that it was, he turned right and went back to the large room where Ginny laid limp. He fell to his knees at her side and brushed the hair out of her face.

"Harry, you do know that you can't stop me, right?" Tom jested from where he appeared, "Every minute that passes I become more solid and poor, sweet Ginny fades to nothingness."

Tom turned and walked back to the tunnel entrance, "She sure had a lot to write about you...Too bad there's diary confidentiality--some of it was so poetic."

Tom hissed into the tunnels once more, the Basilisk running to its caller. A screech came from the entrance, Fawkes Dumbledore's phoenix was flying with the sorting hat in his talons directly at Harry. As Fawkes rounded above Harry's head, he dropped the hat. It landed right next to Harry.

The Basilisk's large body slithered into the room. Fawkes dive-bombed directly at the serpent, talons outstretched. The Basilisk let out a pained hiss as Fawkes clawed out its eyes. "No!" Tom shouted. He ran a hand through his hair and cast a spell at Fawkes that missed its mark. Fawkes flew up to the top of the room where he was unreachable.

"He can still smell you!" Tom yelled. Harry grabbed the hat off the floor. If Fawkes had brought it for him, it had to be useful. He ran to the stone face and looked at Ron. His friend hadn't stirred at all. Harry looked up at the stone and began to climb.

Once as high as he could get and still stand, Harry looked closer at the hat. It opened its eyes and gave him a wink. Harry lifted it to take a closer look and felt something hard in the hat. He reached a hand into the brim of the hat and pulled out an ornately decorated, red-jewel studded sword. Fawkes let out another screech and swooped down, grabbing the hat Harry held above his head. 

The Basilisk had entered the room again and went towards the stone wall. It bumped it's snout against the face and lifted its head slowly. Harry slashed at the side of its head when it was in reach. It slunk away, but struck back a second later. Harry swing the sword once more. The Basilisk let out a terrible, hellish noise as it received another gash on its snout. 

As the Basilisk lowered its head, Harry took the opportunity and jumped onto it, sliding down it to get back to the floor. The Basilisk turned and went to take the kill bite, chomping down directly onto the Sword of Gryffindor. Harry jabbed the sword up as hard as he could.

The Basilisk fell to the ground, dead.

Tom, outraged at the sight of his magnificent beast slaughtered, found a smile growing larger and larger. Harry fell backwards; A fang from the Basilisk lodged in his forearm.

"Basilisk's aren't only the fiercest serpent, Harry. They're the most poisonous too."

Harry scooted away from the creature, taking the fang out of his arm as he went. "You'll last a minute and a half, maybe two. Then you'll just be another--dead--Potter." Tom enunciated each word as he leaned back against the Basilisk.

Harry's vision was swimming. His veins felt like they'd been injected with ice, ice so cold that he felt like he was burning, but freezing. His eyes settled on the diary in Ginny's hands. He had an idea. If the diary is what brought him back, could it also be the way to kill him?

Harry could feel the life leaving him as he took the fang and plunged it into the cover of the book. Tom Riddle's body split in the middle, light pouring out from him. "NO!" He roared as he lunged towards Harry who, seeing that his idea worked, had opened to a page and stabbed the diary again. Blood as black as ink poured from its pages.

Tom Riddle faded into nothing. Fawkes screeched and circled up above at the fight. As soon as it was safe to do so, he landed on Harry's shoulder. "Fawkes, it's okay," Harry saw that the bird was weeping softly, "Don't cry. You saved Ginny."

Fawkes tears rolled down his beak and landed on Harry's wounded arm. Harry felt the pain cease. He watched as the edges of his fang mark started to seal themselves.

"Phoenix tears have healing properties..." Harry whispered as he remembered what Dumbledore had told him when he was explaining what magnificent birds they were.

Harry, reinvigorated by Fawkes' healing, jumped to his feet. Ginny's colour was returning to her face and her skin was no longer cold to the touch. Harry sprinted to where Ron was sitting against the wall, his eyes open and staring at the Basilisk's body that was mere inches from his feet.

"Ron!" Harry cried, shocking his red-haired friend out of his stupor. "Harry? Did-Did you kill it? Where's Tom? Ginny!"

"Come look, Ginny's okay." Harry reassured him. Ron used the wall to help steady himself. "Got a wicked headache." 

Harry nodded, putting his hand out for Ron to grab it. "Let's get out of here."

Ron put one of Ginny's arms around his neck and Harry the other, but Ron kept tripping as he tried to keep himself steady from his dizziness and support his little sister's body.

"I got her, Ron. Just grab the wall." Harry scopped Ginny into his arms.

That's how they climbed the staircase, Ron in front of him teetering back and forth and Ginny cradled against his chest. 

*******************************************

When the two boys entered the hall outside of the bathroom they'd entered in, they found that Lockhart was sitting exactly where they'd left him.

"Mummy?" He asked them.

They ignored the fraud and walked to Dumbledore's office. Fawkes was perched on the gargoyle statue outside and tapped his beak to it's head when they approached. The gargoyle spun to reveal the office with Molly weeping into Arthur's chest. McGonagall was trying to console a rigid George while Fred paced in front of the fire. 

"Mum? Dad?" Ron called from the doorway. Dumbledore looked as Fawkes dropped the hat back on its stand and returned to his perch. He gave Harry a small wink as he was rushed by the Weasleys.

Arthur cleared a spot on the couch as Molly fawned over Ginny. After seeing that she was alive and well, she turned to Harry and Ron. "What were you thinking?!" She wrapped them in a hug and squeezed them, "Thank you." She said softly as she kissed both of them over and over.

Fred and George were standing above Ginny, slightly less grim than they had been, but certainly not far from dismal.

Dumbledore and McGonagall looked to the door as Professor Sprout rushed in shouting, "They're mature! They're mature!"

"May I assume your talking about the mandrakes, Pomona?" Dumbledore asked. She nodded her head excitedly! "Yes headmaster, they're already brewing! Potion will be ready within the next few hours!"

Fred's head shot to them, "The potion for the petrified?" He asked quickly. 

Dumbledore nodded and smiled, "Well, what're we waiting for? Nobody has had supper and we clearly have some celebrating to do!"

He placed a call to the kitchen with instructions to start the end of term feast. McGonagall, and Pomona went to find Snape to get the potion started.

Fred walked to Harry and did the bro-hug, slapping his back. George did the same thing. Ginny stirred on the couch, "Mum?" She called softly.

Molly was at her side in an instant, "I'm right here love."

Ginny laid her head into her mother's embrace and sighed, listening to the sweet nothings Molly whispered as she held her.

*******************************************

Harry had Tom Riddle's diary folded in his back pocket. He and Ron needed a shower desperately before they went to the feast. In a corridor near the front of the school, Harry stopped in his tracks and ran to where a little creature had just turned. 

"Dobby?" Harry asked.

Ron turned the corner to find that it was a house elf he had seen. Lucius Malfoy was standing next to Dobby.

"Dobby? How do you know my servant?" Lucius mused snidely. "We will discuss this during your afternoon punishment!" The blond man said to the cowering house elf menacingly. 

Harry had another idea. A smart idea.

"Mr. Malfoy!" Harry called down the hall after the two of them had continued on their path.

"Yes, Mr. Potter? Heard you saved the day or something along those lines." Lucius looked down his long nose at the muddy, sweaty boy.

"I think this belongs to you." Harry said as he held out the diary. 

"Pft. I've never seen that before in my life."

Harry continued, "Yes, you have. You put in Ginny's cauldron in Diagon Alley." Harry discreetly held a hand up to Ron, telling him to calm down a moment.

Lucius gave him a tight smile, "I'm certain you're mistaken, but I'll take it if it bothers you so." Lucius snatched it out of Harry's hand and wrenched his hand to Dobby. "Carry this, Dobby."

Dobby took the book and opened it like Harry was miming for him to do. Dobby let out a gasp and froze. Lucius turned from down the hall where he had walked to. "Dobby? Let's go!"

Dobby whispered at first, "Master has given Dobby a sock." Then he said louder, "Master has given Dobby a sock!"

Lucius looked down to where his mostly faithful servant was holding the disgusting black sock. Harry pulled his pant leg up and wiggled his bare ankle.

Lucius sputtered in rage and pulled his wand out of the top of his cane. "Lucius?" Dumbledore called from the end of the hall. "You're not pulling your wand out, are you?"

Lucius sheathed his wand while glowering at the two boys. "Not at all, I was just leaving."

Dobby stayed where he was until Lucius was out of sight. "Harry Potter has freed Dobby, Dobby is a free elf!"

Harry knelt down and scooped up the little elf in a hug. "You're free, yes. But Dobby?" Dobby looked up with his wide eyes and big ears. "Don't take my mail. Ever."

Dobby smiled sheepishly and snapped his fingers, disappearing into thin air. Where did he go? Harry thought. Doesn't matter really, he gets to go where ever he wants now.

*******************************************

The feast was a grand one, the hall decked in the red and gold of Gryffindor. Both Harry and Ron had received 200 points for their heroic actions. As the students filed into the Great Hall, they took their seats somberly. Each house was missing one or more students to the petrification.

Dumbledore stood at his podium and waited for them all to be seated. He made a short announcement about the importance of bravery and finished with a flourish of his wand for dinner to appear. Harry and Ron were ravenous after the evenings activities and dug in like animals. The Great Hall was quieter than usual.

George sat next to Ginny who ate heartily as well. Fred picked at some things, but found himself weighed down by the absence of Rebecca and Hermione. They'd asked if he wanted to swing to to the library with them before the game, but he'd declined. He and George had figured they would be safe together. His guilt consumed him. How could he sit and feast while they lie frozen in the infirmary?

The Great Hall's large wooden doors flew open. Rebecca ran in at full speed, Hermione right next to her. The other petrified-no-longer students ran in in similar manners. Most of the students looked to the door at the bang, but at the sight of the two girls, Harry, Ron, Ginny, George, and Fred all clamoured to get off the benches. Rebecca ran straight into them, her arms opened wide enough for Harry who had had his arms out and Fred who was next to him. She pulled the two boys into her as tight as she could. One, her brother, the other, her...well, certainly not her brother. Her Fred.

Hermione was in a similar embrace from Ginny, Ron, and George. The other petrified students were being held across the hall from their closest friends. Up at the staff table, McGonagall wiped tears from her eyes. Hagrid blew his nose in his trumpet like fashion in a hankerchief the size of a small cloak.

The hugging Gryffindors turned at the sound of flashes going off. Colin stood behind them and gave them a bashful smile, "Whoops?"

"Get over here!" Rebecca called and dragged him into their hug.

"I want copies of that one." She said softly as she relaxed into her friends.

When they all sat down to eat, Rebecca let her hand rest on Fred's hand that was on the table. He looked to her with wide eyes. "Being petrified was different than just being unconscious. I was there, fully aware, just couldn't move. I heard everything though." She looked down the table at her friends whom she had missed so dearly before looking back into his chocolate brown eyes, "Even what you were saying."

Fred's cheeks brightened, but he still looked into her green eyes, "Really?"

Rebecca nodded, "Really." She squeezed his hand and turned back to her dinner. Fred looked to his plate and then back at her with a smile.

*******************************************

The train ride home the next day was eventful. The school year was still ending because Dumbledore insisted that they'd all been under too much stress to take any exams and they'd already notified everyone's parents. Harry paled at the thought of returning to the Dursleys early, especially after how he'd left the year before.

Dumbledore pulled him aside as he went to board the train, "Harry, I think you'll find that the owl alerting your aunt and uncle of the change of return date managed to get lost in transit. Mister and Mrs. Weasley have offered to get you there at the regularly scheduled return date. Unfortunately, you must spend the scheduled summer with your guardians, but I've never heard a rule about unscheduled summer..."

Harry grinned, fully understanding the loophole he was pointing out, "Yes, professor."

"Have a good summer, Harry."

"You too."

Already aboard the train and having said goodbye to the professors and headmaster on the platform, Rebecca was elated at hearing she and Harry didn't have to separate quite yet. She was going to Egypt with the rest of the Weasleys during the summer to visit Bill, their second-to-the-oldest brother on a trip they were going on from Arthur's prize money after winning a ministry prize draw. Harry sat next to her on the train and kept looking between Rebecca and the views out the window.

After the fourth time of catching Harry's eyes on her, she looked to him, "You all good Harry?"

Harry smiled and wrapped her into another hug, "Couldn't be better."

Fred and George popped up from where they were sitting across the bench, "We think you could Harry!" They said in unison as they wrapped them both up in and even bigger hug, capturing Hermione, Ginny, and Ron as well.

And they were all happy.

*******************************************

Author's Note:

This chapter is nearly 6000 words long before this note! 

Next chapter? Beginning of the Prisoner of Azkaban's storyline... Rebecca and Harry are turning 13 this summer, will this lead to more romantic happenings or just more teenage angst?

<3


	27. Chapter 27

Harry's summer was dull and filled with tension. Uncle Vernon had agreed to allow Hedwig to fly around, though only for short amounts of time. Errol and Hermione's owls learned to deliver Harry's letters in the middle of the night and wait while he wrote responses quickly.

The week before he and Rebecca's birthday, she sent him a clipping from The Daily Prophet showing the group of 10 waving madly in front of a pyramid. Harry smiled as he observed the picture. Ron had his rat, Scabbers on his shoulder in the middle while Rebecca was closer to the edge, an arm wrapped around the middles of Fred and George.

Harry pinned the clipping onto his wall, right beside his favorite picture of their mum and dad. His chest felt the pangs of sorrow as he looked at his mum twirling with his dad in the picture. Hedwig let out a screech from her cage in the corner.

Harry sat on his bed with a sigh and reread the note Rebecca had attached with the clipping. 

Harry,

We're heading to Diagon Alley the week after our birthday, Hermione too. Not sure when you and oinkers (the only name she ever referred to Dudley as) were heading in for shopping this year. I hope we can coordinate and see each other.  
I miss you. A lot.

Love,   
Becca

Vernon and Petunia had begrudgingly agreed to letting Harry go to London with them when they went to get Dudley's school uniforms refitted for their "ickle growing Duddy-kins." Harry rolled his eyes even remembering the conversation. He had asked his aunt and uncle to sign his Hogsmeade permission form as well.

"I don't know Petunia, the boy's going to school to learn! Not go on bloody field trips!" Vernon had argued. Petunia eventually got him to agree, using the sheet as leverage to ensure Harry would be in tip top shape when Vernon's sister Marge visited for dinner the next night. 

Harry laid back on his bed and held his sister's letter, wishing he could be at school with her.

*******************************************

Rebecca and the Weasleys had to go back to England that morning. Bill had been surprised seeing the new(ish) addition to the Weasley household on their first day. Molly sighed, "This is only more evidence that you don't write enough!" Bill only laughed at his mother's words and pulled his long hair out of his face. 

He got over his shock and found that he enjoyed Rebecca's quips and banter. Bill promised that he would write more. "You'd better young man. I fear your mother's sanity may just depend on it." Arthur told his second-oldest as he hugged him goodbye.

Arthur and Molly apparated to The Burrow with two children until they were all back. Once in the door, they dispersed into the chaos of unpacking. 

"Laundry! Bring me you laundry now, don't put it in your floor Ronald!" 

Ron grumbled from the top of the stairs causing Rebecca and Ginny to laugh as they went into their room. They'd done a little rearranging in the years that they had shared a room already. As the room was now inhabited by two proud Gryffindors, they had adorned the wall with pennants of red and gold. Rebecca's night stand had a case for her glasses and the box that they had given her her locket last year. The locket that had yet to leave her neck.

On her dresser, she had a framed picture of Lily and James. She never really called them "mum and dad" because she had been raised by the muggle woman who had taken her crying baby self from the rubble of Godric's Hollow the night her parents died. Rebecca had been downstairs with James while Harry had been upstairs with Lily, the woman hadn't even heard him. Rebecca's first few years had been pleasant. She was a happy baby, despite the strange scar on her forehead. Strange things happened in the house though, strange things the muggle's husband began to fear.

The man distanced himself from the child and, effectively, his wife as well. When Rebecca had distracted her while she was driving, leading to the car accident that took the woman's life, the man had all he needed: A tangible reason to hate the child. Her childhood took a dark turn. Until she old enough to go to school, she sat in the room she was locked in. The only company she had was the silence of the house while the man went to work and the pangs of hunger. He seemed to relish in her asking for food.

Years passed, Rebecca was 10 years old when the man decided he'd had enough. He was done paying and caring for the thing that had taken the last thing he'd loved from him. He drove most of the night, Rebecca in her too small winter jacket in the back seat. When he'd stopped in the middle of a field, he told her to get out. That was the last time that she'd seen him. She didn't think about him-

"Becca?" Ginny waved a hand in front of her face. "Hey, where'd you go? I've been calling you for ages." Ginny said with a smile, looking into her eyes with a hint of concern.

Rebecca turned away from the picture of the muggle woman, the only picture she had of her. "I was just wandering. Sorry about that."

Ginny had an armful of laundry and went to the door, "George called up the stairs, wants to know if anyone wants to go play quidditch."

Rebecca nodded, "I'll be down in just a sec. Still emptying my bag."

Ginny nodded slowly. She could sense something was off. Ron poked his head out of his doorway, "Becca coming?"

Ginny shrugged, "She said in a few minutes." Ginny leaned closer to Ron, "I don't know what happened. She seems really...grey."

Ron looked at her strangely, "How the bloody hell does a person seem 'grey?'"

Ginny just sighed and left her brother to pick up his laundry in confusion. Fred had walked back up the stairs to see what was taking them all so long. Ginny caught him on the stairs and told him exactly what she'd told Ron.

"Grey? Did anything happen?" Fred asked, concerned.

Ginny shook her head. Fred told her to tell George he'd be a minute and walked down the hall to the girls room. Peeking his head in the doorway, he knocked a few times.

Rebecca had been in their closet, trying to get her empty bag back to the shelf above the hanging rack. She looked to the doorway at the knock and found a smirking Fred had come to the closet.

"Can I, uh, help you with that? Before you break your neck?" Fred asked as he gestured at the teetering pile she was standing on.

She gave him a smile, "Well by all means, you've grown all summer just to help put things on the top shelf, right?"

Fred bantered back, "I did. I'm glad you noticed!"

He was easily a head above her, he and George had grown more than half a foot that summer! When the bag was put away, they left the closet. "You alright?" 

Rebecca responded, "Oh yeah, I'm fine." 

Fred nodded, clearly she didn't want to talk about anything and he didn't want to pry. He finally had the opportunity to bring up something he'd been meaning to ask her, "So...I actually have a question for you."

Rebecca turned from where she had picked up her dirty clothes. "Ask away."

Fred cleared his throat, "Well I was wondering if you wanted to consider a nickname."

Rebecca cheekily asked, "What? Becs not working for you anymore?"

Fred shook his head, "No, it's not like that!" Rebecca giggled at his tone. Fred rolled his eyes, "You're a cheeky bugger, you know? No, George and I were thinking...what if we called you RJ?"

"RJ?" Rebecca asked confused. 

Fred nodded, "Yeah, RJ. Rebecca Jane...RJ..."

They were silent a moment. Fred jumped in, "If you don't like it, it's not-"

Rebecca interrupted him, "It's great, perfect actually."

Fred looked up from where he'd sat on her bed. "Really?"

"Really." Rebecca went to the door, "Let's go play. It's been a few weeks since I kicked your arse anyway."

Fred gasped in mock shock. "That mouth!"

*******************************************

Flying was exactly what shocked Rebecca out of a potential slump. She almost never thought of her past, but sometimes it just rose up to the front of her brain. Quidditch though, quidditch took all of her attention. 

The sun began to set and they were called in for dinner. They raced to the house from where they were on the homemade pitch and clamored into the kitchen.

"Wash your hands! Go wash your hands!" Molly shouted as she saw the sweaty beasts scrambling about. When they were all cleaned and around the table, Molly smiled to them.

"Eat up!" Arthur clapped as he beckoned for them all to start scooping away. The table was surrounded by the different conversations. Ron and Rebecca were arguing over the last validity of the foul she'd pulled on George. George was shouting past Fred about how he should have gotten a penalty shot. Fred and Ginny rolled their eyes and refused to be dragged into it. Arthur and Percy were talking about Percy accompanying him to work one day as a shadow.

Molly sat at the head of the table and looked around at her family.

*******************************************

Erroll brought a strangely addressed letter with the post a few days later. Rebecca tore open the letter from the Leaky Cauldron and found Harry's familiar handwriting inside. 

Becs,

I may have, accidently, blown up Vernon's sister. Not like an explosion...more like a balloon. I left them early. I hate them! I- [he had scratched out a sentence]  
I'll see you when you get to Diagon Alley next week, Fudge paid for a room until school starts. 

I miss you more than you can know,  
Harry

Rebecca handed the letter to Molly who was standing next to her. Molly gasped, "Balloon!" They went back to making their teas and talked about Harry and the situation he'd landed in. "Dear, why don't you floo over to the Leaky Cauldron today? Nothing else on the schedule and I think Harry needs someone right now."

"Thank you!" Rebecca jumped up from where she'd sat and kissed Molly on the cheek as she ran out of the kitchen to get dressed. Molly laughed when Rebecca reappeared less than a few minutes later. 

Molly walked down to the front room with Rebecca, "Rebecca, listen a moment." Rebecca turned and looked at what Molly was bringing with her. It was one of the Dailey Prophets from when they were gone. The cover had a gaunt face that was screaming as it shook the bars. The man's eyes were so dark, they were like peering into the word midnight.

Molly turned it towards her, "This man--this man is a dangerous individual. I am trusting that you and Harry are going to be smart. Stay in the Leaky Cauldron. No wandering, we'll have the chance to go about Diagon Alley when we go shopping. Understand?"

Rebecca nodded, "Understood."

Molly grabbed the pot of Floo Powder, "Good! Here, bring this little baggy of Floo powder and leave it for Harry, tell him to come back Saturday morning for your birthdays. And here, take these muffins for the two of you as well."

Rebecca was about to step into the fireplace but turned back and wrapped Molly in a hug, "I love you."

Molly kissed the top of her head, "I love you, too."

Rebecca stepped into the fireplace and said, "The Leaky Cauldron" and disappeared in a flash of green flames. Molly shook her head as she went to update Arthur. "Never a dull moment."

*******************************************

Rebecca appeared in the unlit fireplace of The Leaky Cauldron reserved for those arriving by Floo Network. She stepped out and tapped the ash off her shoes. Making sure she still had her wand, she took the letter out of her pocket and double checked the room number written on the front.

"Yup, 2-10." She went up the stairs and found Harry's door. She knocked on it and stepped to the side so he couldn't see who was at the door. He opened it after a moment and Rebecca jumped out, "Boo!"

Harry stepped back as he jumped. "Rebecca?" He put a hand to his chest. "Rebecca!"

She was standing in the doorway laughing herself to tears. "That's the best I've ever gotten you!" She spat out between bouts of laughter.

Harry gave her a look, "Ha. Ha. Coming in?" Rebecca nodded and held out the bags she was holding. "Mrs. Weasley sends muffins, love, and Floo powder."

Harry opened the bag of muffins and bit into the chocolate one ravenously. "Floo powder?" He asked through a mouth full of muffin.

Rebecca rolled her eyes, unwrapping a banana muffin. "Floo powder. To get the The Burrow Saturday morning."

Harry's eyes widened, "Our birthday! 13. Can you believe it?" Rebecca shook her head. They ate breakfast and Harry told her what happened with Marge in greater detail.

"...Her buttons shot around the kitchen! I ran up, grabbed my trunk and Hedwig, and left. I didn't know where I was going to go, mind you, I just wasn't standing there." Harry's hands were shaking as he remembered the horrid things she had said about their mother. Rebecca stood up from where she was on his chair and laid next to him on the bed. She pulled him into a hug and rubbed his arm.

"I'm so sorry, Harry." Harry continued, explaining the Night Bus and mentioning the strange dog shadow he'd seen in the bushes. 

"Seeing things Harry?" Rebecca put her hand to his forehead, "Fever?" 

He slapped her hand away, "You are just cheeky today!"

"What can I say, teenage-hood approaches and becomes me."

*******************************************

Rebecca stayed with Harry all day. They chatted about how Egypt had been, the summer homework that she hadn't even started yet, and the Hogsmeade form.

"They wouldn't sign yours?" Rebecca was furious. "Take it out."

Harry wasn't going to argue with her when she spoke in such a forceful tone. "How is it? V-E-R-N-O-N?"

Harry nodded as Rebecca inked the quill on the desk in the room. She wiggled her wrist and placed it to the paper before scratching out Vernon Dursley in the scratchy, swirly signature most adults had.

"It looks just like his!" Harry shouted as he picked the slip up. 

"It's bollocks that he didn't sign it himself." Rebecca said as Harry scooped her up and spun in a circle. "Bollocks or not, it's almost time for another school year. Maybe it'll be a plain, unexciting year."

Rebecca smirked at him, "Yeah, because we have such a track record for them."

In the late afternoon, Rebecca sighed and said she really had to go back. Harry nodded and hugged her again. "Hey, it's already Thursday. One day and then we'll be 13."

Rebecca nodded, "Yup. Then we're coming to Diagon Alley on Sunday and then to the platform Monday!"

Harry walked her to the fireplace. "Harry, Mrs. Weasley was showing me the prophet this morning." She leaned closer to him so no one dining could hear them. "There's a murderer loose. A really bad one."

Harry raised an eyebrow, "Opposed to a moderately good one?"

Rebecca punched his arm, "I'm serious. Please be careful. Don't go out at night and if you do have to leave The Leaky Cauldron before Sunday, well... Just be careful?"

"I will, don't worry!"

Rebecca just looked at him from in the fireplace, "Oh, look at that! All my worries have just melted away! Love you!" She gave him a coy wink before throwing the powder at her feet.

"The Burrow!" Green flames engulfed her, then she was gone.

Harry returned to his room and looked at his signed slip on the desk. He smiled again and put it in his trunk, taking out his homework packet. He put it in his pile to go with him Saturday. "Rebecca can 'check' her answers if she wants." 

Author's Note:  
Whew! Third year almost starting. Few small changes, but not too many so far. Enjoy!

<3


	28. Chapter 28

Saturday, July 31st, Rebecca and Harry were both up with the sun. They wanted to spend as much of their birthday together as possible. Harry realised that while Rebecca wouldn't mind, the Weasley's might not want him to arrive quite so early. He waited until half past 8 and decided that he couldn't wait any longer.

He looked at the fireplace with a scowl on his face. "It's just a silly fireplace. We're going to step in, enunciate, and be just fine." 

Harry didn't feel any better after his pep talk. He took a deep breath and stepped in. "The Burrow!" All he saw was green as he shut his eyes tightly. When he opened them again, he found himself looking at Rebecca eagerly sitting in the front room. "Harry!" She tossed her arms around him.

Harry felt an "oof" leave him as she squeezed him. "Becs, we just saw each other!"

"Two days ago!" She grabbed his hand and lead him to the kitchen. Fred and George were sitting around the table with their mugs and waved to Harry, "Happy birthday!" The wished him as she took him to the kitchen. 

"I made you a cup, I wasn't sure if you'd want some." Rebecca said as she sat on a stool and gestured to a slightly lopsided mug with an H on the front. She turned the mug towards him so he could see the front of it.

"Tada! Happy birthday!" She presented the cup. 

"Punny." He deadpanned. "You made this?" Harry asked surprised. No one had ever made him a craft like that before. She nodded her head. "This is awesome!" Harry picked it up and took a sip. "I don't have anything for you, though."

Rebecca shook her head with a grin, "That doesn't matter to me! I'm just happy that you're here."

Harry looked down to the bag he had held at his side, "Oh, guess I can just take this back then."

Rebecca smiled, "Cheeky...I like this influence I have on you." Harry put the bag on the table in front of her. 

"Influence you have on me?"

Molly and Arthur had entered the kitchen by now and Ron had just stumbled down the stairs. There was a chorus of exchanged "good morning-s" and "happy birthday-s".

Rebecca reached into the bag and pulled out a book. She turned the cover towards her and read, "The Most Magical Creatures of the Wizarding World: A Tale of Discovery Penned by Sir David Attenborough"

"David Attenborough's a wizard?" Rebecca asked the kitchen. 

Arthur nodded his head, "Oh yes! Quite a hit with the muggles too! Done a lot of conservation work." Rebecca opened the book and found that Harry had penned a message on the inside cover. She closed it, wanting to read it later in private and hugged Harry.

Molly came up behind them and hugged them both. "13 years old! Can hardly believe it."

They talked about the school lists for the year and what time they were going to go shopping the next morning before Arthur peeked out the kitchen window. "It's a beautiful day. It's the last Saturday before term starts again. If your under the age of 35, get out of the house."

Molly laughed, "Arthur! They haven't even eaten yet!" 

"Oh...well breakfast first then get out."

*******************************************

The went for a walk, played quidditch, raced around the house after pancakes. When it was early afternoon and they returned to the house, they were all thoroughly exhausted. They sat around the TV in the living room and put a muggle VHS from the year before that Arthur had brought home from work to study. 

Arthur heard the intro and went to see who was watching Beethoven and found knocked out children surrounding his TV. He shook his head with a smile and grabbed the camera. Ron and Harry were sitting on the floor to each side of Rebecca's legs. She, Fred, and George had wedged themselves into the small couch while Ginny had the larger one to herself. 

The napped for the better part of an hour and a half when they woke up to Molly calling them.

"Sorry loves, if you sleep much longer you'll never go to bed tonight."

They yawned and stretched. The movie's credits were rolling and Ron pushed the button for it to rewind. "Great movie, right?" Rebecca joked.

"Oh yeah, loved it. Excellent rest on the floor." Ron snipped to Ginny who was sitting up on her own couch.

Ginny narrowed her eyes at him, "What are you trying to say, Ronald?"

Ron and Harry were heading out of the living room and into the kitchen, "Nothing." Rebecca who was going with them into the kitchen heard Ron telling Harry, "She sleeps like a bloody samurai!"

Rebecca jumped between the two karate chopping them, "Hyah! Hyah!" Harry dropped to the hall floor, "Oh...Oh that's done it...I'm..." He let his head thump to the floor.

"You are both so, so very weird." Ron left them in the hall. Molly poked her head out from the kitchen, "Children, children, no murdering in the house!"

Harry sat up laughing, "Look at that! Alive once again!"

*******************************************

They meandered around after supper until the evening when Arthur called them to the table. A cake was on the middle with a grouping of small bags. They sang happy birthday and handed out plates of cake. 

"Now, I have something different this year for everyone's birthdays." Molly began and looked to Arthur who continued, "Yes, we're quite proud of out idea actually."

Molly smiled, "Everyone is getting their gifts now." The kids around the table got even more excited at the idea of getting a gift as well. Molly placed a single bag in front of each place and told them to wait until she said so.

"Okay, go ahead and open them now." The table sprung to action as they tore the paper bags open. In Rebecca and Ron's were their signed Hogsmeade slips. The children all found that the bags held a lot more inside than originally thought: There was 30 galleons in every bag!

Molly was behind Ginny and hugged her, "I know you can't go to Hogsmeade yet dear, but this way you can ask someone to grab you something or save for next year!"

Fred and George were talking about what they were going to get at Zonko's while Ron told Rebecca and Harry about the sweets shop in Hogsmeade Honeyduke's. They all crowded around Molly and Arthur to hug and thank them before dispersing to their rooms where they talked about how excited they were for school to start again.

Before long, Arthur knocked on the door to Rebecca and Ginny's room where she and Harry were playing Old Maid. "Lobby at the Leaky Cauldron closes in half an hour Harry, can't floo in after hours."

Harry nodded and wished Rebecca a good night and a happy birthday before turning to Ginny and wishing her a good night as well. 

While going down the stairs, Arthur and Harry talked about what time they would be meeting out front of the Leaky Cauldron the next morning. At the bottom of the staircase, Arthur stuck his hand out to the young lad.

"Happy birthday." Arthur said as they shook.

"Thank you so much for inviting me over, it was a fantastic day."

"Harry, invite? Please, anytime at all, feel free to come here. The Burrow becomes a home to more than those who sleep under its roof. Remember that."

Harry nodded, he was right. He felt almost as at home as he did at Hogwarts at The Burrow. Molly walked him to the fireplace and shared a similar exchange with him and emphasized that he was not to go anywhere until they got to Diagon Alley in the morning. 

*******************************************

Diagon Alley had a different feel that Sunday. It had the usual rushing about, but the joy that seemed to have seeped into the very bricks of the cobblestone streets felt dampened, lessened.

Families passed other families without stopping for the usual chats, and if they did, it was in hushed tones where passersby only picked up the, "Have you heards" and the "What-___-saids".

Rebecca was oblivious to the change in the essence of Diagon Alley. She was too happy to be reunited with Hermione and their soon return to Hogwarts. Hermione had arrived to Diagon Alley to make her most anticipated purchase, a pet.

"My parents said that if I was their receptionist's aid at their office over the summer they would let me choose one. I think I've decided on a cat." Hermione told Rebecca and Ginny again. They had heard this in numerous letters over the summer as Hermione considered every. single. variable that could be involved in the picking of a pet.

"Oh, look at this little grey one down here!" Ginny pointed to a small, cross-eyed cat in one of the crates. "There's this brown one, too!" Rebecca pointed out.

Hermione looked down to the lowest shelf and saw that there was only one cat there, a flat-faced orange cat. He looked to her and let out a pitiful mew. "I think he's the one, look at that face."

Ron gasped from behind them, "You can't get a cat; It'll hunt Scabbers!"

"I can so get a cat." Hermione responded. She and Ron bickered a moment before Hermione ducked into the store leaving Ron with his jaw hanging.

"Chin up, Ron. Won't be too bad." Harry said as he patted his friend on the shoulder.

They went store to store in their large group and purchased everything they'd need for the year. Hanging along every store front and intermittently along every street were wanted signs for Sirius Black. 

When they were finished, they decided to forgo the usual Florean's and lunch at The Leaky Cauldron instead. They talked and ate and talked some more. Fred and George had Rebecca and Harry in absolute stitches as they did their Oliver Wood impressions.

"Alright team, we're going to be practicing 8 nights a week this year? Got it?" George said as he crossed his arms.

"We're going to get that cup, I can feel it in my bones!" Fred said as he punched one fist into the other.

Rebecca looked past them, "Oh, hey Oliver. Good summer?"

Fred and George whipped their heads around. No one was behind them. "She got us Fred."

"Yeah, she did George. Guess we'll have to get her back then."

"You go ahead and try."

Fred scoffed, "A challenge RJ? We never turn a challenge down."

George nodded in agreement, "Never."

*******************************************

Hermione and Crookshanks had been picked up by her parents a while ago and the Weasleys were gathering all of their things to go. Harry had enough Floo powder to get to The Burrow where he would meet them early the next morning to go to King's Cross with them.

Arthur pulled Harry and Rebecca to the side as everyone else filed to the fireplace. "Listen here, strange things are afoot this year."

"Because of Sirius Black?" Harry asked.

"Among other things." Arthur continued, "Just, promise us this: You two will not go after Sirius Black."

Rebecca looked to him in confusion, "Why would we go after a mass murderer?"

Arthur sighed and looked over his shoulder, making sure Molly couldn't hear them. "Molly wasn't sure if you two were old enough, but I think knowledge is better than ignorance. Sirius Black...He was a big follower of you-know-who-"

"Voldemort?" Harry interrupted.

"Shh!" Arthur gave him an incredulous look, "Yes, you-know-who. When he fell, Black lost everything. Went mad with rage. He may very well try to come after you two."

Rebecca nodded her head, "Alright, don't go after the murderer who may want to murder us. Sounds smart."

Arthur's lips raised in a small smile. "Harry, we'll see you in the morning. Becca, let's hop to before Molly has a minor conniption."

Harry and Rebecca hugged and went their separate ways.

*******************************************

King's Cross, past the barrier, had a similar eerie tone like Diagon Alley. Molly and Arthur corralled the children on to the barrier with the usual calls of, "Behave! Do your work! Make us proud!"

They'd hit some traffic at the Floo networks exit and were one of the last groups to get onto the train. Fred and George hopped into a compartment with Lee Jordan and some other fourth years while Ginny said she'd meet them all at supper that night. 

Harry, Rebecca, and Hermione were left to find a compartment on the crowded train. They were almost at the end of it before they found room in one for all three of them. In fact, the compartment was empty except for the person in the corner sleeping under his robe.

"Who's that?" Ron asked as they settled in and put their bags with their robes above them.

"Professor Remus J. Lupin." Hermione answered.

"How the bloody hell do you know everything?!" 

"It's on his case right there. I'm just the only one who bothered to read it."

"Oh."

*******************************************

Three hours into their trip, the train shuddered to a stop and the lights flickered out. Ron put a hand to the glass and tried to see anything towards the front of the train. The window started to coat with ice and left a Ron-sized handprint when he pulled his hand away.

"What do you think is happening?" Hermione asked. Rebecca shrugged and put her hand on the bench between she and Harry. Harry put his hand on hers and gave it a reassuring squeeze. A rasping, whooshing sound could be heard from the hall.

Hermione scooted closer to the window, closer to Ron, farther from the door. A cloaked figure had appeared outside. It's long, bony fingers reached to the locked door handle and opened it without ever touching it. It floated in, looking from Hermione, to Ron, to the sleeping professor, and settled its faceless gaze on the two Potters.

As it focused on them, they could feel the ice-cold tendrils of dread gripping their very souls. As the ghoul came closer and closer, the grip squeezed tighter and tighter until all Rebecca could feel was doom. The compartment began to waver in her peripheral vision.

She saw Harry fall off the bench. She heard a scream echoing in her ears as she fell as well. 

The last thing she saw was the professor's coat joining them on the floor before the darkness took over.

"They'll be just fine, don't fret. Look, they're coming to right now." Rebecca heard a man's voice say.

She sat up with a jump, looking around the compartment wildly. "Hey, hey there, it's alright. It's gone now."

"What was that?" She asked as she looked to where Harry sat beside her, his glasses falling down his face as he stirred as well.

"That was a dementor. Dreadful creatures." The man paused and stuck his hand out, "Professor Lupin. Would you like some chocolate?"

He insisted that she take a few pieces, "It will help, I promise."

Rebecca put a chocolate brick into her mouth and found that it was helping, warming her again. Harry had woken at this point and was eating his own piece and asked. "Who screamed like that?"

"Scream? No one screamed." Hermione said.

Rebecca shook her head, "No, I heard it too. A woman."

Harry and Rebecca looked at each other. Why would they both have heard what they hadn't?

"I felt weird, like I'd never be cheerful again, but definitely didn't hear a scream." Ron said quietly.

Professor Lupin nodded, "Yes, they'll do that. They're the guards of Azkaban, searching for Sirius Black before we arrive."

"They're not going to be at the castle, are they?" Rebecca asked with a hint of fear in her voice. The dementor had sucked everything that made her, her just in the moments that it had been in there with them. Her love, her happiness, her positivity...It made her feel like the husk of a person, and empty shell.

Professor Lupin answered, "Yes, they are. Although you shouldn't see them at all. They're just there to guard the perimeter. If you don't mind, I must excuse myself a moment." He left and walked towards the front of the train.

The four sat in the quiet a moment before Fred, George, and Ginny appeared in the doorway. "Everyone okay?" Fred asked quickly, looking Rebecca over head to toe before doing the same with Harry. "Someone said the dementor came in here!"

Rebecca nodded, "It had. We're alright though."

They filed in and squeezed themselves where they could. Rebecca handed the three her left over chocolate, she was no longer hungry. The idea that something could take away her happiness left her a little nauseous. 

She shivered at the thought. Harry felt similarly, once their happiness was gone, what was left?

*******************************************

When Professor Lupin returned to the compartment, he found Rebecca leaning into Fred's arms while his hand stroked her shoulder idly. Harry leaned against his sister as they watched George who was trying to lighten the mood with more impressions, this time of professors.

"Potter!" George spat in a monotone voice, "Tell me, why are you not answering the question I have yet to ask?" He paused a moment. "Ten points from Gryffindor!"

Professor Lupin clapped slowly from the doorway. "Don't tell anyone I said so, but that was spot on if you ask me." He turned to Harry and Rebecca, "Feeling any better?"

Harry and Rebecca nodded and thanked him. George and Ginny stood to leave while Fred lingered a moment more, wishing he could just stay. "See you at dinner, okay?"

Rebecca nodded, "Okay." She was blushing as she felt Hermione's eyes staring at her. Harry was talking to Professor Lupin about something or other while Ron dug around in his bag for the Bertie Bott's he'd dropped. Neither party had noticed the touching exchange, at least Rebecca thought.

The small smile on their new professor's face said otherwise, though.

*******************************************

The train arrived without any other delays. Filing off the train, Draco called to the Potter children. "Oh no! Hope I don't faint!" He swooned and stumbled into Crabbe and Goyle who were acting similarly.

"Mister Malfoy! I suggest you head to dinner before you lose your house any points before there's a chance to earn them!" Professor McGonagall chided as she turned the corner and went to where Rebecca and Harry were standing.

She had them and Hermione go with her to her office before she she spoke again, "Finally, a little privacy." She sighed and turned to the three young students. "Professor Lupin sent an owl ahead of the train explaining what had happened. Are you two feeling alright?"

Rebecca and Harry answered, "Yes, fine really now."

McGonagall pursed her lips, "I want you two to go by the infirmary on your way to dinner. Just to be sure. You two are dismissed."

Harry and Rebecca left the room while hearing the beginning of whatever Hermione was there for, "Now, Miss Granger, let's go over this schedule once more..."

As they expected, Madame Pomfrey was not happy to see them so soon into the term. "Should have known it would be you two. Don't blame you this time though, those bloody monsters have no place in a school." She ended in a rant as she looked into their eyes and had them walk back and forth in front of her. 

"Life-sucking, joy taking... " Madame Pomfrey continued throughout their inspection, "Anyway, that's how I feel about that. You two are cleared. Run off to the Great Hall now and, for you sakes and mine, I hope to not see you again."

Harry and Rebecca were happy to be cleared, Madame Pomfrey had made her anger at the situation clear as day. They managed to make it to the Gryffindor table as Hermione approached as well. Rebecca took her usual spot between Fred and George while Harry took his usual spot on the other side between Ron and Hermione who were next to Ginny.

"Perfect timing!" Fred and George told them, though Fred leaned down and softly asked if their trip to the infirmary went well. Hermione lifted her eyebrows at the exchange across the table, but said nothing.

Dumbledore finished his explanation about the dementors and his introductions of Professor Lupin as the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher and Hagrid as the new Care of Magical Creatures professor. Then he wished them all an excellent school year before clapping his hands, causing dinner to appear in front of them.

Ron smiled as he said, "I love school."

*******************************************

Author's Note:

I hope you enjoyed it. 

How do you think it's going to go with Hermione and Rebecca, especially since Ginny's their third roommate?

Feel free to comment away!

<3


	29. Chapter 29

Rebecca was so excited to be back at Hogwarts. The first day of class was off to an exciting start as the four third years climbed the many, many stairs to the North Tower for their first Divination class. 

Hermione had made her opinion on the course clear with her remarks about the "validity of the magic" and the "lack of any magical talent" that was needed. Rebecca was just excited to see an actual crystal ball and drink tea for classwork.

Professor Trelawney was a strange woman. Her glasses magnified her eyes so greatly that it looked like her eyes took up most of her face. Her hair, when not pulled back in a patterned scarf, was so frizzy she could have been struck by lightning. The teacher seemed to revel in the strangeness of her classroom as she flitted about shaking hands and reading palms until class began.

In fact, in one corner of the room, a desk and chair were hung upside down so the legs were attached to the ceiling. The room was lined with shelves that held oddities: This row had an assorted dozen of broken crystal balls, this one talismen, another books in every direction.

The Gryffindor students already in the room quickly discovered that this class was not going to be like others that they had already taken. Harry and Ron sat next to each other in front of the table for two where Hermione and Rebecca were setting their bags down.

Professor Trelawney clapped her hands twice and pointed her wand over the the two piles of saucers and tea cups as they floated around the room to where students were sitting. A large teapot floated after them, magically pouring just the right amount of tea into everyone's cups.

"Ladies...and gentlemen..." Professor Trelawney spoke in a beating tempo with a wavering voice. "This class will reveal who...among you has the sight. Worry not...if you do not...it is a rare gift...manifesting itself in very few..."

Hermione whispered to Rebecca, "Is she really going to do this all year?" Professor Trelawney didn't hear the snide remark and continued, "In front of you all...tea. The most delectable of beverages and one which get us started...seeing." She motioned for them all to drink up.

As students started to finish, she instructed them to open their books to the first chapter and read what they could.

Hermione and Rebecca switched cups. "Hermione, I think that this bit here," Rebecca pointed to the bit that looked like a half-moon, "I think that it means you're going to be tired, or atleast working into the night." Rebecca consulted the book again, "But then this bit here that looks like a shoe means you're going to be doing a lot of traveling."

Hermione narrowed her eyes into Rebecca's mug and turned it in a full circle. "I mean, if I had to say anything, this blob in the middle looks like a cup which means..." Hermione looked at the chart, "You're going to be...oh I don't know!" Hermione was exasperated. 

Professor Trelawney had come over at Hermione's little outburst. "Here child...let me gaze and guide you..." The professor hmmed and hawwed at Rebecca's tea leaves and looked her from over once before responding, "This is a complicated fortune...I see many overlapping lines seeming as if..."

"As if what?" Rebecca sat on the edge of her seat in anticipation. Hermione shot her friend a look, she couldn't really believe this.

"As if your future has yet to shape. The lack of boundaries or even...a clear image...shows that you're uncertain."

Rebecca nodded, pondering. Trelawney turned to Harry and Ron who had paused their reading to listen to the girls. Ron was asked to read what he'd found.

"Well, he's got this here that looks like a bowler hat, so I think he'll work in the ministry. Then there's this acorn-like bit that should mean a 'windfall of unexpected riches'." 

"Let me see." Trelawney grabbed Harry's cup out of Ron's hands quickly. Her eyes widened even farther. "No, I fear that reading is incorrect."

She pointed to certain shapes as she continued, "Look here, The Falcon shows you have an enemy. The Club, an attack. The Skull, danger in your path and- OH!" She threw herself back into Rebecca and Hermione's table, causing the girls cups to shake in their saucers until they grabbed them and held them.

"The Grim."

"The Grim?" Harry asked. A boy across the room cut in as he read the definition, "The shape of a giant spectral dog, it's among the darkest omen of our world. It's an omen...of death."

Rebecca dropped her teacup which promptly shattered. Professor Trelawney looked to the clock on the wall, "Whoops, look at the time. Class is dismissed!" Rebecca stood up from her seat and went to Harry's side. Hermione looked to her friends nonchalantly, "She's just making it up, don't worry about it."

Rebecca turned with a scowl, "Don't worry? Don't worry! " She stood there a moment longer before putting her arm around Harry's middle and guiding him out of the room. Where exactly to? Ron and Hermione weren't sure. Ron turned to Hermione, "I still think there was a bowler hat."

Hermione sighed and left the divination classroom to go to her next class. Ron left the room after her, unsure exactly how they'd all fallen into a spat. None of them noticed Rebecca's rucksack tucked under the edge of their table.

*******************************************

"I saw the dog." Harry said quietly, still looking in front of where he and Rebecca were walking blankly. "I know, Harry." She steered him across the castle towards the Transfiguration classroom. Harry looked around the hall and saw how familiar it was. "We don't have Transfiguration next, do we? We're not going to make it to Hagrid's on time..." He still seemed slightly out of it.

Rebecca knocked on the door. Hardly ten seconds had passed before she knocked again, louder. McGonagall opened the door quickly, "What requires such urgency?" She asked before seeing the looks on their faces. 

McGonagall invited them in. "What's happened? Are you both alright?" She asked the two students with concern evident in her voice.

Rebecca explained what had just happened in Divination while Harry looked at his hands. When Rebecca finished and took a shuddery breath at the emotional overload her morning had been, Professor McGonagall leaned across her desk.

"Sybill Trelawney has predicted the death of one student a year, each and every year, since she first arrived. Not a single one of them has died yet. It seems to be a favourite way of hers to start off the year."

Harry looked to the professor with a serious look, "But what about the dog I saw? A big, black dog?"

McGonagall sighed, "I'm not entirely sure. It very well could have just been a stray dog or the shadows of the night or any number of non-death leading things."

Rebecca and Harry were guided to the door, "Here, take this note and give it to Hagrid. It will excuse your tardiness. Children," Professor McGonagall looked to them both with tender sweetness, "'Don't fret with naught to fret about.' A saying my mother told me frequently. I hope you find it helpful."

Rebecca realised as they left her office that she didn't have her bag with her. Harry agreed to make the slight detour back on their way to Hagrid's hut, though he said that he would wait at the foot of the tower. Rebecca nodded, she was glad really. She didn't want to know what other monstrous predictions Professor Trelawney would have for anyone else she loved.

Climbing the stairs two at a time, Rebecca found herself looking at the slightly ajar door of the Divination classroom shortly. She knocked on it as she opened it and announced into the room, "Sorry, just forgot my bag..." Rebecca trailed off as the classroom was uninhabited.

Or so she thought. Professor Trelawney was right in front of her as she turned back to the door with her bag in hand. "Oh!" Rebecca's heart dropped like a stone at the fright.

Trelawney looked at her with her eyes glazed over, she spoke in a raspy, grave voice.

"The one who gives life's counterpart is meant to take it...Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies...Marked as equals, the power remains unknown to the Marker...In the middle of a fissure, one party must die...None can live while the other survives."

As she finished, her head jerked abruptly and her eyes cleared. "I'm sorry, I think I dozed off a moment. Got you bag then?"

Rebecca just stared at her with her mouth gaping open, "What was that?" 

"What was what?" 

"That! The voice and the words and the riddley-poem thing!" Rebecca continued to move toward the door, never once putting her back to Trelawney.

"I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about. Are you alright? Did you bump your head?" 

Rebecca shook her head as she threw the classroom door open and ran down the stairs as fast as she had climbed them. At the bottom, Harry eyed her concerned.

"All good? You're pale, really pale."

"I'm fine. Just tired I guess."

Harry accepted the answer, "Well, pep up! On to Professor Hagrid."

*******************************************

They approached the clearing behind Hagrid's hut to find everyone yelling, Malfoy's voice raising over the clamor.

"Stroke the spine! Ridiculous!" Hagrid stood until they'd quieted down and looked a little relieved to see Harry and Rebecca grew closer. They handed him the excusatory note and stood with the rest of the class, not near Ron and Hermione.

"Welcome' to Care fer Magical Creatures. This is goin' ter be a bit different than Professor Grubblyplank...I want to start out wi' a bang." Hagrid turned and started to walk down a path that turned behind some trees in the slight distance. Harry and Rebecca followed the mass of students. Ron and Hermione fell into step on either side of them.

"I didn't mean it like that, okay? I just..." Hermione paused, "I didn't want you to give it any more worth than it was: A ploy to scare us all."

Rebecca sighed, "McGonagall feels the same. Apparently, she does this every year."

Hermione was thrilled to know that she was right, though she didn't say anything about that. "So, we're good then right?"

Harry leaned forward, past Rebecca, "We're okay. I think we should all just put that whole hour behind us. Okay?" Harry realised that it was going to be better for the big picture if he ignored his worries over Trelawney's prediction.

Rebecca nodded, "I'm sorry I snapped Hermione. I-"

Hermione interrupted, "No, I'm sorry. It was callous of me to write off how you felt." They fell silent.

"So we're all good for lunch then, right?" Ron asked as they entered the next clearing.

Rebecca went to answer him, but couldn't as she saw what Hagrid was approaching. "Oh my..."

Hagrid turned to the class that was now standing around him. Rebecca and company ended up near the front. Certainly not because Rebecca maneuvered her way to get a closer look.

"This 'ere is Buckbeak. He's a hippogriff." Hagrid took a treat off his belt and tossed it behind him where Buckbeak snatched it out of the air and crunched into it.

"Now hippogriffs are proud creatures an' they ought ter be! Look at those wings!" At the sentiment, Buckbeak let his wings ruffle out and stretch their full span. The students oohed and ahhed, Buckbeak revelled in the admiration.

"Now who wants to meet 'im up close?" 

Rebecca took a step forward, despite Ron's grip on the sleeve of her robes. While she moved closer, everyone else moved farther away. Hagrid turned back to the class after looking to Buckbeak and found a very eager third year with a slightly less eager identical third year right behind her.

"Rebecca! Harry! Come on up 'ere!" Hagrid was glad that they had been the first ones. "Now, Hippogriffs are proud creatures. More so than any other!" He turned to the rest of the class, "It is mos' important that you never, ever insult a hippogriff."

He guided Rebecca and Harry to step closer to Buckbeak who eyed them curiously. Buckbeak raised his head and thumped his front legs.

"Okay, now bow. Lower...Lower..." Harry and Rebecca bowed so low, their heads were below their knees. Buckbeak lowered his head in a reciprocated bow. Hagrid announced to the rest of the class, "Buckbeak has accepted 'em." He turned back to Harry and Rebecca, "Go on, pet him."

Rebecca approached Buckbeak slowly, one hand outstretched so he could see her intention. Harry followed behind her. She laid her hand on his shoulder and found that his feathers weren't like the feathers of a bird; his were much thicker. They weren't coarse despite their thickness, but soft. Buckbeak turned his great head and looked at the Rebecca with golden eyes.

Their introductions were interrupted when Hagrid grabbed Rebecca by the back of her robes and tossed her up on his back with ease. Hagrid then did the same with Harry and gave Buckbeak a light slap on the bum.

"Well you can't just pet a hippogriff," Hagrid called as Buckbeak sprung forward, "You ride one!"

Buckbeak galloped forward. He turned around at the end of the clearing and turned back to the class. He pushed his legs faster as they raced towards the ducking and diving students. Harry, behind Rebecca, put his head between her shoulder blades and held them their, convinced that they were going to rundown their peers.

Buckbeak's wings pumped once forcefully before taking on a more measure tempo. They rose higher and higher into the brisk air until they could see their breath and shivered. Buckbeak looked back at them partially, one eye judging them for their lack of cold-weather wear. He started a slow descent, the castle looming in the distance.

"This...this is amazing..." Harry said after a moment of taking in the view they were looking over. The castle was alight with the windows illuminated by the many fires that were burning to ward off the unseasonal cold. Over the Forbidden Forest, birds flew from tree to tree as they sang. 

Rebecca leaned her head back as she stroked Buckbeak's neck and shoulders lovingly, "Yeah, it really is." Buckbeak brought them down on a ledge and stomped a foot and huffed towards the forest. He grew increasingly agitated until, out from the treeline, a herd of unicorns began to gallop through. They were like an avalanche, the pure white of the adults and the gold of the younglings streaming past without hesitation.

That was until two unicorns diverged and slowed as they went to Buckbeak. One unicorn's head was adorned with two small handprints on its cheeks. Harry sucked in a deep breath, realising who had approached them. Buckbeak and the unicorns exchanged whinnies until Buckbeak looked back at them and stomped his foot once more. 

The unicorn with the marks took a step closer and neighed softly. Buckbeak nodded his head and allowed the marked unicorn to go next to him. He held his head out to Rebecca, clearly telling her to rest a hand on his head. 

She did so and found her mind being brushed by the consciousness of the unicorn. She could feel his thankfulness, his confusion, his words.

Little two-leg, for as long as my herd shall be, so shall my gratitude. Peace be with you.

Rebecca gasped as the unicorn's conscious disengaged from hers as he pulled his head from her hand. Harry's hand tightened on her, "What? What's happening?"

Rebecca murmured, to herself and to him, "I've no bloody clue." The mare beside the marked stallion puffed and threw her head over her shoulder to where a golden foal was waiting and looking at the exchange.

The unicorn nodded once more and bowed his head as he left. When they were out of sight, Buckbeak looked at them both once more before flying back to the clearing.

"Can't take you anywhere, can I?" Harry quipped in the air.

"Like you're one too talk! I think it's genetic."

*******************************************

They had come to a running stop in front of the Care for Magical Creatures class that had been reading the chapter on hippogriffs in their absence. Once unmounted, Buckbeak walked back to his spot and chomped another weasel-like creature that Hagrid tossed him.

"Wasn't tha' just amazing?" Hagrid asked, grinning at the messier-than-usual hair on the two of them.

They nodded breathlessly and took their place next to Hermione and Ron. Hagrid asked, "Now, who wants to meet Buckbeak next?"

Malfoy sauntered to the front, "I will, I'm not afraid of a big chicken." Buckbeak shook his head as he took a step forward. Hagrid held a hand out for the boy to stop, but he ignored it and continued closer.

"Yeah, you're nothing to be afraid of, right ya' big bloody brute?" At the continued insults, Buckbeak raised himself up on his hind quarters and came down in a quick movement, slashing Malfoy's robes with his talons.

Malfoy fell to the ground blubbering before any blood even broke the surface. "Oh that's it, that's it! I'm bleeding to death..."

"Buckbeak!" Hagrid tossed a creature to the other end of the clearing so he would go get it and leave the scene. Hagrid knelt down next to Malfoy and rolled his sleeve up gently, "Now, now. It's hardly a scratch really. Madame Pomfrey will fix this in an instant." He looked to the horrified students, "Class dismissed!"

Hermione was asking some questions about the technical abilities of their flight, comparing their observations to the books descriptions. When Rebecca mentioned the unicorn, Ron and Hermione stopped in their tracks.

They looked at each other, noting their identical reactions and looked away from each other just as quickly. They asked for a further explanation which Rebecca and Harry provided, although all if left them with was more questions.

"Well at least it's time for lunch, right?" Ron asked with a grin. Of course he was worried about her, she'd become a sister and a best friend of Ron's, but what were they supposed to do, worry about something they hardly understood?

Hermione rolled her eyes and continued on without acknowledging the lunch comment, "I just hope that Hagrid doesn't get into trouble because of Malfoy."

Rebecca was the first to respond, "He shouldn't! Malfoy didn't listen to the instructions, Hagrid said, 'Never insult a hippogriff' at the very beginning!" Harry surprised to hear how angry she was.

Ron was the only one to answer as they headed back to the castle, "Wish I could've been the one to do it."

*******************************************

Author's Note:

Well, here's Monday's update, as promised. 

<3


	30. Chapter 30

At breakfast the next morning a letter was delivered to the Gryffindor table addressed to Harry, Rebecca, Hermione, and Ron. Inside the envelope, they found a piece of parchment stained with splotches like tears. Hagrid had received an urgent letter from the Ministry of Magic in the late evening that alerted him to an investigation was being opened into the ferocity of Buckbeak.

"But Buckbeak didn't do anything!" Rebecca thumped a fist on the table.

"We know that. Hagrid knows that. The only reason this happening is because of Malfoy." Harry said. Ron hopped onto the idea with the excuse to hate on his enemy.

Hermione sighed deeply, "We must help Hagrid to clear Buckbeak's name then. We can study up on Wizard law and we can make a strong case!"

Ron glowered into his oatmeal, "Second bloody day and she's making up extra homework." He muttered under his breath, forgetting his previous enthusiasm.

Rebecca and Hermione launched into a discussion where they were finishing each other's sentences and speaking so quickly that Harry found himself quite lost. He let his eyes wander around the Great Hall, their rapid-fire responses acting as white noise. He preoccupied himself about their Defence Against the Dark Arts class they had next, then thinking about how much he despised that it was followed by Potions. His favorite class sullied by Snape.

He found himself distracted from his own distractions when he noticed one of the Weasley twins staring at him. No, not at him, past him. Harry traced his line of sight and found that the twin, who he had concluded was Fred based on the fact that George had just called him Fred, was indeed not staring at him. His gaze was fixed on Rebecca.

Fred was bumped by George, who had been bumped by Lee, who had been bumped another fourth year, made eye contact with Harry. Fred looked down to his breakfast, his ears turning a light pink.

*******************************************

Upon entering the DADA classroom, the group of four found the classroom to be in a strange formation. The desks were stacked up one wall, clearly by magic unless Professor Lupin was hiding four meter long arms in his patched tweed coat. An old wardrobe was in the center of the room. Professor Lupin stood near it, twirling his wand between his long fingers with a level of expertise that suggested he frequently did so.

"Good morning, good morning! Come on in!" He directed them to all put their bags down along the walls and gather around the wardrobe.

Ron whispered to Rebecca, "Hope this one's not a nutter like the others!"

Professor Lupin smiled and introduced himself, "Hello class. My name is Professor Lupin and, I'm proud to say, I'm not a nutter." Ron simultaneously blushed and paled. Lupin carried on, "I do my class a little differently than some other professors: I don't like to ease in. I like to hit the ground running, so to speak."

He took a step forward, pausing the twirling of his wand, and gestured to the wardrobe. "Can anyone tell me what a boggart is?"

Hermione's hand shot up, "It's a shape-shifter that takes the shape of your biggest fear. No one knows what one looks like when it's by itself because no one is fearless."

"Excellent! 5 points to Gryffindor. And you're quite right: No one has ever seen a boggart in its original form. Now, the greatest enemy of fear is- anyone?- Laughter. When the boggart is released from the wardrobe and takes form, you're going to raise you wand and cast the spell Riddikulus while imagining what can make your fear funny.. As long as you remain steadfast in your fear, the boggart will, well I'll let you be the discoverer of that."

He directed them to line up down the classroom. Neville was at the very front, with Rebecca and Hermione a way behind him, though still ahead of Ron and Harry who were closer to the back, though Harry kept gravitating to the very back of the line.

Professor Lupin cast a spell at the wardrobe that made the doors open and out sprung a shadow that instantly took form of Professor Snape. He stalked his way to Neville who had his wand up though he was frozen in fear. As the Snape look-alike opened his mouth, Neville's voice wavered, "Riddikulus!" Snape was suddenly wearing an outfit Neville's grandmother was notorious for: A large red handbag and the most disturbing hat she could find from her collection of awfully disturbing hats. (Snape was presently wearing a copy of her vulture hat.)

Pavarti was behind him and the boggart took the shape of a giant python. When she cast Riddikulus, the boggart turned into a clown like a Jack-in-the-box. The students continued down the line and soon enough, it was Hermione's turn. She stepped up to where the boggart was dancing as a mime and it shuddered as it took a new form.

Professor McGonagall was standing in front of the class now. The look-alike looked down to the paper it was holding and began to speak, "Miss Granger, I regret to inform you that you have failed. Failed Potions. Failed Transfiguration. Failed Defence Against the Dark Arts. Fail-"

Hermione shouted, "Riddikulus!" With gusto. Professor Lupin clapped his hands.

Rebecca took Hermione's spot. The boggart cocked it's head at her, its face blurring but not taking a sold shape. A second passed. Then another. And another. 

Rebecca turned to Professor Lupin who looked at her, confusion clear. Finally the boggart turned in a swift 360 degree spin and took the shape of Harry, for a moment. The boggart was flashing between faces. Fred, Harry, Hermione, Ron, George, Fred, Molly, Arthur, Harry, Ginny, Fred, McGonagall, Fred, Harry... The faces flashed rapidly, the voice of the boggart matching who it took the form of.

"Rebecca," Harry's voice. "How could you?" Fred's voice came next. "Why would you hurt me?" Hermione. "All we've ever done is care about you." Ron. "Now look what you've done, gotten us hurt." George. "Killed." Fred's voice was the last to be heard. "Knowing you...killed us."

Rebecca raised a shaky hand and cast Riddikulus.

Suddenly, the bogart who was now the form of Molly, had a piece of metal with a large lock attached to it across its mouth. It reached up to its lips and tried to pry it off, but couldn't. Another student took over and the boggart took its next form. Rebecca walked to the back of the line, her classmates eying her strangely as they whispered to one another.

Professor Lupin motioned for her to stop as she walked by him, "That was... quite a fear. 

Rebecca shook her head, "Why was mine like that? I was certain it would have been something to do with water. Water is what I'm afraid of."

Professor Lupin crouched down and sighed, "Fears are not always what we are afraid of. I think, in my unprofessional professional opinion, that your fear just showed how deeply you love. Anyone can be afraid of snakes or spiders," He motioned to where Ron was facing his own arachnid-fear, "But fearing hurting or losing those you care most about? That's fear itself; and yet, that's also love."

Rebecca nodded, "May I be excused? I'd much rather not go again." She checked her watch and saw that there was only five minutes left of class.

Lupin allowed her with a smile and went to intercept before there was a mass panic as Harry was next. She walked past Hermione who looked at her with concern evident in her eyes. Rebecca assured her friend that she was fine and would meet them at Potions. She turned to leave, but wrapped Hermione and Ron in a big hug before she grabbed her bag and ducked out of the room.

She found herself walking quickly, then jogging, and eventually running down the halls. She minimized her footfalls so that all that could be heard was the sound of her breathing. Left. Right. Straight. Up a floor. Soon she was outside the Transfiguration classroom like yesterday. She put her hands on her knees and waited for the bell to ring.

When it did, Fred and George were one of the first to leave the room. Rebecca jumped out from the suit of armor she'd been behind and startled them as she wrapped them in her arms.

"Fred, is it your birthday?"

"Pretty sure it's not George. Is it yours?"

Rebecca laughed and held them tighter, "You two are mental. I just...wanted to tell you how much I care about you. That's all."

"Not planning on going anywhere, are you?" George quipped.

"Not today at least. Anyway, I've got to go. Potions. See ya!" She turned and jogged away, the dungeons seeming quite far.

Fred watched her leave. George chuckled, "Loon." And wrapped an arm around Fred's shoulders as he turned them towards their next class. "Let's go, Romeo."

Fred sputtered, "Wh-Whi-What're you talking about?"

George wiggled his eyebrows, "You...Becs..."

"That's our sister!"

George shook his head and fell serious as the grave, "No, she's not. Ginny's our sister. We share our blood, our parents. Rebecca? Rebecca may have the Weasley name for guardianship, but there's no blood shared their. We share a home with her."

Fred's face was bright, bright red as George spit facts and continued, "I hope you get that through your thick head. Merlin's beard, all you ever do is talk about her."

Lee came up behind them and jumped in, having heard enough of the conversation to know what they were talking about. "Rebecca?"

George nodded. Lee continued, mimicking Fred's voice. "You guys seen RJ? How's RJ? We should wait for this prank for RJ. RJ's going to like this one."

Fred pushed George's arm off him and walked ahead of George and Lee who were now roleplaying dramatically in the hall.

"Oh Freddykins!"

"Oh Rebeccie-boo!"

Fred whirled at their loud voices, looking around to make sure no one was paying any attention to them, "Just shut it!" George and Lee made eye contact, their eyebrows raised at the outburst, though not surprised because they had been pushing him pretty hard. They said nothing more and fell in step aside Fred who was scowling.

They both chuckled to each other as quietly as they could as Lee mouthed to George behind Fred, "Never even denied it!"

*******************************************

Rebecca made it to the Potions classroom in the dungeon just before Professor Snape slammed the door shut. She hurried over to where Ron and Hermione were sitting and took the empty spot next to Harry.

"This year is not going to be easy like last year." Snape intoned.

"Last year was easy?!" Ron whispered.

"In fact, this year we are going to start trying. You weren't trying last year, were you? If you were, I'm sorry to tell you that you are not going to succeed. Especially not when this year you need to pass the end of year exams in order to continue your studies."

He narrowed his eyes on Harry and Rebecca, "No exceptions."

He turned to the board and began to scratch notes furiously. "I didn't get to face the boggart." Harry whispered to Rebecca.

"What? Why not?"

"Lupin didn't want Voldemort in front of the class."

"Then why'd I get to do it?" She asked confused.

Harry shrugged. "Maybe he thought I just couldn't do it."

Rebecca's hand crossed the distance between them under the desk and gave him a reassuring squeeze on the knee, "That's not it at all--I think you know that already though."

Harry grinned cheekily, "Maybe, but I feel a bit better hearing you say it."

Rebecca went to quip back but ducked her head to her parchment as Snape turned around. His eyes narrowed, but he said nothing. Rebecca scribbled what was on the board down until she turned and felt something hit the back of her curly hair.

A ball of parchment hit the ground behind her stool. She reached down and picked it up discreetly. Unwrapping the ball, she found an enchanted, albeit crude, drawing of Rebecca and Harry lying on the ground with a dementor flying around the top of the page.

Rebecca turned in her chair as Harry grabbed it out of her hands to look for himself. Draco was sitting between Crabbe and Goyle while all three were stifling their own laughter. She scoffed and turned back to the front of the room. Harry had crumpled the ball back up and set it on the desk.

Rebecca grabbed it and turned back to the Slytherin boys who were now wiping tears from their eyes. She cocked a smirk at them, causing their eyebrows to raise on their pale faces in varying degrees.

She lifted the hand with the ball up so it was level and tossed the ball of parchment up into the air. It arced backwards slightly, she leaned back in her stool.

And caught the little ball directly in her mouth. She gave the three of them one last look as she chomped through the quickly-wetting parchment before she turned back to the lesson.

*******************************************

The day passed with only one more snag in the afternoon where Draco and his cronies followed Harry and Rebecca around with black covers over their faces, making ghostly noises. After their last class, they had planned on running to Hagrid's to comfort him and start a battle plan.

That was the plan at least. Fred, George, and Lee cornered Rebecca at the dinner table.

"So what was up with this afternoon, huh?" Lee started.

"Yeah, we don't see you for one day and you bombard us like that?" George asked faux angry.

Rebecca shook her head, not picking up on his playing. "Not at all! I didn't mean to 'bombard' you. I'm sorry..." She was worried, had she embarrassed them, upset them?

George scoffed, "Well you should be." He and Lee cracked grins and were soon howling in laughter. Fred seemed distant. Rebecca leaned down to catch his eye, "You good mate?"

Fred looked away and snapped, "I'm fine."

Rebecca's head jerked back, "Well that's a lie, if you're upset you could just say so. Don't be a prat without cause and certainly don't lie about it." She said as she stacked her utensils onto her plate.

"Ron? Harry? I'm heading to the owlery to send a letter off. I'll meet you at the castle gates, okay?"

Hermione tossed her bag onto her back, "I'll go with you. I've got one for my parents."

As the two girls left the Great Hall, Ginny winked from across the table, "Great job, Fred. Really, excellent work."

He sighed deeply and looked to her, "Great job doing what, exactly?"

She looked to George who just shrugged before looking back to Fred. "Like Becs said, being a right prat."

Fred left the Great Hall without supper, he'd lost his appetite.

George leaned down to Harry and Ron, "Children, am I right?" He shook his head slowly and comically. Ron grinned and continued his conversation, but Harry furrowed his eyes and looked to his dinner.

"Fred and Rebecca? Liking each other?" He felt himself growing protective, disgustingly so. He shook his head, "It's actually none of my business. She can make a decision. I can always just...kill Fred if he hurts her anyway."

Harry felt reassured by his thoughts and jumped back into the dinner clamor.

*******************************************

Hermione and Rebecca had just reached the top of the Owlery staircase. Rebecca put her hands on her knees, "Nothing is quite as hard as making it up here."

Hermione shook her head, "Watching you and Fred might be a close second!"

Rebecca looked to her friend confused, "What on Earth are you talking about?"

Hermione had walked to the post where an owl was waiting for her to tie on her envelope before she responded, "You two are clearly infatuated with each other."

Rebecca's jaw dropped, "We are not 'clearly infatuated' with each other!" Her hands flew to her hips as she stood and watched Hermione turn back to her slowly.

"Sure." Hermione stepped to the side of the owl pegs.

Rebecca skulked to the pegs and saddled Hedwig with the letter. Hedwig pushed her soft head under Rebecca's hand and looked at her with her big golden eyes. She winked and took off.

"Did you see that?" Rebecca whirled to where Hermione was standing. "She winked at me!"

Hermione shook her head, "Fine, change the topic."

Hermione started back down the stairs tossing one more remark over her shoulder, "I better get invited to the wedding!"

*******************************************

The girls talked about the increased rigor of their coursework so far into the beginning the year. Hermione had seemed extra-frazzled and Rebecca was a little concerned. She had hardly even seen Hermione sleep.

Hermione insisted she was fine and, upon finding Fred sitting on the bottom stair, said she would meet Rebecca back at the dorm that night.

"Hey," Fred called. "Can I have a moment?"

Rebecca slowed and plopped down next to him, "Of course."

They sat in silence until Fred began after a pregnant pause. "I didn't mean to snap at you like that at supper. And, I'm sorry."

Rebecca nodded once, "Apology accepted." She stood up and went to leave.

"So you don't you want to know why I was upset?" 

Rebecca looked at him, her eyes bright behind her glasses, "Don't feel like you owe me an explanation. The point I was on was just don't lie about being upset when you clearly are."

Fred nodded and thought a moment, "Then I think I'll just keep it to myself. But, I do have another question..."

Rebecca grinned as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a familiar bag.

"Want to set these dung bombs off with me?"

*******************************************

Rebecca ended up spending the better part of an hour and a half with Fred and George who they met up with after they left the Owlery. They managed to dung-ify a group of Hufflepuff and a lone Slytherin before Mrs. Norris ratted them out to Filch. Filch turned the corner and started his galloping-sprint.

The three pranksters turned tail and ran, going the most out of the way route on the stairs in hope that one would turn and lose their chaser. The stairwell before Gryffindor Tower had their well-being in mind and turned right as Rebecca's foot left the top, taking Filch in the opposite direction.

"YOU THREE," Filch was drooling as he shouted towards them. "I WILL GET YOU THREE AND HANG YOU BY YOUR THUMBS UNTIL..."

His voice was drowned out by the distance and their laughter. 

"Oh shite! I was supposed to go to Hagrid's this evening!" Rebecca hurried to the portrait hole, "Maybe they waited for-"

George gasped as he looked at the tattered portrait Rebecca's fingers were grazing.

"We need Professor McGonagall." George turned to the entrance of the hall they were in and called down, "Go get Professor McGonagall!"

Fred put a hand on Rebecca's shoulder. She turned back and looked up to him, "Who would do this?"

"I don't know."

"You don't think Sirius Black got into the castle, do you?"

Fred sighed and was glad that McGonagall approached when she did. "You three, did you see anyone in the Tower?" McGonagall was inches from their faces.

"No, professor. We didn't see anyone." They answered.

Dumbledore pulled McGonagall back, "We found her in the Ravenclaw wing..."

Fred and George were talking over Rebecca's head about the homework they were going to need to push until tomorrow with the delay as she searched the faces of the Gryffindor's crowding into the hallway, worrying about Harry, Ron, and Hermione who were still unseen. 

"I'm sure they're fine." Fred said before returning to George. 

Rebecca looked to him with a scowl, "Don't read my mind, Fred." Fred chuckled and went to say something else but was interrupted by McGonagall and Dumbledore, who had inspected the common room and the dormitories. They decided that all students would be brought to the Great Hall to sleep until morning.

"Have you seen Harry recently?" Dumbledore asked. His tone was not unkind, far from it. It was the thoughts that rushed through Rebecca's head that were.

"No, sir. Not since I left them at dinner for the owlery with Hermione."

McGonagall turned to Dumbledore, "Miss Granger hasn't been seen yet either. She must be with them."

The two adults left with a whirl of their robes. The prefects and head boys and girls led each and every student to the Great Hall where cots were arranged in rows. Teachers patrolled the Great Hall to settle arguments while Rebecca just took one anywhere. Ginny took the one aside her with Fred taking the other side.

"I'm sure they're fine, RJ. Probably just caught up talking to Hagrid."

Rebecca nodded her head, "I'm just going to rest my eyes, please wake me up when they get back?"

"Of course." Fred handed her a blanket from the stack and grabbed an extra for her as well. He knew how cold she could get.

Rebecca drifted to sleep quickly, the stress of the evening only giving her fitful, dark dreams. Fred tried to stay up as late as he could, but after midnight when they still weren't back, he too fell asleep.

When Dumbledore and McGonagall surveyed the Gryffindor cots, they smiled at each other as they saw that Fred and Rebecca's hands were touching between their cots. 

"Is there anything quite as innocent as young love?" Dumbledore mused to Minerva.

She grabbed yet another blanket and draped it over some of the students not covered. 

"No, I don't think there is."

*******************************************

As Fred and George woke up, Fred untangled his hands from Rebecca's. George opened his mouth for a cheeky remark.

"So, you and-"

"Shut it, George. Just, shut it."

George nodded, "Alright. I'm done if it upsets you so much."

"Good, it does."

George stood up and stretched before humming the first few lines of Here Comes the Bride.

"GEORGE!"

*******************************************

Author's Note:

Next up: Hogsmeade.

Thanks for reading!

<3


	31. Chapter 31

The castle, while still shook by the breakin, rebounded quickly in the early beginning of the holiday season. Snow had already blanketed the castle making for an exceptionally beautiful Hogsmeade outing; the first for third years.

Rebecca was standing with Harry, Ron, and Hermione as Professor McGonagall called for the permissions slips from the front. When she had the stack in hand, she tapped her wand to it. One flew out and flew in front of her face.

"Harry Potter!" Harry's head shot to where she had called his name. "Unfortunately, plagiarised signatures do not grant access."

The class turned and stared at Harry as he walked to the front to get the slip McGonagall was handing back to him.

"But profess-"

"No 'buts' Mister Potter. You're lucky I don't take points and give you detention."

Harry grumbled his way back to where Rebecca was watching with wide eyes. "Harry, I'm so sorry. I didn't know she'd charm them!"

Harry just shook his head, "It's alright, really. How could we have known?"

"How could you have known that the professor at a school for magic would use magic? I don't know..." Hermione trailed off as she saw the look they were giving her.

"How about some quidditch then? I'm sure Wood would unlock the closet if we asked. We can sneak into the kitchens too and get some hot chocolate! Make a day of it!" Rebecca shot ideas for other things they could do.

Harry shook his head, "Don't be silly Becs. You've been going on about Zonko's for ages. I'll be fine, maybe start on my Potions essay, pop up to Hedwig..."

They went back and forth a while longer until Harry went back up to the Common Room and insisted that they all go and have an excellent day. "Bring me back some licorice wands and I'll hardly even miss you!"

Rebecca sighed as she watched him leave. Fred and George had joined them and saw how she watched him leave sadly. Turning to the carriages, Fred and George pushed them to it.

"Forgot something, stall for two minutes!" The Weasley twins shouted in unison. They turned and ran in the direction Harry had gone in. Ron jumped into the carriage while Hermione turned to the carriage driver.

"So, what's this do?" 

*******************************************

Hermione had nagged the poor driver with questions about every facet of carriage driving. The cabin driver patiently answered each one, but when he was the last carriage at the stand he grew more frustrated.

Just when he was about to snap, Fred and George reappeared with their faces red. They dove into the carriage like secret agents and the driver reached back and slammed the door shut behind Hermione.

Ron cackled at Hermione, "What is the average number of calories a horse needs to pull a carriage for an hour? Two? What about in inclimate weather? How does the weight of the passengers factor in?" He said in a falsetto.

Hermione huffed and turned to watch the snowy hills go by as they left Hogwarts and approached Hogsmeade. "At least I did something, Ronald!"

Fred and George oooh-ed at their youngest brother's full name. They leaned across the middle of the carriage where they sat on either side of Rebecca and thanked Hermione individually.

"What'd you forget?" Rebecca asked as they took their seats.

Fred and George made eye contact before shrugging, "Forgot what we forgot already!" George said while Fred nodded his head.

Rebecca leaned closer to them both. "I know that's not the truth but I'm too bloody cold to argue." 

Hermione reached into her backpack and pulled out one of Rebecca's coats. Rebecca cocked an eyebrow as she grabbed it pulled it on over her warmest jumper, thanking her profusely.

"Hermione? Do you usually carry around my wardrobe?"

Hermione, putting Ron's ribbing behind her, explained, "Becs, you're cold all the time. Could be a sunny day and if there's even a slight breeze, you'll shiver."

Rebecca looked down at her outfit. Gloves, cap, scarf, leggings under long pants, boots, long-sleeve shirt, jumper, and now a heavy coat. 

"That's not true! How'd you even fit it in that little pack?" 

Hermione just smiled. "It is true. And, magic."

Fred and George put their heads on top of hers, "It is." Ron nodded in agreement.

"You know what this is? This is bullying."

They bantered around as the carriage jostled to and fro over the snow covered road. Over one especially deep hidden hole, the carriage dipped to the right farther than it had before. Rebecca was thrown to the right, directly onto Fred.

"Sorry." She pushed herself up and was sitting straight when the carriage went the other way, forcing Fred to tip onto Rebecca who ended up on George.

"Losing...will...to...live..." George groaned out from under the stack. Fred was frozen, his body held against Rebecca's, his hands on either side of her head. He'd found himself absolutely entrapped in the green eyes that looked to him.

"Fred? You gonna move before George stops breathing?"

"Too late...already gone..."

Fred shook his head realising he hadn't moved and jumped off of them. "Oh yeah, sorry."

The carriage stopped and the doors were flung open. They stepped out and the carriage pulled away quickly, the driver afraid that Hermione would start to ask questions. Fred and George said that they had one stop to make before they all met at Three Broomsticks before heading to Zonko's last. 

"Want to go to Honeydukes?" Ron asked excitedly. He had brought the galleons he'd received as an early birthday present, though he had split it up to save some for Christmas presents. They had all decided to do a Secret Santa like thing to give gifts to their friends and had drawn the night before. Rebecca got Harry to gift for, which was a nice surprise because she had already had a few ideas about gifts for him. She knew that Hermione got George because Hermione had a quick question about George's shirt size, but the others had been tight lipped.

Entering the candy shoppe through the double doors in constant motion as students went in and out, Rebecca kicked the snow off her boots on the mat and revelled in the warmth. 

"Oh Merlin! It's so warm in here, just leave me here. Get me before you leave and just leave me."

Ron rolled his eyes, "Girls are so dramatic."

Ron took in the wall to wall sweets around him and bee-lined to the chocolate frogs. Hermione and Rebecca walked to the licorice shelves and grabbed a few licorice wands for Harry. Hermione whirled around at a tap on her shoulder, but found no one behind her. 

"You getting anything?" Rebecca asked Hermione, who just shook her head.

"No, I'm going to step outside. Not all of us like to be roasted you know." Hermione laughed.

"Ha. Ha." Rebecca left for the cashier while Hermione left looking over her shoulder. Ron joined Rebecca in line with a single chocolate frog in hand.

"Only one?"

Ron nodded strongly. "Got a really good feeling about this one. Still hunting for the Helga." They handed the cashier their money and went to leave the shoppe. At the door, Rebecca saw a display with a new candy: Dragon Scales.

It was a small bag of scale-shaped hard candies that, according to the label, would make the eater roar and breathe fire. Rebecca paused and grabbed the bag, "I'll be right out, I think Hagrid would love these and he sure could use something to cheer him up."

The cashier smiled at seeing her again, "Find something else?"

Rebecca giggled, "Yes, always find one more thing after you check out, right?"

They laughed and struck up a conversation, only ending when the line grew a certain level of too-long. "Next time it's an excursion day, pop back in and tell me what you thought of those scales."

"They're actually a gift, but I'll bring back what he thought of them. Rebecca, and you?" She stuck her hand out over the counter.

"Jones, it's a pleasure to meet you Miss Rebecca."

"Likewise then, Mister Jones."

Rebecca giggle once more as she turned to leave the shop. She saw Ron's red hair across the way while a mischievously grinning Fred and George stood on either side of Hermione.

"Twas a good idea!" George declared in a posh accent.

"No brother, twas a great idea!" Fred puffed his chest out and smirked.

"What was a good idea?" Fred whirled at Rebecca's voice.

"Nothing-" His voice cracked, causing him to clear his throat. "Nothing crazy, just this:"

He and George jazz-handed as they gestured at nothing. "You made a prank involving...air?" 

Harry's head appeared. "Hey!"

Rebecca's eyes lit up, "How did you two do this? Filch was watching the exit!"

George crossed his arms and mimed like he was buffing his nails. "Who said he used that exit?"

Harry nodded his head excitedly, "Wait until I show you later Becs, it's mental!" They all laughed except for Hermione. "I will say one more time, I don't like this. With Sirius Black running around no one, especially you Harry, should be out unallowed."

Harry sighed, "Yes Hermione, I fully agree. However, unless you have a way to go back in time, I'm here for the time being."

Hermione paled, but said nothing and turned towards where The Three Broomsticks was down the block. Harry leaned down to catch Hermione's eyes, "Can I buy you a butterbeer to warm your frozen bend-a-rule-bone?"

Hermione looked around at all of their excited faces, "Well, if you insist. It's probably smart too, Rebecca's lips are turning blue."

Fred pulled a large hand from his coat pocket and tilted her face up to his with his thumb resting lightly on her cheek. His thumb brushed at her ivory skin before he pulled his hand away. His hand had been so shockingly warm that she felt even colder when it was gone.

"Let's go warm up before we have a group of people and a popsicle." Fred said.

Rebecca followed them as they left where they had been standing. "I'm the popsicle right?"

Ron nodded, "Yeah, obviously."

"Cause I'm so cool, right?"

They all made productions of miming themselves falling to the ground, dead at the horrible pun.

Rebecca laughed at her own joke as she danced around their theatrics, ending up at the front of the pack and continuing to The Three Broomsticks.

*******************************************

Madame Rosmerta placed the numerous butterbeers on the counter where Fred and George brought them back to the booth they had taken in the corner. Harry, feeling that he was hidden enough tucked back there, had the invisibility cloak next to him.

Hermione surveyed the other patrons and couldn't see how anyone would be able to pick Harry out of their group from so far. That was, until Professor Lupin entered the building and headed straight for them.

Harry pulled the cloak over his head and was pushed under the table. He crouched down at their feet, listening to the conversation taking place above them.

"Hello there. The lot of you are behaving aren't you?" Lupin chuckled.

"Oh yes, professor." George answered.

"We aren't known to misbehave, are we?" Rebecca asked cheekily.

Lupin only chuckled again.

Hermione focused on her butterbeer, not participating in the conversation. Underneath the table, Harry watched Professor McGonagall's robes approach the table and stand next to Professor Lupin.

"Can I buy you a drink Remus?"

Professor Lupin said goodbye to the children and was guided to the stairs at the back of The Three Broomsticks. Harry crouched lower and watched the professors feet disappear to the second floor. Harry decided he had to know what they were going to talk about and crept out from under the table.

They all felt Harry crawl out over their feet, but they couldn't do anything. To call out to air and tell him to come back would have caused too much suspicion in the ever-filling pub. Rebecca sighed and shook her head. "I'm drinking his butterbeer."

*******************************************

Author's Note:

I ended up having to split this chapter into two as it was over 5,000 words. Hogsmeade continues into the next chapter and I hope to keep moving forward with the Prisoner of Azkaban's plot.

<3


	32. Chapter 32

Harry didn't return for nearly twenty minutes. In that time, the others had finished their drinks and paid their tabs. They slowly moved towards the front door so that Harry could see that they were leaving, wherever he was.

Outside, they crossed the way and meandered while Harry weaved his way through the crowd.

"Rebecca, I know why Sirius Black is after us."

Rebecca looked in the direction she'd heard his voice come from, "Is that what they were talking about up there?"

Harry ignored her, "He betrayed our parents. He killed them and then some muggles when Voldemort fell."

Rebecca went to reach out for him, but Harry yanked his hand from hers. "Why isn't this bothering you? He murdered them just as much as Voldemort did!"

Rebecca looked around, people passing by were looking around at the sound of the Dark Lord's name being shouted. "Harry, I am upset. Don't think I'm not for a second. But I don't know what you want from me."

Harry took a backward step, his footprint in the snow the only thing visible. "You could act like you even care about them." He turned and ran in the direction of the forest near the Shrieking Shack.

Ron squeezed Rebecca's shoulder, "He's just got his wand in a knot. Don't let him ruin the afternoon okay?"

Hermione nodded, "Look, we'll go towards the Shrieking Shack and look for him. You three go on to Zonko's. We'll probably meet up at the carriages because we only have about," She looked at her watch. "An hour or so left."

Ron gulped loudly, "The Shrieking Shack?"

Hermione shook her head, "Yes, the Shrieking Shack. I'll protect you from the ghosties." She pulled him in the direction Harry had stormed off in while she shook her head.

Fred and George looked at each other before turning to Rebecca whose face was blank.

"Y'alright?" George asked carefully.

"I'm fine. Let's just go on, okay?"

George only looked at her longer. "I'm serious George, I'm fine!" She laughed as he made his eyes as wide as they would go.

Fred leaned down, "Good! It's against the law to go into Zonko's upset."

Rebecca played along, "Really? What's the punishment for breaking a serious law like that?"

Fred shrugged, "I think it's to be pranked until the end of time, but I'm not sure. Never done the crime."

"Well that sounds just horrible, guess I better put my happy face on then."

George pushed himself between the two of them and put and arm around both of them. "Probably best they went off anyway, now they'll be no outsides who know about this idea we had last night."

George launched into an explanation for this prank they wanted to do with something they were going to build.

"And that's where you come in. We've got the potions know-how, but the charms we've been struggling with." George wrapped up.

Rebecca asked a few clarifying questions about the prank itself before launching off a few ideas of her own to solve the issues they had.

The three talked without silence until they arrived at Zonko's exciting, albeit plain, door.

"We'd never do this." George said disdainfully.

"A prank shop should be as thrilling as a prank itself!" Fred added with a shake of his head.

"You guys are prank shop snobs!"

Fred threw the doors open revealing a busy, bustling store. "Lee!" They called as they saw their friend near the wrong-word-writing quills. Rebecca looked at the little case with a "TRY ME" sign and picked the quill up. She went to write the word 'something' and found that the quill wrote 'nothing.' Rebecca laughed and wrote a row of words and found that the quill always wrote the opposite.

Fred leaned down, "You know, there's a lot more than this here. George and Lee went to find Zonko and see if he had anything new, let me show you around."

Fred guided her to the shelf of 'frightening foods' with chocolate bugs that would start to squirm in your mouth and acid pops.

"Gave Ron one of those once when he was a tot, mum nearly murdered us!"

He then showed her the back of the 'school tool' shelf with other enchanted quills and parchment, and even a faux Howler!

The back half of the shop was filled with other pranking supplies. The dung bombs that Rebecca was well acquainted with, Change-Colour-Combs that turned the hair of the person who used it into the colour of the comb, and little orbs called Ice-Makers.

Rebecca picked the Ice-Makers up and was tossing them from hand to hand when one slipped out of a slit in the package. As it hit the ground, it flashed white and made a meter by meter square of shiny, slippery ice! Rebecca carried the pack as Fred pulled her by the coat sleeve to the register where George was standing with Lee.

"Come on, you don't have anything new? Anything at all?" The man just shrugged and shook his head.

George stepped to the side so that Rebecca could check out. The man at the register was old and had a large white mustache so long, it reached the sides of his face. He gave her a wink and added something to her bag with a finger held to his lips. The other three boys were talking amongst themselves, not noticing the exchange.

Rebecca slid another galleon across the counter for whatever the other thing was, but the man shook his head. He gave her the bag, "Happy pranking!"

Fred sighed as they left the shop. He'd grabbed a few things their prank box was low on, but he was a little disappointed that they hadn't had anything knew yet. Their next Hogsmeade trip was after the week before Christmas, so he at least had that to look forward to.

Rebecca slowed down a little, enough so that she was walking behind the three boys. Lee had decided to spend the rest of the little time with them. George told them they had just enough time to go to The Shrieking Shack before it was time to go.

They followed a snowy path towards their destination when they heard voices. Hermione was shouting at someone, "Don't be such a git Harry! You were wrong then and you're wrong now!"

"Just tell her to!" Harry's voice rang out before the voices in the clearing went silent as Malfoy entered. He tried to act tough, though his arm was still in the ridiculous sling he insisted on wearing at all times. Madame Pomfrey had already healed his arm.

Harry had retreated under the invisibility cloak at Malfoy's voice. Crabbe and Goyle's trousers were pulled down to their knees, Malfoy's hat plucked from his head. The three bullies shouted at the 'ghost' and sprinted out of the clearing

She ducked down and put her gloved hand into the snow, feeling the cold seep in. She formed a nice-sized snowball and pitched it directly at the back of Malfoy's head. Her throw hit its mark causing Lee to turn with his mouth opened in shock.

"Merlin! No wonder you're a bloody chaser!" Lee shouted as he dropped to the ground and made a snowball of his own. Rebecca had another in hand and started to run along the side of the road, trying to dodge the barrage of snow being thrown her way. Harry remained hidden, while Hermione and Ron threw a few snoballs of their own.

Rebecca caught a few to the back and one on the head, but the snow throwing ended quickly.

Rebecca went to the fence to get a better look at The Shrieking Shack. She put a hand to the fence and observed the 'haunted' building, but found that it wasn't scary. If anything, it seemed lonely.

Hermione called her from the exit to the clearing, it was time to go back to the carriages. Hermione and Rebecca talked about the things in Zonko's and how it had gone talking to Harry.

"I don't know what his problem is, but he said to tell you to meet him in the Common Room tonight after midnight." Rebecca sighed, but nodded. "Boys." Hermione sighed in agreement.

As they entered the carriage pick-up pavilion, they shook their hair out and tried to brush off as much as they could, stomping their boots and helping each other de-snow themselves. Hermione had only a light dusting while Ron looked more like a snowman than a student.

"Let me help you with this," Fred said as he turned Rebecca around so that her back was towards him. He turned her hood inside out and brushed the snow out of it. "Snow in your hood."

Rebecca turned to him, looking up to his dark brown eyes. Her cheeks were rosy red, a combination of frigid air and exertion causing the heavy red.

"Thanks, couldn't quite reach that."

"No problem."

Lee and George watched the exchange before looking at each other and silently acting like they were going to vomit. Ron was completely oblivious and surveying the line of carriages and Hermione had a small smile on her face.

Ron led them to a different carriage than they had arrived in and climbed aboard. Lee took the spot on the other side of Ron who was next to Hermione while Fred, Rebecca, and George took one side as they had before.

The carriage ride was mostly silent, not uncomfortably so. They were all just tired. They'd had an exciting, exhausting day.

As the carriage rocked from side to side, Rebecca felt herself nodding off. She tried as hard as she could to keep herself awake. Fred chuckled from beside her, "You can close your eyes if you want, I'll wake you once we arrive."

Rebecca closed her eyes immediately, "Oh thank you, I'm so tired."

She sat back against the bench and promptly dozed off. The carriage hit a particularly deep dip and she slid down against Fred. His eyes shot open and he looked to George, the only other person awake in the carriage.

"George, what do I do?" Fred whispered.

"What do you mean, she's sleeping. You let her sleep." George whispered back incredulously.

"My heart's pounding. She's going to wake up and hear it!" Fred's body was stiff as a board as she lay against his side.

"Are you kidding me? She's not going to hear it! Just, stop. Take a deep breathe, relax before you pop a blood vessel."

Fred did as his twin commanded. George continued, "Now, do nothing. Enjoy it maybe? Blimey, I'm going to sleep too. Can't watch you like this."

George turned and leaned against the window. "Bloody fool."

Fred ignored his brother's jest and tried to relax his body. He sat back against the bench, removing the arm her head was on and placing it around her shoulder. This put her head against his jumper. He took slow breaths, trying to calm his racing heart, but found it extremely difficult.

He placed his forehead against the cool window. For someone who was cold all the time, she put off heat like a stove. Fred's nerves lost the battle to his exhaustion and he quickly fell asleep too.

*******************************************

When the carriage arrived, Professor McGonagall (who had returned earlier in the afternoon) was there to greet the returning students. She approached the carriage from which no one had moved to leave in and opened the door to find sleeping Gryffindors.

She smiled at the sight of them all curled up, especially the way Fred was holding Rebecca. She lovingly shook her head before clapping her hands briskly.

"Up! Up! Supper is already going! Get to the Great Hall of wait for breakfast!"

They sprung up at the sound of their professor. Rebecca and Fred separated a moment later, but not before their carriage-mates saw how close they had been sleeping. They peeled out of the carriage and back into the cold.

Rebecca pulled her coat tighter around her. George laughed, "Look, she looks just like a penguin!"

Rebecca waddled a few steps before the wind blew harder and she stopped. Her teeth were chattering by the time she made it to the castle doors. Upon entering, Hagrid was there pulling a large Christmas tree in to the castle.

"Hagrid!" Rebecca called.

"Who's that callin' me?"

Hagrid made a joke of looking at Rebecca in all of her layers. "Can 'ardly see the student under all these coats!"

Rebecca pulled her hood down, laughing. "I found these in Honeydukes and thought you'd appreciate them." She reached into her bag and pulled out the Dragon Scales.

Hagrid took them from her outstretched hand and thanked her, pulling her into a very enveloping hug.

*******************************************

Supper was largely uneventful. The house elves had made different kinds of soups and breads across each table. The students enjoyed the hot meal after spending so many hours in the Scottish winter.

After supper, they retired to the Common Room where Rebecca and Hermione took an hour or so and worked on their big Potions essay due Monday while Ron asked around for anyone who would play Wizard's chess.

"Why don't you go ask Harry?" Rebecca told him after he'd asked her for the third time.

"I can't..."

"Why?" Rebecca looked to Ron confused.

"He's...occupied."

"What do you- oh! Oh! Ew, okay. Never mind."

Ron's face turned as red as his hair. "No! He's...crying." He whispered.

Rebecca stood up, "Why didn't you say that? Since we got back?"

Ron shrugged, "At least since supper."

"Oh my God, Ron. What the hell?" Rebecca left her essay with Hermione and placed a foot tentatively on the bottom step of the boy's stairs. Finding that nothing happened, she ran up the stairs two at a time and ran down the boy's hallway.

The doors were all labelled, and she knocked lightly on the one that read "Harry, Ron, Seamus, Dean, and Neville." Rebecca was shocked at five boys sharing one room. Perhaps Hogwarts learnt that boys shared easier than girls? Rebecca only had two roommates: Ginny and Hermione.

She shook her head, "Doesn't really matter!" Opening the door into the dormitory, she saw Harry's shaking body on his bed facing the wall. She stepped over the piles of laundry and other messes and sat on the edge of his bed.

"Harry?"

He stayed facing the wall, but scooted over so there was room for her. She kicked her shoes off and lay beside him. She put an arm around him and rested her head on his. She rubbed his shoulder.

He gradually stopped crying, "I'm sorry I yelled at you."

Rebecca shook her head, "I know. It's alright."

Harry turned to look at her, "No, it's not alright. I never should have said you didn't care."

Rebecca just pulled him closer, "Don't even. I knew you didn't mean it, you were just upset."

They stayed like that longer. "Is this what you wanted to do tonight in the Common Room?"

Harry nodded, "I just wanted to tell you I was sorry."

Rebecca sighed, "Oh good. I wasn't sure I'd make it to midnight anyway. I'm absolutely knackered."

Harry went to get up, but Rebecca didn't let go of him for another minute. When they were sitting up, they sat cross-legged and faced each other.

"Oh! I forgot to give you these." Rebecca fished around in one pocket, then another, and another.

"You and Hagrid must buy coats at the same shoppe."

Rebecca laughed and found what she was looking for. "Here!" She handed him a handful of licorice wands.

They laughed together and shared one. Rebecca reached over and wiped a stray tear from Harry's cheek. Harry lifted a hand and held hers to his face. He closed his eyes and took one more shuddery breath before releasing her.

"This is what I wanted to show you tonight after we talked." He pulled an old piece of parchment out from under his mattress and grabbed his wand from his night table.

"Wow, Harry. That's a really neat scrap." She deadpanned, a smile playing at the edge of her lips.

He said, "I solemnly swear I'm up to no good," and tapped the center of the parchment. Red script started to swirl around the edges of it, a map becoming clearer. Little things moved around the map and, upon closer inspection, Rebecca found that it was names of people within the castle.

"Where'd you get this?!" She said as Harry handed it to her. She watched the students around the castle, looking for names she knew. Upon seeing Wood and Sam's names bumping into one another in the Quidditch closet. Harry blushed as he saw what she was looking at and she flipped the map over to look at the rest of the castle.

"Fred and George gave it to me to sneak into Hogsmeade with the cloak. Would've sat here all day if it wasn't for them."

"I like Fred." Harry said after a moment. "I think he'd die before he ever hurt you."

Rebecca was suddenly much more interested in an insignificant corner of the map.

"I heard Lee mentioning something about you two in the carriage. 'Cuddling like kittens' I think it was?" Rebecca looked up to him, her cheeks aflame.

"We'd just fallen asleep, that was all!" She said defensively.

Harry raised his hands in a cautionary movement and changed the subject. "When you're done with the map, you have to say 'mischief managed' or the map will stay." He did so as he explained and Rebecca watched the map fade back into nothingness.

"You should keep it with you. I'll keep the cloak in here and you take the map, then we'll need to other to cause any trouble."

Rebecca nodded at Harry's thought and went to the door. She turned at the exit and said softly, "I like Fred, too. He's kind."

Harry nodded and went to say something else, but Rebecca was already gone. She cleared her thoughts of anything troubling and put the map into a pocket in her coat. She smiled as she reached the top of the boys stairway and she slid down the way on the rail and smacked Ron upside the head as she flew down.

"That's something you should have shared earlier!"

Ron rubbed the back of his with a scowl. "You ought to be more careful! You're stronger than you look, you'll take my head right off one day!"

She turned back to him, "Are you saying I look weak?"

Ron put his hands up, "No! Not at all!"

Ginny laughed from one of the chairs, "Geesh Ron, where's the white flag?"

This caused a course of laughter that Ron joined in, showing he hadn't taken any offence at their playing. They spent the evening with each other and retired to bed later than they should have.

*******************************************

When they awoke Sunday, they found that even more snow had fallen in the night, leaving the castle surrounded by waist-to-chest high piles of snow on all sides. Ginny, Hermione, and Rebecca took Sunday morning to tidy up their room while the boys slept until the late morning.

They all spent the day doing homework and other various catch-up activities like responding to letters from family and even more homework for Hermione. The school days seemed to blur together as Rebecca and Hermione joined forces and brains as they worked harder and harder on the counter-case for Buckbeak's execution which was set for the first of February.

*******************************************

<3


	33. Chapter 33

Rebecca was in the quidditch locker room. She pulled her hair back into a ponytail and placed her glasses into her locker. She continued to stretch as she warmed up for the first Gryffindor match of the year. They had been originally scheduled to go against Slytherin, but due to Malfoy's 'injury,' Gryffindor was going against Hufflepuff. Before she shut the door, she pulled her goggles on and fit them to her. 

"Harry?" She called over her shoulder. He appeared a moment later. "Can I see your goggles a second?"

Rebecca pulled her wand from her quidditch uniform and cast a spell on both of his lenses.

"Anti-fog charm."

Harry thanked her before pulling his goggles on and jumping up and down as he shook his hands. "Ready?"

Rebecca's hand was tracing the outline of her beloved locket as she pondered. Angelina slapped Rebecca on the back hard enough to hurt, "Don't be nervous! Just remember the drills!"

Rebecca answered Harry, "Ready."

Wood called for their attention as he stood at the exit door and started a chant, 

"Go!" Clap.

"Go!" Clap.

"Gryffindor!" Clap. Clap.

"Go!" Clap.

"Go!" Clap.

"Gryffindor!" Clap. Clap.

Their speed went faster and faster until their voices rolled over one another and they poured out of the locker room into the drizzle. They jogged in the perfectly spaced rows Wood loved and approached Madame Hooch in the center of the pitch.

She had a black and white striped slicker on as she made her usual pre-match speech of fair play. She blew her whistle and they players took to the sky. A moment later, the quaffle was tossed and the match began.

"Quaffle in Hufflepuff's possession as the match starts. Becca dives, she drops under Hufflepuff's beater, bludger on the way-"

Lee's voice moved away from the mic, "Professor, Becca is Rebecca. You can't expect me to filter myself, accurately narrate, and say three-syllable names. Get with the program!"

There was a silence as his sass was registered not only by McGonagall, but by everyone in attendance. "Got carried away there, professor. Sorry... Hufflepuff still in possession, no defence. Gryffindor, come on put some fire in you!"

McGonagall's voice was barely picked up, "Impartial, Mister Jordan!"

"Yes professor. Hufflepuff chaser Michael shoots, blocked by Gryffindor keeper Wood! Quaffle taken by RJ, passed to Angelina. Angelina whirls around Hufflepuff defender and WATCH IT A BLUDGER oh Merlin, she dodged it, quaffle passed to Katie who shoots and it's good!"

Lee continued his announcing as the match progressed. Harry circled the pitch clockwise, then anticlockwise. He kept his eyes peeled for any golden glimmers, but saw nothing. The rain picked up, the wind accompanying it. He had to keep pushing his hair out of his eyes.

On his third lap around with no sight of the snitch, he pulled the nose of his broom up and climbed above the noise and the lights and everything that was distracting him from his job as seeker.

He looked down from far above the pitch in time to see Rebecca scoring 10 points for Gryffindor in a spinning needle-eye move she'd been practising for ages. Harry fist punched the air, allowing himself a small moment of victory before turning back to the task at hand. 

The rain hit him like small stones, small ice stones. "Oh I hope Rebecca layered, if I'm cold, she's-" his thoughts stopped as his heart paused in his chest. There, in the top of an empty spectator tower, the Grim. The black dog was sitting on the bleacher, watching the game intently. 

The score-marking bell rang once more, "Another goal for Gryffindor, Becca's done it again!" Harry looked around him and saw the black tresses of dementors. They were circling around him and growing closer and closer. Harry felt the coldness of the absence of joy fill him. He turned to dive, but they had grown too close. He head the all too-familiar scream of a woman and began to free fall, his broom flying into the distance.

*******************************************

A few minutes before, Rebecca and Katie were spinning around and around the Hufflepuff chasers to pass the quaffle between one another and try and put Gryffindor even farther ahead. The crowd roared as the three Gryffindor chasers soared through the air, scoring goal after goal.

The rain had only grown stronger, the wind tearing through their game jerseys.

Rebecca had just sent the quaffle through the middle Hufflepuff goal post and spun around to fly back to the middle, ready to do it again, when the crowd went silent.

They all stood in the bleachers, screaming starting once again. Not screams of house pride, nor school pride, but screams of terror. Rebecca pulled her broom to a stop and spun to where they were pointing and staring. Harry was up above the match, a dementor closing in on him. What first appeared to be one wasn't, there were swarms of them. In an instant Rebecca was cutting through the air to him.

She hunched down, trying to fly faster than she ever had, but the wind and the upward climb fought against her.

Rebecca was close enough to the dementors to feel the happiness leaving her, their cold seeping into her. She shook her head from the dark thoughts that crept into her mind and focused only on Harry. "Harry. Harry. Need to get to Harry." Her lips moved as she whispered the chant.

A dementor turned from Harry and looked at the approaching form. It looked back to Harry and continued its path to him, Rebecca was still too far to draw them away. She had her wand out, but she didn't know any spells that would deter a dementor.

Rebecca plowed past dementors, dodging them from side to side. They reached out and grabbed her wherever they caught her. She could feel their hands through her clothes; they were so, so very cold.

She was still battling up when Harry fell from his broom. As close to the dementors as she was in the train, she heard the man's screams fill her ears. She gasped and pushed the nose of her broom down to follow him. Harry fell like a stone through the air, his body unmoving. She pushed the broom to its very limits, she and the broom were flying in such a steep dive they were at a 90 degree angle to the ground. 

Harry fell faster and faster, Rebecca could see the ground growing closer. Ten meters above the ground, two familiar red streaks were climbing up to her. They turned to each other before flying directly in her flight path. She pulled up to not hit them, trying to keep Harry in her sights.

"NO!" She screamed a terrible scream as he was about to hit the ground. Fred and George tried to put their arms around her to hold her back, but she squirmed and fought against their holds. They tried to keep her up there, unsure of what had happened below, but were unable to. She was pounding their arms, "Let me go! Let go! HARRY!" Her voice was hoarse at the sheer force of her shouts. 

She ducked under Fred's arms and sped down to the ground, jumping off and hitting the ground in a roll when she was about two meters up. She was to her feet in an instant and at Harry's side. He was levitating mere centimeters from the ground. She put her hands on the sides of his face, "He's still breathing." Tears streamed down her cheeks.

He was still shaking, tremoring. Lee's voice came over the microphone, "Hufflepuff's caught the snitch..." but Rebecca hardly heard it. Professors McGonagall and Lupin followed Dumbledore as they raced across the field to the children. Dumbledore's wand was out, "He must have caught him." Rebecca noted absently. Her hands were still around Harry's head which she had pulled onto her lap.

Professor McGonagall crouched next to her, "Come away," Rebecca didn't move. 

McGonagall tried once more, "Rebecca, he's going to the infirmary, we have to move to he can be taken." Rebecca heard the words leaving the professor, they just weren't registering in her mind. Her hands pushed Harry's hair out of his eyes and off his forehead. His lightning bolt scar, identical to hers, the only colour on his face.

Professor Lupin leaned down and grabbed one of Rebecca's arms, he lifted her to her feet. McGonagall put an arm around the muddy, wet child and pulled her outer robe around her. She was shaking. Tears continued to stream down her cheeks, her goggles pulled down around her neck.

McGonagall rubbed her back as they followed Dumbledore and the levitating Harry to the infirmary. Madame Pomfrey had been made aware of what had happened and had already prepped a bed. The Gryffindor team followed in a silent procession. 

Once in the infirmary, Harry was set onto a bed while Madame Pomfrey cast diagonatic spells onto him. McGonagall didn't leave her side for a moment, simply pushing another chair next to his bed so that they would sit together. Ron entered with a sheet wooden splinters.

He grimaced as he set it down on the floor, "Went straight into the Whomping Willow..."

Hermione and Ginny raced into the infirmary. They joined the rest of them around Harry's bed where the silence was almost overwhelming. 

When Madame Pomfrey put her wand away and said that there was no lasting injuries, Rebecca let out a choked breath. Her sobs were muffled as McGonagall pulled her back into her shoulder.

"I do want to keep him over the weekend for observation, however." Professor McGonagall nodded to Madame Pomfrey while Rebecca pieced herself back together. Taking one deep breath after another, she sat up and looked for a clean section of her sleeves to wipe her eyes on. 

Angelina noticed and passed a tissue box down the row of players, taking one for her own glistening eyes. More players than not took a tissue or wiped their tears onto a not muddy scrap of jersey.

Professor Lupin came into the infirmary, "Minerva, Albus would like a word in the hall."

Rebecca detached herself from the professor's side, sniffling once more and thanking her. McGonagall looked to Harry's still sleeping form on the bed before leaving the infirmary. Professor Lupin reached into a pocket on his coat and pulled out an Extra-Large Chocoholic bar from Honeyduke's. He broke it up and made sure they all ate a piece or two.

"Rebecca, I insist. Chocolate warms the soul." 

Rebecca nibbled on it while Lupin took the chair next to her. She did feel better after eating it. 

She looked around at her teammates surrounding her. Fred and George were standing at the foot of the bed with Hermione, Ginny, and Ron. Rebecca stood from the chair and excused herself as she left Professor Lupin. 

"Fred, George, I'm sorry. I never should have hit you like that. I just," She looked over her shoulder and made sure no one else was listening to her, "If he'd died-" Her voice wavered at the thought, "I needed to get to him. That's all."

The entire group had red eyes like they'd been crying. They all wrapped each other into a group hug, Rebecca apologising once more.

"RJ, we're fine. Don't keep apologising. If anything like that had happened to you, or Ginny, or Ron, well-"

"Or Ron what?" Ron looked up in alarm.

"Or Ron, or any of you, we'd fight like hell to get to you." Fred explained.

George rubbed his arms, "Fight like you did at least. Bloody lucky there's no boxing team. You pack a punch in you!"

Rebecca held onto them tighter. When she pulled herself out of their hug, Harry stirred. Rebecca ran to his side. His eyes opened slowly, "...win?"

"What?" 

"Did we win?" Harry grumbled out as he pushed himself sitting up.

Rebecca shook her head slowly, "No, no we didn't."

Katie piped up from the back, "Wood wanted to be here, but he's too busy trying to drown himself in the showers."

Harry made a face. Rebecca admonished him, "Really Harry? I thought, we thought, you were going to die. Nothing, not even quidditch, is worth anything but relief right now." She sniffed once more as she felt herself tearing up again.

"I tried so hard to get up there to you." Harry scooted over and patted the bed next to him. Rebecca climbed into the bed and gingerly laid her head on his chest. The others moved closer around him. 

"That's not all though," Ron spoke up as he picked up the sheet with the wooden remains again, "It flew straight into the Whomping Willow."

Rebecca squeezed him tighter, trying to console the loss of his broom. He sighed deeply. Madame Pomfrey came in from the hall where she, Dumbledore, and McGonagall had been talking. Seeing Harry awake, she asked if he had any pain.

"What about double vision?" She asked as she had him follow her finger.

"Only over there." Fred and George turned at the feeling of eyes on them.

"Mister Potter, I would find it most helpful if you didn't use my hospital bed as a stand-up routine!" Madame Pomfrey shook her head as she returned to her desk, a smile playing at her lips. 

Fred and George nodded their head, "Good one mate!" George laughed.

The rest of the Gryffindor team began to leave, the mud had dried on them and their game robes leaving dirt flakes wherever they stepped. McGonagall shooed Rebecca back to the showers with them, telling her she could come back as soon as she wasn't more mud than skin.

Harry put a hand on Rebecca's, "I'll be right here when you get back."

Rebecca nodded and stood. Hermione took the chair next to his bed with Ginny while Ron said he'd grab him a pair of clothes from their dorm. Harry was being sent to the shower in the infirmary.

Rebecca took her accustomed spot in between Fred and George as they walked. They both reached down for her hands, each taking one and holding it tightly. 

*******************************************

After grabbing their clothes from the conjoined locker area, the girls and boys split into the gendered shower rooms. Rebecca placed her towel onto the bench and stood under the stream of hot water. The three girls laughed as the water that ran off of them poured to the drains like mud and they complained about the struggle of getting mud out of your hair.

Once cleaned, Rebecca put on the same clothes she'd worn pre-game: Fluffy pants, warm socks, a shirt, and her favorite jumper. Pulling the orange fabric over her head, she admired the green R in the middle in the mirror. Mrs. Weasley had such a talent for knitting.

Leaving the showers where Angelina and Katie were still showering, Rebecca heard voices coming from the boys' showers. She unlocked her locker and grabbed her glasses, moving quietly to not alert them that she was out there.

"That scream Georgie, I think my heart bugging shattered." 

"I know Fred, mine too."

"I don't even know what I would have done if those monsters had touched her. You think she'll be alright, even if it takes a bit?"

George's response came after a pause.

"Honestly, I think so. Harry ended up alright, only a week left before we go back to the Burrow for Christmas... Once things get back to normal, this'll just be another page in the trauma book."

"Trauma book?"

"You heard me."

Their footsteps echoed in the little hall that joined the locker rooms and the showers. Rebecca stuck her head into her locker like she was trying to find something that had fallen.

"Hey," George called as they entered in their Christmas jumpers as well.

"Nice sweater, where'd you get it?" Fred asked as he balled up his uniform to throw into the laundry bag.

"Not sure really, homemade though. Lots of love." Rebecca tried to respond enthusiastically in a way that she normally would have, but it came off as phony. The dementors may not affect her as strongly as they did Harry, but the man's screams were ghastly and pain-filled. She shot her uniform into the basket from nearly double the distance Fred was.

"Now why do you have to do that?" Fred turned with his hands on his hips. "Outdo me like that? Now I have to go back to where you are and make it in. You've challenged me."

Rebecca smirked, "You're more than welcome to try, but it's a little far."

George chuckled from the doorway. "Fred, there's a reason we aren't chasers."

Fred scoffed, "Doubted by my own brother, I see how it is. Just watch." His long legs crouched down as he jumped and threw the ball of laundry across the room. It landed a foot in front of the basket on the floor.

"And he scores again!" George whispered crowd cheers as they left the Gryffindor Quidditch room. Sam, Oliver's favorite Hufflepuff, was outside the hall and looked to them excitedly. His excitement faded when he saw that Oliver was still in the showers. 

"Only him in the boy's showers," Rebecca mouthed slowly to him. Sam nodded his head to show that he understood and smiled as the three turned the corner. 

"I think that's a spy." George murmured darkly. "Always sticking around practise and the room."

Rebecca just shook her head, "Whatever you say George. I think you're a little paranoid."

A long pause.

"Beating a dead horse if you ask me."

George looked to Fred with a humorous look on his face, "She's fine."

Fred looked down at Rebecca who was giggling at her own pun. He took her hand again, not realising that George wasn't.

And so she and Fred walked, hands intertwined, back to the infirmary where they spent the rest of the afternoon playing wizard's chess or chatting amongst their friends who sprawled out around Harry.

*******************************************

Long after supper had ended, they were ushered out of the infirmary for the night, Rebecca fought to stay with him in an adjacent bed, but Madame Pomfrey wouldn't hear it.

"No, no, no. Dumbledore's orders are for all students, except those assigned to the infirmary, to return to their own dormitories at night."

Rebecca and Harry hugged each other good night, Rebecca promising that she would be there first thing in the morning. Harry whispered into her ear as they hugged, "You didn't happen to hear the man's screams again, did you?"

Rebecca pulled back and looked him in the eye, "I did, actually. Louder this time."

Harry's lips formed a tight line, "I heard the woman's as well." He looked past Rebecca's shoulder where the others were waving goodnights and towards the door. "You don't think...You don't think that's our parents, do you?"

Rebecca considered it, "It makes the most sense, we should ask Professor Lupin tomorrow. I think he knows a lot more about us than he passes on."

"Yes, I agree. I meant to catch him before he left, I want to ask him to teach us, or at least me if you're not interested, how to repel the dementors like he does."

"I think that's a great idea and of course I'm interested! I was helpless up there. Wand would have made a better toothpick."

Harry nodded, "If you see him, would you ask him? Madame Pomfrey isn't letting me leave this bed all weekend. Extra time for studying I guess."

"I'll ask. I'll bring your bag and books with breakfast tomorrow."

They said good night one more time before Rebecca joined their friends at the door and they walked back to Gryffindor Tower before Filch started his evening prowls for students out of bed.

Hermione and Ginny were talking about how tall a squirrel could fall without being crushed. (Hermione had learned that they can hit the ground at their terminal velocity and walk away scotch free, something Ginny found absolutely insane.) While Ron and George tried to think about how the rest of the Quidditch season would go down with a loss against Hufflepuff and their seeker down a Nimbus 2000.

Fred and Rebecca walked together at the back of the group, their hands brushing against one another's. Each step teasing them with the idea of holding hands once more. 

She was going to wait for one of them to fight with Sir Cadogan, the Fat Lady's replacement. He was horrid! He changed the password twice a day and took his post gravely serious. No one was receiving entrance without the current password.

Neville sat on the stairs, he'd forgotten the password and lost his list with the weeks rotating passwords. Ron insisted he knew it and fought with Sir Cadogan about it, not letting Hermione get a word in edgewise to tell Ron the correct password.

Rebecca paused at one of the tall windows at the entrance of Gryffindor Tower. Outside, the moon was full. It seemed especially bright that evening, the stars shining across the dark expanse. Fred stood behind her, resting his chin on top of her head. "Beautiful, right?"

She tilted her head to look up at him, "It is." She laughed as she looked back to the moon. "You remember the story about how the moon is made of cheese?"

Fred looked at her strangely, "No...I think I'd remember that."

"Well, I remember my-well-the woman who took me from our house, the muggle, she told me a story about the man on the moon and how the moon was made of cheese. I was so concerned for him, all that cheese and no house. I convinced myself he must have eaten a home into the ground of cheese and lived under the surface. Then, of course, I thought maybe the man on the moon was actually a mouse."

Fred shook his head as he chuckled, "You? I don't doubt it. You're kind of strange."

"It can be said that being strange is to not yet be understood."

Fred answered quietly immediately, "I'd like to understand." His ears turned pink. He hadn't meant to say that outloud.

Rebecca left the beautiful sight out the window and turned to the now opened portrait hole. "I wouldn't mind that. You understanding, that is." They went their separate ways without another word, Fred's mind cloudy with the events of the evening.

George noticed and only said one thing as they went to bed, "If you don't find a way to breath when RJ's around you, you're going to have brain damage."

"Well then we'd really be identical, wouldn't we?"

George threw a pillow at him. "Git."

Fred only laughed and tossed the pillow back to him.


	34. Chapter 34

Rebecca slept fitfully. Her dreams were plagued with constant images of Harry as he fell from the sky, dementors swarming around him, the ground growing closer beneath him. No matter how many times she tried to save him in her dreams, he smashed against the ground. Too injured to be brought back, Rebecca failed him. She sat in bed after she was awake by the night-terrors for the third time.

Lying in bed coated in a sheen of fright-induced sweat, the stars didn't have the same enchantment they had earlier in the evening with Fred. They seemed colder, more distant. Like they were watching her from their place above the heavens almost. She rolled out of bed and slipped into her slippers while she grabbed her jumper off the edge of her bed and swiped her glasses off of the nightstand.

She had an idea; one that wasn't going to be put aside for morning. Creeping out of the room without stirring Hermione or Ginny, she continued out to the common room and left Gryffindor Tower.

Sir Cadogan was sleeping atop his white horse in his portrait and Rebecca was glad. She could already hear his threats, "Why for art thou leaving before allowed? I shall have to report thine disobedience with the king!" The king being Dumbledore, of course.

She turned down a few halls, a few staircases, the empty corridors feeling colder without her classmates filling them. She had a destination, the Charms classroom. They'd just covered the imparting spell: The charm that gave them the ability to impart the image they were focusing on in their minds onto a medium, the easiest to impart onto being thin slabs of marble.

She grabbed three from the stack at the back of the class and carried them to her desk, making herself comfortable in her chair. It didn't matter really, it's not like anyone else would mind if she sat in their empty spots, but she knew that the secret to a better imparting was to be focused solely on what they wanted to transfer. Being in a familiar environment would help her try to get the images haunting her out of her head.

She brought her wand up from where she held it at her side and placed it in the center of the tile, "Infunde!" 

A faint light shot out of her wand and spread across the marble. She focused on what she wanted to see with her eyes, the lightning bolts streaking across the sky, the hues of grey and black of the dementors robes, Harry being overtaken.

When she opened her eyes and looked at the first rendering, she scoffed. The lightning bolts streaked across the entire length of the slab. The dementors looked like little more than grey splotches and Harry? Harry looked nothing like himself.

Rebecca made herself pause, "Remember, Professor Flitwick said that 'it's not only the details, but the big picture too.'" Professor Flitwick had used the lesson as an opportunity to talk to the students about perspective. The final product from the imparting charm is a physical manifestation of the maker's mind. It's their mental image made physical.

She pushed the first one to the side and took the next one. A deep breath, focusing her thoughts again, "Infunde!" 

A brighter light went across the marble, though this image minimally better than the last. Rebecca put it with the other try and let her head rest on the desk. Closing her eyes, she could see the image she wanted to produce. She could see the dementors, the storm, Harry falling. The helplessness that she'd felt in that moment was starting to be represented and when she opened her eyes to try once more, there were tears in them.

Wiping them on her jumper, she tried for the last time.

"Infunde!" 

The room was momentarily filled with a bright light, the colours spread across the marble as if by a paintbrush. The maroon and gold of his jersey's were specked with the mud Rebecca remembered. His body was suspended in the image, though upon looking at it one would feel as if they were watching him fall themself. The dementors were there in all their wretchedness, their hands reaching out for Harry as he fell towards the ground below.

Rebecca was proud of the final product. She let her hand trace over the fine lines. A slow clapping came from the door, her head whipped towards it.

"Brava!" Professor Lupin was there, he looked dreadful. His cheeks were gaunt and the bags under his eyes pronounced and dark.

"Professor, are you okay? Do you need Madame Pomfrey?" Rebecca stood as he approached her desk.

"No, no. Thank you. I'm afraid nothing but time will heal. What exactly are you doing out of bed this late?"

Rebecca shrugged sheepishly.

"Ah, a descriptive, eloquently worded reason." He smiled to lessen the blow of his jest. "May I at least see what has you breaking rules?"

Rebecca nodded, "I couldn't sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, I-" She shuddered, "I just saw Harry falling over and over. But Dumbledore wasn't there. It was just me and I never got to him in time."

Remus looked at the first two slabs, noting the stark contrast and improvement in each attempt. "Lily's gift for Charms is more than evident!"

"Rebecca, these alone are magnificent for such a young witch. But this? This final one? It's pure perfection. In fact, looking into it...I feel that I am able to feel the emotions that you were feeling, the fear. The terror."

He picked it up and observed it closer to the light provided by the ever-burning lamps around the classroom. "The detail! It's simply extraordinary!"

Rebecca looked over the slab, seeing her creation upside down. From her angle it looked like Harry was not falling to the ground, but falling directly into the grasp of the dementors.

"Professor, Harry and I wanted to ask you something. Would you be able to teach us to repel the dementors? Like you did on the train."

"Oh. Yes, I believe that that is something we can try. It's an advanced spell, much more so than third year." He waved the slab gently, "Clearly that is not too big of an obstacle! We can begin after the holiday, I will be over this illness by then."

Rebecca remembered the other thing she had meant to ask him. "Professor, I have another question. Harry and I hear these screams when the dementors get close. I hear a man's and Harry hears a woman's. He had a theory and I was wondering your opinion on it."

Remus nodded for her to continue.

"Well, he thinks-we thought, maybe...They were our parents?"

Remus found himself frozen through and through. "Bloody hell these children will be the death of me."

He found his tongue after a silence, "That is a theory with some weight to it, I suppose. It would make sense, the dementors bring out the things within us we'd like most to forget."

Remus and Rebecca continued to theorize and talk as he walked her back to Gryffindor Tower. Once there, the professor told Sir Cadogan that Rebecca had been thoroughly punished and wouldn't be leaving the tower when not allowed again.

He turned to Rebecca once more, "May I keep this for a day or so? I'd very much like to show your success to Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick. If not, that's fine as well. This image, while powerful, is yours to do with what you please."

Rebecca handed it back to him, "No, by all means, show them. I'd like it back one day, but for tonight I just wanted the picture out of my head, doesn't do me any good to keep looking at it." 

Lupin left, looking at the rendering as he walked back to the staff quarters.

*******************************************

Rebecca slept in later than she'd intended. When she did wake up, it was because Ginny and Hermione were whispering.

"I'm telling you, there's something!"

Ginny responded, "I'm not disagreeing! I'm just saying if we nag or tease, there isn't going to be."

Hermione hmphed, "So this is what Ron feels when I talk sense."

Rebecca stretched and yawned, "What're you two hissing about?"

"Nothing." They said in unison.

Rebecca took her clothes into the bathroom to get dressed quickly, "Neither of you are very convincing liars."

She was scrambling to get ready quickly, she'd told Harry she would be there early with breakfast and his books to keep him company and here she was only getting out of bed at 9:30! Leaving the bathroom, Ginny and Hermione were whispering to one another again. They stopped and watched Rebecca leave the room before they spoke freely.

Rebecca went down the hallway to the common room. Oliver was sitting in a chair by the window, wrapped in a blanket like a cocoon. 

"Hey Wood." 

"Hey." He responded morosely.

"We're not out of the running yet. I bet everything will work out."

He looked up to her, "I know that it's a game, you know."

Rebecca shook her head, "You don't have to justify yourself to me, McGonagall mentioned that you wanted to go professional after school. Just..."

She stopped, "Never mind."

Oliver watched her step back, "No, I'd like to hear."

"Don't let quidditch take away your years here. What about Sam? Why don't you go on a walk or go to the library or something. Sulking can't change the past but it does waste the future."

Oliver watched her, his face setting in defiant anger, "I'm not sulking."

She smirked, "Okay cocoon boy. Definitely no pouting going on over here."

His face lost its anger as he smiled, "Maybe a little then. I think you're right. A walk would do me good."

He stood up from the chair and balled his blanket up. He ended up walking behind Rebecca as she went up the boys stairs. Oliver looked at her questioningly when she held the door open for him.

"I told Harry I'd bring him his school stuff for while he's in the infirmary." 

"Ah, makes sense. How is he?"

Rebecca sighed, "Madame Pomfrey said he was doing okay last night. She's just watching him over the weekend."

Oliver smiled at her, "Well, someone once told me 'I bet everything will work out.' Maybe you'll benefit from that wisdom."

"I'm calling foul! You can't turn the tables like that!"

He entered his dormitory, "That how the turntables, table..."

Rebecca continued down the hall as Oliver tried to figure out where exactly he got the idiom wrong and knocked on Harry's dorm door. "Can I come in?" 

There was no answer.

She knocked again. Pushing the door open slowly, she found that all four boys were still sleeping. At the foot of Harry's bed was his pile of books next to his bag. Rebecca crouched down and packed his bag compactly. She wasn't sure what exactly he wanted to work on and didn't want to walk all the way back if he still needed something, so she was bringing them all.

The pack was heavy when she lifted it. She shouldered it and thought, "The infirmary seems much farther now." 

She left their dormitory as quietly as she'd entered and eased the door shut behind her.

"Sneaking around? I don't need a professor, do I?"

Rebecca turned quickly, "Fred! You nearly gave me a heart attack."

He smiled largely, "Then my plan worked." 

"This is early for you on a weekend, sleep okay?"

"Yeah, just woke up early I guess." He looked at the pack, "Can I help you with that?"

"I can do it."

He smirked, "I didn't say you couldn't, I asked if I could." He slid a hand under the shoulder strap and swung it on in one motion. "Whew! You must have everything he owns in here!"

Rebecca giggled, "Just his books and some parchment."

They passed the Great Hall, "Heading to the infirmary or some late breakfast/early lunch?"

Rebecca looked in at the tables of food, "I told Harry I'd be there early, but-" Her stomach growled loud enough for Fred to hear,

"But your starving to the point of self-digestion?" Fred finished for her. "I'm sure Harry will be fine." He led her to their table. The bag fell to the floor with a solid thump which caused them to both laugh. Rebecca grabbed a muffin while Fred scooped soup into two bowls.

He set them both in front of himself and looked at her, "You wanted some? I scooped both for me."

"That's alright. I'll scoop some of this one." She was reaching for a bowl when Fred slid one in front of her. 

"You've caught me on a generous day."

They joked and ate together, their laughter one of the few noises in the quite empty dining hall. After they'd eaten, Rebecca grabbed a few more muffins to put into Harry's bag for later.

"Do you like muffins?" 

Rebecca looked to Fred seriously, "Nope, hate them. Least favorite food."

"Ha. Ha."

"I love them. Breakfast cupcakes-"

"Miss Potter, a moment please?" Professor Flitwick had appeared behind them without them noticing.

Fred raised his eyebrows as the professor led her to a table away from where they'd eaten and form other students. He hopped onto the bench and beckoned for her to sit next to him.

"Professor Lupin caught me this morning and showed me your rendering. I was...impressed to say the least. Rebecca, the talent in that image, the power. I was wondering if you would like to lead a student led-lesson on Monday. I just attended this conference in Wales about the benefits of student teaching..."

He went into the different reasons he had for asking her and the benefits that the class would have.

"So, what do you think?"

"I don't know...I'm not sure if I'd be able to help them with it."

"Say, depending on how it goes, I'd be likely to consider credit towards your final exam."

Rebecca smiled, "I'll see you on Monday ready to go then!"

Professor Flitwick smiled, "I'm certain I'll say it again, but in case I don't, I want to reiterate just how proud I am. You showed prowess in a topic not only new, but difficult to master without high levels of mental discipline."

Rebecca blushed, "Thank you, professor."

Professor Flitwick called her name as she went back to Fred, "Nearly forgot," He fished a slip of paper out of his pocket and gave it to her, "Dumbledore would like to see you for tea this afternoon."

Rebecca thanked him once more.

Fred was watching her curiously. "So, Professor RJ. Shall we go to the infirmary now or do you have some grading to do?"

She told Fred what had happened last night and her conversation with Lupin.

"So he is going to show you and Harry how to fight them?"

Rebecca nodded.

"Good. I think that's smart."

They entered the infirmary where Professor McGonagall was speaking with Harry. When McGonagall turned towards their entrance, Rebecca could see that Harry had the marble rendering in his lap.

"Rebecca, I trust that Professor Flitwick has spoken with you?"

"Yes professor, I've agreed to Monday." 

Harry looked up from the slab he'd been staring at, "Is this how you saw me?"

Rebecca nodded, "Exactly how."

Fred went around the other side of Harry's bed, before looking to Rebecca, "May I look as well?" He restrained his curiosity and didn't look until she gave him permission. Upon looking at the image, Fred took a quick breath. 

"What?" 

McGonagall put an arm around Rebecca, "It's breathtaking."

Rebecca picked the rucksack up off of the ground where Fred had set it. "Brought you your books and... a few treats if I can find them." Fred and Harry were busy taking in the details while she rummaged in the bag.

"Here! Blueberry, lemon, and orange-raspberry."

McGonagall reached out to Harry for the slab, she had to go. "Mister Potter, you are to follow every order and request of Madame Pomfrey for the weekend. I shan't hear a single complaint!"

She carried the image out of the infirmary and left the three students.

Rebecca opened a lemon muffin while Harry unpacked his books. "Thank you for bringing them, not much else to do in here."

Fred looked up from the book he was holding upside down, "Are you eating another muffin?"

"No..." Rebecca answered with her mouth full.

"Harry, I think you have bigger issues than this nonsense." He tossed the book back onto the bed. "Your sisters bottomless."

Harry laughed and picked the book up, "It's not so nonsensical if you hold the book right-side up."

Fred winking, "More boring though."

George arrived shortly after, complaining about Fred's early alarm. Fred's eyes widened.

"'Just woke up,' huh?" Rebecca raised her eyebrows as she looked to Fred.

George guaffed and plucked a muffin off of the tray. 

Rebecca moved to the bed across from Harry and they were levitating pillows from bed to bed, trying to get more pillows from around the room into their point beds.

When Madame Pomfrey caught them, she waved her wand once, causing every pillow around the room to go back where it belonged. "Rest and recuperation, Potter!"

Harry sighed and let his head fall back. "I'm...so...bored..."

"Do you want to go on a walk around the courtyard?"

Harry's head shot up, "I'd love to go outside for a bit."

Rebecca sighed, knowing she was going to regret not dressing warmer. She stood up and went to ask Madame Pomfrey. She didn't notice Fred tear out of the infirmary like his hair was on fire.

"Madame Pomfrey?" Rebecca asked into the back. "Madame?" 

Madame Pomfrey popped up from where she was going through a box of medical supplies, "Yes?"

"Oh!" Rebecca stepped back quickly. "I never even saw you there!"

Madame Pomfrey smiled, "Did you look?"

"'To find is to look, but to look is not to find.'"

Madame Pomfrey looked at her, "Correct, words to live by those are. What's the matter?"

"Nothing, I was just wondering something. I was hoping, maybe, that Harry could go on a short walk around the courtyard with me?"

Madame Pomfrey pursed her lips, "He really ought to be resting..."

"I agree! I was thinking if he was to go outside and see how cold it was, he'd appreciate the warm bed and stop complaining."

Madame Pomfrey pondered a moment, "I can see your reasoning. A short walk, that's it!"

"Thank you! I think this is going to make him really happy!"

Rebecca rushed out to tell them the news, "We can go on a short-"

"Fred?" Fred was sitting red faced and panting slightly. She looked to where Harry was smiling and saw that her coat was on the bed, as well as her hat and gloves.

"Fred! A short walk outside wouldn't have killed me."

Fred gave her a look, "But you would have been cold."

She turned and looked at the piled snow, "Yes, I would have. Thank you." 

"Let's go!" Harry was up and by the door, his shoes not even tied. Fred was juggling her hat and gloves while she shrugged the coat on over her jumper. George mock pouted, "You went all the way back and didn't think to ask if I wanted my jacket?"

Fred shrugged, "Forgot."

George gasped and rest a hand on his chest, "You forgot about me? How'd you even get up the girls' stairs?!"

Fred, still juggling, tossed the items to Rebecca one by one without answering . Rebecca caught the first glove on her forehead and the rest on various other parts of herself before they hit the ground. George dropped his act, "Guess its good we never ran away to the circus!"

Rebecca looked up at Fred who was pulling on a jumper, "You were going to join the circus?"

Fred narrowed his eyes, "You believed in a mouse-man living on the moon of cheese with a chewed out home, and running away to the circus is strange?"

Rebecca shrugged, "Well when you put it that way...I guess circuses do always have a monkey. You'd have fit right in!"

*******************************************

There were very few other students outside. For plenty of good reasons, too! When the wind blew it felt like the temperature was dropping 15 degrees and blew the snow atop the dunes as well. Rebecca saw Sam and Oliver. They were across the courtyard going in the opposite direction. She smiled to them, to which they both smiled in return.

Harry was practically bouncing as they walked.

"Harry, you've been in the infirmary for less than a day." George stated confused.

"It's been dragging. Each second feels like years!"

Rebecca shivered in her coat before she looked to Fred who was wearing only a jumper and knitted cap. "How aren't you freezing?!"

He looked down at her and saw her face, red from the cold, poking out from the hood of her jacket. "What do you mean? It's not that cold out here."

Rebecca shook her head, "You'll catch your death!"

*******************************************

Ginny and Hermione were tailing the group. They were far enough away to just barely hear Rebecca when she said that.

Ginny laughed, "Mum always says that. She really fit right in with us."

Hermione shoved her hands farther into her pockets, it really was quite cold. "You don't think she feels like that, do you?"

"What do you mean?"

Hermione explained, "If you feel like she's fit right in...and she feels like she fits right in...what's to stop her from seeing Fred as a brother?"

Ginny shook her head, "I think it's about us as much as it is about them. Becca? She's my sister. Fred? He's my brother. Between the two of them though, it's different. You can feel it between them."

Hermione smiled, "It was before your first year, but in our first year you should have seen them when they came back from the lake! They'd splashed each other soaked and she came back in his robe."

"I wish they'd just get a bloody move on already--They get so awkward!"

*******************************************

Harry was dragging their walk out as long as he could, he'd slowdown to tie his shoe (again), point into the distance and have them look for a snowy owl he'd seen (not), and finally, he sat down on one of the icicle-laden benches looking into the courtyard they'd had a snowbattle in two years before.

Rebecca sat next to Harry and huddled into his side. He put his arm around her and said nothing. Fred and George joined them a moment later and sat on the bench as well.

"Ready to head back in?" Rebecca looked up to him.

"Not really, let me walk take one more lap?" Harry looked to her pleadingly.

"Go on, I'll be right here though. At least the snow's high enough to block the damn wind."

Fred chuckled as he slid down the bench and sat next to her.

"There's that potty-mouth!"

Rebecca winked comically, "Some say it has an icy charm!"

He groaned. They watched Ron exit the doors and jog to where George and Harry were. Fred yawned and stretched so his arm was on the back of the bench, behind her head. Rebecca's toes scraped along the sidewalk as she kicked them back and forth. Her gloved hands were twiddling in her pockets.

"Still cold?" Fred asked awkwardly.

"If the sun shined, I don't think it'd be quite so bad. But without it? It's like the tundra out here."

Fred leaned back, "Well...you can...lean on me if you want...to..."

He trailed off timidly, scratching the back of his neck. Rebecca closed the distance between them. Fred put his arm around her, effectively holding her into his side.

Rebecca immediately felt his heat. "Merlin! He's like a furnace!"

There they sat, she no longer shivering and he wondering if he was supposed to say anything.

*******************************************

Across the courtyard, Harry, Ron, and George had stumbled onto Hermione and Ginny who were crouched behind a stone wall. The snow created just the cover the two needed to watch the interaction without being seen.

"Get down!" Ginny hissed as she pulled them to the ground.

"What're you two doing out here?" Ron asked.

George had peeked over the wall to see what they were looking at and gestured for Ron to look. "Oh, I see. Spying."

Hermione blushed, "It's not spying! It's documenting!" She pulled a compact wizards camera out of her coat pocket.

Harry looked over the wall and watched Rebecca slide against Fred. He smiled, "Whatever you end up doing with this picture, she's going to love it."

Ginny put her arms onto the wall next to Harry and watched their brother and sister.

*******************************************

Back on the bench, Rebecca and Fred were discussing the one place they'd always wanted to visit.

"Hawai'i. The beaches, the islands, the...I'm not sure what else they have actually." Rebecca laughed as she ran out of reasons.

"Hawai'i? If I could visit anywhere in the world, it'd be...oh I don't know."

"Woah mate, I'm over here spilling my deepest, darkest desires and you 'don't know?' Anywhere in the world?"

Fred thought a moment, "I'd like to visit Amsterdam then."

"Amsterdam? Where's that, Holland?"

Fred shook his head, "Yes and no. Yes, it's in the region Holland but no, the country itself is actually the Netherlands."

Rebecca looked up to him from under her hood and hat, "I didn't know you enjoyed geography."

Fred smirked, "Not only pranks going on up here, love." He tapped his temple, "Mostly pranks, but not entirely."

She laughed and let her head rest back onto him. "I don't understand how you are so warm. It's unfair, you must just attract the heat."

Fred hoped he couldn't hear how loudly his heart was beating through his jumper as she lie against him.

"Something-" He cleared his voice which was suddenly hoarse, "Something like that I guess."

After a few minutes more, Harry appeared at the end of the sidewalk and waved them to join he and the others. Rebecca noted that Hermione and Ginny were there too.

"Better go, I guess," Fred said.

Rebecca sighed, "As soon as the wind starts up again."

Fred stuck his elbow out for her to lock with her elbow when they'd stood up. She did so, thinking he was just going to walk, when she found herself being dragged along as he skipped about like a prancing antelope.

"Fred, wait!"

An Ice-Maker fell out of a small tear in her pocket hole and hit the ground, coating the floor in the sleek sheen of ice the prank was known for.

He hit the ground and lost his footing at the new slippery flooring. He crumpled and pulled her down with him, thrusting his hand under her head before it hit the ground.

"Ice-Maker?" He asked.

"I guess one had fallen out from Hogsmeade..."

"Yeah, I think that's probably a smart guess." He grinned at her and sat up to find the others laughing madly.

Fred looked to his side where Rebecca had sat up next to him. Her glasses were skewed slightly, an issue he tenderly fixed.

"Thanks," Rebecca whispered. She was stuck looking into his eyes.

"No problem, I do this frequently. Falling like a baby giraffe? I pencil it in once a week."

She wiped the snow build up off of her as she stood and stuck a hand out to help him.

"Really? I think it shows, you're quite good at it."

They walked Harry back to the hospital wing where a cross Madame Pomfrey stood at the door. "It's been nearly half-an-hour! Out! Out all but you Mister Potter! You can see him Monday in class!"

Harry sighed and hugged Rebecca, "Thanks for the books. They'll be helpful even more so now."

"Sorry, didn't mean to get you in trouble or anything. You'll be alright alone?"

He laughed, "Yes Becs, I'll be fine! You worry too much. You should try and relax."

She winked, "Can't this weekend. I'm teaching class on Monday!"

*******************************************

Rebecca spent the rest of the weekend doing one of three things: Planning out how she wanted to teach the "Infunde" charm on Monday, planning out a more defensive plan for Buckbeak's trial with Hermione, or finalising her shopping list for the next weekend.

"One more week of school, a handful of exams, a Hogsmeade trip, and then we're off to the Burrow for Christmas. First one at home!"

She smiled at the thought, "home." She couldn't wait.

*******************************************

Author's note:

Also, the "Infunde" charm is something of my own making! Infunde, in latin, means "impart." 

Enjoy <3


	35. Chapter 35

Looking at her outfit in the mirror, Rebecca was retying her tie for the third time.

"Becca?" Hermione knocked and poked her head in, "You okay?"

Rebecca let her tie fall untied and turned to her, strings of her dark hair falling into her face as she leaned against the bathroom counter.

"I'm just-" A deep breath before answering again calmer, "I'm just having a spot of trouble this morning."

Hermione entered the bathroom and smiled, "It's not really like you to admit when you're having trouble. Can I help you?" Hermione's hands danced around the length of the red and gold tie, pulling it to the top of her shirt with a perfect knot in it.

"There! What else is the problem?"

"It's not a problem, more like a favor really. Could I snag two pins? These floppy bits are horrid today!"

Hermione rummaged through her drawer to find some, "Are you feeling nervous?"

"Why?"

Hermione reached up and grabbed the hair in her face, pulling them gently and pinning them back. "No reason, you just seem like you are...a little bit."

Hermione stood behind Rebecca and looked over her head in the mirror, the pins secured. "I think you'll do an excellent job."

Rebecca nodded at her reflection, "The good news is that even if I'm the worst, I already know you'll be able to do it."

They laughed and left the dormitory. In the common room, Harry paced back and forth. "You think she'll do alright? What about you?"

He had already asked them all and gone back to Fred to ask him again when Fred put an end to it, "Harry! She'll be fine! It's one class in something she's already done amazingly well in. Don't doubt her, she'll take it as you not believing in her. You don't want her to think you don't believe in her, do you?"

"Of course not! I just want it to go well for her."

Fred looked up as the two girls left the dormitory hall and descended the stairs. "Me too." 

She had done something differently, Fred noticed it immediately. The two curls of hair that normally framed her face, the ones that she'd play with when she was thinking hard about something, were pulled back. Her face was on full display. The smooth skin, her green eyes shining behind her glasses, her lightning bolt scar peeking out just barely.

"You're forgetting to breath Fred." George nudged him away from his stupor.

Fred ignored him and walked to the bottom of the stairs, hiding his daze with a posh accent, "Professor?"

"Student?" Rebecca said sternly, taking on a slight impression of McGonagall.

"Shall I accompany you to breakfast, ma'am?"

"Why, that will be quite satisfactory."

"As long as there are muffins?"

She turned her head sharply, a smile playing at the edge of her lips, "Correct, five points to Gryffindor!"

*******************************************

The breakfast spread in front of the group was as expansive and inviting as any other day, but Rebecca found herself still picking at a sole muffin.

Fred piled a few up around her plate as he stacked them like bricks in a wall. She poked out one slender finger and knocked the bottom row, causing them to topple.

"Harry, did you see what she's done?" Fred whined.

Harry shook his head and leaned down to look at her, "Rebecca, are you behaving?"

She smiled sweetly, "As well as always!"

Harry looked back to Fred, shrugging, "I don't see a problem."

George grabbed some of the muffins before putting another on to her plate. "You really should eat one more. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day!"

Hermione paused her discussion with Ginny, "Actually, it's been proven that lunch provides more nutrients and long-lasting energy because-"

"Never mind." George interrupted. Rebecca laughed and put the still wrapped muffin into her bag, saying she'd eat it later.

The staff had began to disperse to their classes in order to set up for their first hours. Rebecca sighed, at this point she didn't even care how it went. She just wanted to get it over with.

Fred squeezed her hand on the table, "Bloody Potions this morning, doubly horrid start to the day. Never thought I'd wish to be a third year again..."

Rebecca squeezed his hand back before standing, "Guess we should go."

"Guess so." Fred looked at her solemnly before a smile broke out across his face, "What I wouldn't give to be there."

Rebecca blushed, "It's not that big of a deal, you learned this last year."

"Oh, it is a big deal! You should have seen the rubbish we made!" 

George jumped in, "We were told to make self portraits, should be easy right? We look the same? No. Ours were so horrible that Flitwick asked us if we needed glasses!"

They went their separate ways laughing, Fred and George to the basement and the third years to Transfiguration.

*******************************************

Rebecca was excused from Transfiguration ten minutes before the bell to get to Charms before the rest of the class. She walked through the empty halls as she went over what she wanted to say.

"Is it stupid to say, 'hello class'? Yes. Well, maybe not. I don't know."

She shook her head, making herself sick as she tried to script the entire 90 minutes. Professor Flitwick's door was cracked open for her to just enter without disrupting the class before. 

Flitwick was standing on his stage, "Now class, go ahead and try the charm we've been working on for practise! We'll go over technicality and formal efforts after break."

He hurried to the door, "Ready?"

Rebecca nodded and put her bag to the side where he'd told her to. They chatted about how what would happen while she led the class, "I'll be right at my desk in case of an emergency, but other than that, you're in charge."

When the bell rang and the class was empty, Professor Flitwick waved his wand, causing the pile of marble slabs to be dispersed around the room, five to a desk.

The first of the students filed in, confused as to why Rebecca was standing on Flitwick's stage. She nodded and greeted them as they entered. When the arrival bell rang, Ron closed the door and smiled as he walked to his desk.

"Hello, I know what you're all thinking, 'What is she doing up there?' Well, I'm thinking the same thing." 

Quiet laughter was heard from around the class, "Today, I'm going to lead the today on the charm we've been working on: The Imparting charm." 

The whispers had died down, though Malfoy still muttered darkly to Crabbe and Goyle.

Rebecca pulled the piece of cloth off of her rendering from the other night. She held it in front of her as she walked a slow circle so the class could see it.

"This is a rendering I did a few nights ago. Note, the proportions are correct, the colours as I desired, and the details clear."

Malfoy coughed, "Show off."

Rebecca smiled, though her cheeks burned, "Yes, it does seem like I'm 'showing off,' thank you for bringing that up Draco."

It was Draco's turn to blush as he was effectively called out. "It appears that I have a knack for this, enough so that I'd like to walk you all through how I did it."

She cleared her throat and grabbed an empty slab from the stack on the stage with her. "To your sides you'll find your own piles for your attempts. Hold on, don't grab them just yet."

Ron snickered as Hermione and a few other students put them back, "Look at this one first. It's completely blank, not a single scratch or divot in its surface. Keep this in mind as you perform the charm. You are taking the picture that you have created in your mind, every detail that you can remember, and transferring it to this naked tile."

Rebecca went into the steps she wanted them to use, "First, before there's even magic involved, you're going to think about something that is important to you. It could be somewhere you love, something you love, someone you love, a friend or even a parent or pet. You want to choose something you feel that you know enough to think of and have a crystal clear image of in your mind. If there's anything that you can't quite remember, it will be that way in what you create."

Rebecca turned to put a slab on the easel in the middle, asking for anyone who couldn't see clearly to move so that they could.

The door opened silently when her back was turned and two shapes entered, standing in the shadows of the back of the room. Unknowing to her, Fred and George had skived out of Potions to sneak in and watch the class from the back.

Rebecca tapped her wand to her head, "Once you know what you want to impart, think about it for a bit. I've chosen the bench down by the Black Lake. I have an memory I'm quite fond of there, one I think about frequently."

She turned to the chalkboard where she wrote numbers one through three.

"I'm zooming in as I think about this, what I mean is- Yes, Draco?"

"How exactly does one 'zoom in' on a memory? None of us are robots."

Rebecca's cheeks burned as the other students laughed, Flitwick watched carefully, curious as to how she'd deal with the heckling.

"Well Mister Malfoy, if you'd allow me to finish, I can explain what I mean." She finished writing the words 'zoom in' before turning and leaning against the board. 

"When I say 'zoom in,' I mean that you going to work from the outside of the memory in. Close your eyes and I'll tell you what I'm thinking. Okay, I'm at the Black Lake. I'm standing back behind the picnic table I remember sitting at. The sun is shining, though the wind was blowing the trees in the background." She opened her eyes.

"That's my first step, the background. The process is similar to painting a mural, you don't paint the tiny details before the rough sketch is made. This leads to step two: People."

She drew a crude sketch of the Black Lake and the table on the other half of the board, "This is what I did in step one, the area. Step two, well two of my friends were there. George was in the water skipping stones." She put a stick figure into the water.

"Fred, the other person who was there, had his back to the water near where I had been sitting. Step two done."

"Yes, Neville?"

"Well I was just wondering when we should think about the smaller things?"

Rebecca smiled, "Careful, you'll finish all I have planned to say and then we'll just stand here silently staring at each other."

George smiled and looked at his twin to see if he found funny as well, but found that Fred was watching the class more intently than they did their own classes.

Rebecca grabbed the chalk and wrote the final step. "Step three: Details. You're going to remember every detail you can. For me and what I've been describing, I remember that the sun was behind a cloud over here," A circle and a cloud were drawn. 

"I remember that Fred had his pants rolled up a little. George was watching as his stone went really far. That kind of stuff. Then, you tap you wand to the middle of the slab and say, 'Infunde.'"

They all watched her a moment, "Well, that's it. Now you know the how of doing it, it's up to you now."

They sprang to action, all sliding a stone in front of them before they were interrupted once more. 

"How are we supposed to do it if you didn't even? For all we know you can't even do it and that's someone else's rendering you showed us!" Draco's voice rang out across the room. Professor Flitwick stood and went to deal with the issue, but Rebecca was already.

"You're absolutely right, why should you? I'll go ahead and do it for you, especially if you're feeling insecure about your abilities." She took two more slabs, so she had the three she had used before, and looked to them all.

"No one is expecting a perfect result the first try. The first one shows you what you need to think on harder or focus on less." She took a breath and closed her eyes.

"Infunde." The lines spread across the slab and colour filled in the blanks. Rebecca turned her head and looked at it before picking it up and walking around with it.

"You'll note that my proportions are off. George wasn't as tall as the trees in the background. The water wasn't this dark either. Now onto the second try." She set the first one up onto the lip of the board and put the second one up.

"I'm thinking of what I had wrong in the first try and thinking about what else I wanted in it."

"Infunde."

The slab was filled in again, albeit more detailed and more coloured than before. Fred's face was more detailed, like a photograph that was slightly out of focus when the image was taken. 

She did as she did before and walked it around and went over the differences, "Note, now George is the correct size and he's watching the stone as I remember. Fred? He's still not entirely correct, his features are out of focus and he was smiling, yet here he isn't. On this last try, I'm layering everything I have fixed form before and lining up the last, smaller details."

She put the second next to the first and put her last slab onto the easel. She took longer this time, nearly half a minute before she cast the charm.

"Infunde!"

The marble took longer as well, the lines and colours filling in every bit of the marble. Rebecca looked at it proudly, it was even better than the one she'd done of Harry. It looked more like a photograph than it did a work of art.

She picked it up so the class could see and walked it around. "This is my memory. This is the very image that is called to mind when I think of this day. Now it's been put onto a format to share."

Fred and George were astonished at how it had come out. It really was like they were looking back in time.

In front of where Draco sat, she said, "I hope you'll find this satisfactory Draco. I'm very excited to see your success."

Professor Flitwick had sat back down at his desk and chuckled at the resolution. 

The classroom jumped into motion as the students chose what they were going to focus on and began the process to make their own memories a reality. 

Draco was at his desk scowling. Seeing her succeed after he'd called her out was upsetting him more with her smart remarks back. He sat at his desk and grew increasingly upset as he went over every facet of his life and failed to find anything he loved enough to remember enough of to recreate. 

Hermione, on the other hand, chose a memory quickly, the Hogwarts Express pulling into the station at King's Cross. Ron was trying to recreate a memory from their trip to Egypt the year before. Harry? Harry sat at his desk and considered a few different memories.

He was focusing on each one individually. He tried to transport himself back to the memory he wanted to recreate, despite its distance in the past. 

Rebecca circled around the classroom, stepping off of the stage and weaving in and out of the desks. When she got to the back of the class, she was shocked to find Fred and George there.

"What about Potions?" 

George shrugged, "Snape said we could go because he knew how important it was to us."

She was taken back, "Really?"

"No. We left for the bathroom, uh-"

Fred answered, "An hour ago."

Rebecca smiled and shook her head, "Well...what did you think?"

"I think you did quite an amazing job, we feel like we could do even better than we did last year."

"I certainly hope so." Professor Flitwick said from behind Rebecca. "In fact, why don't you two take a seat and give it a go. I could be persuaded to consider this emergency tutoring if Professor Snape was to ask me about your absence." 

Boom! 

He winked at the three and went to help clean up Seamus' explosion.

Rebecca gestured to two chairs near the back with slabs next to them. "Call if you need anything, I'm around."

She continued around the class. Most students had most of their memories down, it was just the final details they were struggling with.

"Hey, if you've tried and tried and can't get it 100% there, try to put yourself back into the memory. Not necessarily where it was or when it was; but what you were feeling and thinking. You'll be surprised at what you can remember as soon as you stop trying."

After that announcement, more and more students began to show off their finished products.

Hermione, as Rebecca had predicted, picked up the skill quickly. She had the finished image of the Hogwarts Express pulling in in the three slabs Rebecca had used. Ron's only catch up was the top of the pyramids.

"Why would I look at the top of them?" He sighed in exasperation. Hermione leaned over to help him while Rebecca sat next to Harry, whose slab was still blank.

"Problem Harry?"

"No, prof. Almost done collecting the little details."

She giggled, "Well then, I shall return."

By the time she'd made it back to Draco, he had a sloppy rendition of a dog-like thing. "Working alright, Draco?" 

"No. You're stupid steps don't work. This isn't how I remembered her at all."

"Her? Who is it?"

Draco grimaced as he looked up at her, "She was my dog. This? This is just hideous."

"Now don't say that. I can see her general shape, it's just the little things. Did you take her on walks and bathe her?"

"Of course."

"Did you play fetch and give her table scraps?"

Draco sighed, "Yes and yes, how does this help?"

"Try and remember all the good times you had with her, where you went with her and everything you did with her. I think you're fighting yourself because," She gestured to his tile, "You've almost got it." 

Walking away, she turned back as Draco spoke again.

"I never said she died."

Rebecca looked back to him with a kind smile, "You used 'was' to talk about her and I can tell that it hurts you to talk about her. You didn't need to."

He shook his head and went back through his most precious memories of his sweet girl. Wiping his eyes before anyone noticed the tears that had formed.

George was fighting Fred in the back of the room. "I showed you what I did, its only fair!"

Fred pulled his slab back, "No, memories are private!"

"Guys! Please!" They stopped and looked to Rebecca who was standing in front of the desk they were sitting at. 

They apologised.

"George? Fred is right. Sometimes are memories are private, but Fred, if you knew you weren't going to share with him, you should have said something before he showed his."

Rebecca kept her eyes on George, "May I look George?"

He grunted a yes, then she looked. George had a memory that Rebecca remembered fondly. "Is this the day you had to bathe Madame Egg?"

He let his sour disposition melt away, "Yeah, when you and her became besties."

Fred chuckled from beside George, causing George to shoot him a look. "I'm sharing with Rebecca, Fred. Not you."

Rebecca shook her head and went off to see if Harry had any luck.

"George...it was wrong to not say I didn't want to share mine before hand."

George nodded, "I know."

"I will share mine with you, but I would like it to stay between us--not become public knowledge?"

"Are you saying I'm a gossip?"

Fred sighed and tilted his tile down, revealing his memory.

It was Rebecca from the weekend before, when they sat on the bench. Her hair was defined by its individual strands, snow resting on it gently from where it poked out from under her hood and hat. Her eyes sparkled as the sun reflected off the snowy surroundings, bringing out each fleck of gold around the green irises. Her breath was frozen in time, her mouth opened in a laugh. Every detail cemented in reality in the image he'd created.

George gasped, "Oh..."

Fred looked up at him, "What?"

George shook his head slowly, "Mate..."

Fred went to tilt his tile away from George, but George stopped him. "This is brilliant. You won't show her?"

"No!" Fred took the tile back and popped it under his arm, "I'll catch you guys at lunch."

George watched him leave and turned back to watch Rebecca flit around the room helping anyone who needed it, never once showing any annoyance, only kindness. 

*******************************************

"Harry, you get it?"

Rebecca spoke to him from the end of his row of desks. She weaved in and out to avoid the crowding students as they showed off how much they were able to get imparted.

"Yes, I'm glad you came back actually. I wanted to show you."

Harry turned his tile around so that it was right-side up for her. She leaned down and putting her elbows on the table and her head in her hands. "Harry..."

"Yes, it is. The first time we met."

Rebecca laughed, "Is that really how I looked to you?"

The image showed Rebecca sitting on the opposite side of the picnic table they'd sat at behind the Burrow on their meeting in the summer before their first year. Her hair was wild in the wind, her glasses fallen down her nose, kids in the background nothing but blurs as they raced past on brooms.

"What's wrong with it?"

"Nothing, I just never noticed my hair was so big."

Ron leaned over, "Oh, don't worry. It's bigger some days."

Hermione slapped his arm, "Ron! That's rotten!"

Ron rubbed his arm, "I thought she'd like to know, isn't it like some sort of territory thing with girls?"

Rebecca shook her head and left the argument before she was forced to choose a side, her hand smoothing the back her head unconsciously. "It's fine."

"What?" Rebecca turned and found Draco holding his marble away from the rest of the students lined up at the door chatting.

"Your hair, it's fine. Weasle-Bee doesn't know what he's talking about."

Rebecca looked at him for a moment before answering, considering her response carefully, "While I appreciate it, Draco, Ron is my friend. I would appreciate you not speaking of him that way, certainly not to me."

Draco ignored her and asked if she would like to see his finished product. 

"Our memories are one of out most private things, only if it's something you'd like to share."

He turned it and put it in her hands. It was exactly how he'd remembered his dog, Astra. Her fur was sleek and shiny, her tail looking as if it could wag through the image. 

"This is magnifice-" Draco was gone, leaving her with his hard work. 

Professor Flitwick approached her, "Rebecca, I think this was quite the success. They all did so much better than last years group...quite a bit of trouble there..." He trailed off. 

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and George were talking near the door as they waited for Rebecca to be ready.

"Professor, Draco left this with me."

Flitwick looked at it, "This is quite the creation. I'm surprised he didn't want it."

Rebecca looked to her friends and shouldered her bag, "Perhaps some memories hurt to much to keep outside us."

They were silent a moment.

"Thank you for the opportunity. I hope it went well enough for that extra marks."

"More than enough so. Happy holidays and have a safe break. I'll see you once you return."

She wished him happy holidays and looked to her friends.

"Where'd Fred run to?"

Hermione noticed her trying to look around them, "He ran to do something quick, said he'd meet us at lunch."

"He wasn't mad, was he? I meant to stop back by you two, just ran out of time."

Ron and Harry were arguing about whether or not they could impart a dream they remembered, leading Rebecca and Hermione to consider the theory behind it.

"If it's a dream, but you remember it, it's in your memories to recreate..." Rebecca started,

"But at the same time, if it was only a dream, the memories aren't as prominent as a physical memory."

Harry and Ron quickly turned to more exciting topics, like quidditch, as the girls began to discuss their query much more seriously as they had aspired to.

*******************************************

To be continued in the next installment <3


	36. Chapter 36

Lunch was much more socially active than other days: Gryffindor and Slytherin third years alike stopped where they were eating to talk about how much they enjoyed Charms that day, as well as talking about how they were going to use the infunde charm in the future.

Rebecca found herself watching the door carefully, only half-paying attention to those who stopped by and talked. Fred still hadn't arrived and lunch was over in five minutes. 

"We really should go Rebecca," Ron looked at Harry's watch. "Divination is far."

Hermione scoffed, "Divination. I can see...a waste of time!"

Harry jumped into get Hermione off the rant she was inevitably leading herself on, "Hermione, I forgot again. What's the seventeenth law of transfiguring living to nonliving matter?"

"The seventeenth is..."

George pulled Rebecca into a hug, patting the back of her head. "There, there. Don't fret. You're teaching probably just traumatised him, he's probably just fallen into a trauma-induced coma!"

Rebecca pulled herself away from him, smiling to show that she appreciated his own distraction of humour. "Really? You think so?"

"I know so, Madame Pomfrey was in the back with us, revived me. That's why I'm still perfect and conscious."

"Whatever you say, George."

George waved goodbye to the third years as he went off towards the Transfiguration classroom, pondering Fred's absence himself. 

*******************************************

The afternoon flew by, Divination proving to be yet another day to pretend they'd had a glimpse into the future and Care of Magical Creatures as tedious as it had been since the Buckbeak-fiasco.

This was their third week learning about the incredibly dull creature that is the flobberworm. Rebecca tried to enjoy Hagrid's class, she really did. But feeding her flobberworm lettuce had gotten monotonous. 

Apparently, the flobberworms agreed. Upon reaching the clearing beyond Hagrid's hut, the class found their flobberworms dead.

"Must'a fed 'em too much." Hagrid said morosely. "I don't have anythin' else... Talk amongst yerselves, we'll start somethin' new after break."

He went back to his stump by the entrance of the clearing and continued working on the piece of wood he was whitling. 

"Professor?"

Hagrid grunted and looked to Rebecca, who cleared some snow off the front step of his hut. "Do you want to talk?"

Hagrid shook his head and returned to his whittling.

"That's alright. I'll go ahead and talk for the two of us. So, I don't know if you heard but today I lead the class with the infunde charm and..."

Hagrid found himself neglecting his carving of Buckbeak as he listened to her recollection of the class before.

"...I think I must have done something to upset Fred though. He left before class was done and then never showed up to lunch." 

Hagrid chuckled, smiling for the first time in ages, "Don' even worry about 'im. I'm certain he'll be at supper."

Hagrid knew because Fred had spent many, many classes of Hagrid's talking to George about her. 

"You think?"

Hagrid nodded his head and saw how she shielded herself from the wind. 

"Why don' you go set yourself up near a fire? Be warmer than o'er here."

Rebecca argued to sit with him longer, but he insisted. "If you insist. Have a happy holiday. We'll get back to work on the defence case after break, okay? Harry and Hermione are both staying at school this year, they're sure to keep working on it."

Hagrid smiled up at her, "Too kind, ye' are."

She giggled and gave him a little hug before going to where Ron and Hermione were chatting quietly as Harry held his hands up to one of the fires built around the clearing.

"Good chat?" Harry asked as she sat next to him and held her hands to the fire as he was.

"Excellent, although..."

"...you offered us to keep working over break?" 

Rebecca looked at him, "How'd you know?"

"Lip reading. It's a talent of mine."

"Harry! What if we were having a private conversation?"

Harry smirked, "Wouldn't be private then."

"I can read lips too. Watch." She pointed across the way to where Crabbe and Goyle were talking to each other very quietly.

"Crabbe's asking if Goyle ate their flobberworm. Oh! Goyle just said that he did in fact eat it. Said it was delicious!"

Harry laughed and ended their conversation as Ron shouted, "STOP BLOODY LYING!" at Hermione.

Hermione looked around as everyone turned to look at the two of them. "I'm not lying Ronald. When you pull your head out of your arse, I expect an apology."

She stalked off towards the castle. Rebecca sighed, "I'll go be with Hermione, you take Ron. Better this way anyway, with us leaving for the break and you two staying."

Harry looked to where Ron was fuming, "Yay."

*******************************************

Rebecca stopped at the library to see if Hermione was there, but only found Madam Pince in a foul mood. "You! Did you pass anyone in the corridor?"

Rebecca looked behind her and found no one else, "Yes you, Miss Potter."

"No, Madam Pince, not one."

"That, that monstrous poltergeist rearranged my library!"

Rebecca backed out of the library slowly as Madam Pince's rampage around the library ebbed and swelled. She was pulling books off, reading their titles, shouting them and slamming them onto different stacks.

"No one in their right mind would stay in the library with her in such a mood."

Rebecca took the staircases to where Sir Cadogan was posing atop his horse. "Password?"

She checked her watch, before three was the morning password, after the night password.

"Round Table."

"Thy may find entrance."

Rebecca rolled eyes and went into the warm common room. The snow had only grown taller, falling more often than not. What was first a winter wonderland had quickly become a piercingly-cold prison, and the heat from the fireplaces felt glorious.

The couches and chairs looked empty at first glance, but she saw a familiar profile staring into the fire. Rebecca crossed the room and set her coat onto a table, sitting on the arm of Fred's chair.

"Where'd you disappear off to?"

Fred jumped, "Merlin! Are you trying to give me a heart attack, woman?!"

Rebecca giggled, "No, George said I already bored you into a coma in Charms."

He shook his head ferociously, "Not in the slightest! You did amazingly, spectacularly...um, another word that means great!"

Looking up to her, he continued, "You were perfect."

"Did you end up doing better than you did last year? No glasses needed?"

"Yes, it came out really well."

They sat in the common room for a while, not talking. Just enjoying each other's company. Eventually, Rebecca knew that she had to go up to the dormitory to find Hermione.

"Fred...I've got to go."

"Really?"

"Ron and Hermione were at it again, I don't even know why now."

"Oh, that's why she stormed through here. Scooped her cat up from in front of the fire and went upstairs."

Rebecca sighed, "Maybe it's about Scabbers again then. Will I see you at supper?"

"Yes, I believe so. Unless I get a better offer."

She grabbed her coat, "Is that all I am to you Fred Weasley? A back up plan?"

He tried to come up with a witty remark, but couldn't before she was climbing the stairs. She turned at the top and called back down, "Don't worry, I'll let you think of something witty until dinner!"

He called back, "Oh! Well, I will...think!"

George scoffed from the entrance, "Really? 'I will...think'?"

Fred went to grab George, but failed. George was anticipating it. Both boys wrestled around the common room entrance, other entering Gryffindor students laughed as they tried to get around them without catching any flying limbs.

*******************************************

Upstairs, Rebecca found Hermione laying in bed, her face buried into Crookshanks side. Her shoulders shook softly.

"Don't cry-"

Hermione's head shot up as Rebecca sat next to her. Her eyes were clear and free of tears. "I'm not crying. I have nothing to cry about, I'm not wrong."

"So you're laughing?"

Hermione told Rebecca to lay her head on Crookshanks and she did. Her head began to buzz as Crookshanks' purring was resembling a revving chainsaw. Rebecca giggled and sat up, "I see!"

Hermione sat back against the headboard and pet Crookshanks as she explained, "Ron hasn't seen Scabbers since last night and tried to pin it on Crookshanks again. That's why he said I was lying, I'd said Crookshanks was up here all evening."

"Scabbers probably just got lost, he always ends up popping back up. He's over 12 years old for Merlin's sake, he's clearly hard to kill!"

Hermione shook her head, "That's not how Ron sees it. If he thought of a way, I'm certain he'd try and blame the weather on Crookshanks and I."

Rebecca went over to the closet and hung up her coat, not planning on leaving the castle's walls again that night. When she came back, Hermione had that day's rendering out of her bag and was looking at it carefully.

"By all means," 

"You don't mind, do you?" Hermione looked slightly ashamed at having not asked.

"I'm only stirring your cauldron. Go for it, probably easier to see now."

Hermione nodded, "It is..." She trailed off while she took in every detail. "This is truly amazing. You're memories hold so much- I don't know...Memory, I guess."

Rebecca had wrapped a blanket around her and jumped back into bed next to Hermione, "I think it's because I try so hard to cherish the happy times."

"Did you ever see Fred's?" Hermione asked.

"No, did you?"

The brunette answered, "No."

Rebecca put her growing curiosity to the side, "I had a small idea, a gift idea for the Weasleys. Can I run it by you, get your thoughts?"

"Of course!"

"I was thinking, Professor Flitwick gave me a few tiles and a few canvases to keep practising the infunde charm. I wanted to make one specifically for them, when I first saw the Burrow."

"I think that's an excellent idea, especially the canvas idea. Tile clearly gives you no issue. Canvas is supposed to be more difficult, but I doubt the challenges of canvas will trouble you."

Hermione looked away before looking back into Rebecca's eyes. "You never mentioned how you found the Burrow...or where you lived before hand."

Rebecca's eyes drifted out the window, looking into the distance. "No, I didn't."

"I didn't mean to push you, if it's something you don't want to talk about."

"No! It's not pushing. We're friends, best friends actually. I never really told Harry either. I guess it's just been easier to put it all in the past."

Hermione's hand left Crookshanks and rested on Rebecca's arm, "I'm serious, if it's too personal or makes you uncomfortable, then I never asked."

Rebecca put her hand on top of hers and left it there. "From what I've pieced together from what other people have told me and what I already knew, the reason I wasn't found with Harry was because our dad and I were downstairs while he and our mum was up. A muggle woman must have heard me because she ended up taking me home with her."

"Her name was Janet Irvine. She wanted a child so badly and I was just there in the rubble, I've never blamed her for taking me. She thought she was doing the right thing." 

"I probably would have done the same thing." Hermione grabbed another blanket and covered them both up with it. Rebecca's hands trembled lightly, Hermione knew it wasn't from the cold alone, but thought she would enjoy the comfort.

"Her husband, William, didn't like me. I never really found out why in the beginning. He would leave a room if I went in it, he ignored me, he acted like I didn't exist. That lasted a few years. Janet loved me and I her. She was a good mum. When I was six, I killed her."

Hermione looked to her with alarm.

Rebecca continued without pause, "We were driving home from the park, it was winter, so the roads were slick. I asked why I needed a seatbelt on and undid myself. When she turned back to fix me, she lost control and drove directly into a tree. I did that, I unbuckled causing her to crash."

Hermione squeezed her arm, "That's not killing her."

She shook her head and continued, "I screamed for her; for her to wake up, I didn't understand. William did though, he knew what I'd done. He punished me for that day until I was nearly eleven years old. I thought I was a curse for a long time, after that. It stuck There was an old lady I'd met at the library, Mrs. Figg. She would feed me all the time, William never had food in the house. I'd help her with her cats and she cared for me. One day, I asked if I could just stay and she dropped to the floor. I called the paramedics, of course, but I never returned. I couldn't kill someone else I cared for."

Hermione used her other hand to turn her friends face to hers, "Rebecca, it wasn't your fault. Janet or Mrs. Figg."

Rebecca just closed her eyes lightly, tears clinging to her eyelashes. "I know that now, I'd just...I'd spent so many years being told that I had already killed my mother it was easy to believe that I'd killed her too. I'm almost done, the worst parts have passed."

Hermione nodded and pulled her into an embrace.

"In the late summer, before I turned eleven, William kicked my room open one night and told me to grab my coat." She got up and went to her desk drawer, pulling out the framed photo of Janet.

"This is all I took from there, it's all I had really. I would have grabbed a few of my books if I'd had the chance, even though they would have been ruined. I would go all across Caterham to the neighbourhoods lending libraries to hunt out the beautiful books and trade them out with others I'd found."

"This is Janet?"

"Yes, she was beautiful. Kind and beautiful."

Hermione asked the question that spurred her on, "What did William do with the coat?"

"Nothing, he told me to get in his car. He drove for hours, down long, lightless roads to turn onto dirt roads that were more like fields really. He stopped as the sun started to rise."

Rebecca took a deep breath, "He said, 'I hate you. If you try to come back, if you try and find me--I will kill you. Just go.' I got out. He drove away. That was the last time I saw him and the last thing he said to me."

"So did the Weasleys find you on the side of the road?"

"Oh no, I was serious. I found them. I couldn't go back the way he'd gone, he'd made his point clear. I walked the opposite direction and didn't stop other than to sleep under the trees. I walked for days, drinking out of puddles and ponds, hungry. On the fourth, or maybe the fifth? I'm not sure, but days later, I exited a clearing to see a mismatched house in the center. They had an old tree house up a tree with a ladder hanging out."

Rebecca blushed, "I was hungry, hungrier than you can imagine. I-I...I took from them. From the Weasleys. But I had not other choice."

"Of course, while I walked it poured a few times and the nights were frigid, so I'd gotten ill. That's how they caught me actually: I'd snuck in in the middle of the night for food and water and sneezed, dropped the water bottles, and slipped in the puddle. Slammed my head into the counter and woke up on the couch, Mrs. Weasley right next to me."

Hermione wiped a tear from her own eye as she smiled, "It does sound like you." before Rebecca spoke again, "So, anyway, background filled in completely, what I wanted to ask you was what you thought about the image I saw when I left the clearing: The Burrow, safety, warmth, food, water, life, and if I tried to make a canvas of it."

Hermione nodded, "That's a beautiful idea."

Rebecca let her head fall onto Hermione's shoulder.

"Harry doesn't know any of that? Ron?"

"No, well, some of it probably for Harry. All of the Weasleys know, there was this little thing where they had listened at the stairs as Dumbledore and McGonagall explained it to me, with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley of course. They know everything I told you. The bulk of the past part though? That part no for Harry."

"Thank you for trusting me enough to share."

It was Rebecca's turn to look at Hermione alarmed, "Hermione, it's not that I didn't trust you beforehand. Please don't think that. It's really more that I didn't know if you'd want to hear it. It's not a particularly pleasant topic."

Hermione pulled Rebecca closer, "No, it's not. It's enlightening though."

"Enlightening?"

"Oh yes, explains a lot."

Rebecca sat back a bit, "What do you mean?"

Hermione's eyes sparkled as they did when she was explaining something she found interesting, "Well, the way you speak of William, I imagine he yelled a lot?"

Rebecca nodded.

"When ever anyone gets mad enough to raise their voice, you sort of draw back into yourself."

"Is that all?"

"No, there are a few other things too. Want to hear?"

Rebecca shook her head, "Let's not analyse my entire being in one sitting."

They laughed. By the time Rebecca had answered any questions that Hermione had and ensure Hermione that she hadn't done any harm in asking about her past, it was nearly time for supper. 

*******************************************

Rebecca sat at the Gryffindor table. Hermione on one side, Fred on the other. Harry and Ron were farther down the table. Harry and Rebecca tried mouthing to one another, but Rebecca's lack of his ability was more than evident.

Fred shocked her out of her thoughts when he threw his arm around her shoulder and rocked her back and forth quickly, "Two more suppers and we're heading back for your first Christmas at home!"

Rebecca smile grandly, "I can't wait!"

Fred watched how excited she got when she started talking about how "Mrs. Weasley said she would wait to bake cookies until we got back" and asking question after question about any Christmas traditions they had. 

Eventually George leaned over Fred and put a forkful of treacle tart into her mouth. "Shhhh...Rebecca, take a breath every few sentences."

She grinned and chewed the pastry, "I may be a little excited."

Fred smiled back at her, "We can tell."

Hermione and Rebecca had begun to talk about when they were going to send the owls on Christmas day with their Secret Santa gifts when George pulled Fred's attention away.

"Are you going to give RJ your memory for Secret Santa?"

Fred shrugged, "Do you think it's something that she'd like?"

George looked at him with a face, "You're daft if you think she wouldn't! She's still got the locket on you chose for her birthday."

"We. We chose. We gave it to her as a family."

George just shook his head, "Semantics."

"Maybe I should gift it to her then..." Fred pondered it endlessly. Through the rest of supper, through relaxing again with Rebecca in the tension between Ron and Hermione in the common room, through showering, even to the moment he'd closed his eyes to go to sleep.

*******************************************

Author's Note:

A touch of a filler, though I have a plan to bring it back to POA plot movement. I hope you enjoyed, thanks for reading <3


	37. Chapter 37

Ron and Hermione were still at odds with each other, while Rebecca and Harry remained steadfast in their decision to stay neutral. Until, at least, the day before those leaving for break left..

Harry had had a package delivered in the night, a long, thin package. He and Ron unpackaged it quickly. Harry sat back and held it gingerly. 

"Rebecca. It's a Firebolt. A Firebolt!"

Rebecca looked through the wrapping, looking for a note glancing at the broom intermittently. Hermione stayed back at the edge of the common room, watching carefully.

"Harry, there's no note."

"So? My Nimbus got destroyed, with this we have a chance at winning!"

Hermione shook her head and stepped closer, "There's no note, Harry. You have no idea where, or whom, it came from. For all we know, it could be from Sirius Black."

Ron scoffed, "Paranoid, aren't you? Can't just let Harry have something and enjoy it?"

Rebecca tried to reach Harry while Ron and Hermione started to fight again, "Harry, Hermione has a point. Why don't we ask McGonagall? She equally wants to win and keep you safe."

Harry shook his head, "Rebecca! Listen to yourself! Ron's right, you two sound paranoid."

She was taken back at his cavalier attitude, "If caring about you and worrying about you makes me paranoid, then call St. Mungo's I'm bloody chronic. Don't ride the broom, please. You must see that there's a chance it could be dangerous."

Harry's face set angrily, "No."

"No?"

Harry stood up, broom his hand, "You heard me. No. You don't get to tell me what to do, not now, not ever. I don't know why people wish for a twin. They can be such a nuisance."

He turned and went up to his dorm, Ron following closely behind. Fred and George were coming down the stairs and saw the look on their faces and Rebecca being consoled by Hermione.

"What happened?" Fred took the stairs two at a time and went to her side.

She had her eyes closed and her hands pressed to her forehead. Hermione answered, "Harry got an unlabelled Firebolt in the mail."

George nodded, "Unlabelled. I see."

Fred looked at them all quickly, not understanding, "See what?"

Rebecca lifted her head and explained, "An unlabelled package...Expensive gift...Murderer that wants Harry and I..."

"Ah, yes that would be a problem. Easy to jinx."

Rebecca nodded, "Exactly. Instead of listening to reason, he and Ron are acting like they've got cotton in their heads. And, twins are nuisances because that's what I am. A nuisance."

Fred patted her on the head, "We'll work on out euphemisms for daft later. You don't seem heartbroken by the twin comment?"

"I know he's angry, I would be too. I just want him to be safe."

"Let's go." Fred sprang into action.

She and Hermione followed behind Fred, George shouting from the back of the line, "Go where?"

Fred didn't answer, just reached back for Rebecca's hand and led her around the castle. Halfway to their destination, they began to see where he was taking them and when they stopped, they were outside of McGonagall's office. 

"Don't get me wrong, I want to win the House Cup, too. But a dead seeker can't find the snitch. And, while twins can be nuisances, you certainly are not." He said and knocked on the door.

When Professor McGonagall opened the door, her eyes narrowed, "What trouble have you lot made now?"

George chuckled, "For once professor, we've made none."

*******************************************

"It was wise of you to come to me. You're concerns come from a place of love, the best place for concerns to arise. Five points to Gryffindor, each of you."

Professor McGonagall caught Rebecca's eyes, ensuring that she was listening before finishing, "I'm certain they will be upset. Sometimes...sometimes what's best for a person is the most upsetting."

Rebecca nodded, "Thank you, professor."

McGonagall sighed and stood, smoothing her robes. "I will collect the broom for inspecting. You four should probably be in your dormitories beforehand."

They thanked her before leaving her office. She was giving them a few minutes to return to their rooms before she would be on her way. Hermione and Rebecca didn't talk much as they walked, fully engrossed by the thoughts of how furious they were going to be.

When they did make it back to the portrait hole, Sir Cadogan granted them access with minimal issues, though he did make each and everyone of them recite the passcode individually. Fred caught one of Rebecca's hands at the bottom of the girls' staircase and held it, pulling her back down a stair as Hermione continued up.

She looked straight ahead, her eyes level with his. Her head turned, looking at the rest of the common room. "So this is how you see everything?"

Fred looked around once before turning back to her, "Bird's eye view and all. Are you going to be okay tonight?"

Rebecca took another step down and wrapped her arms around him. Fred did the same thing, her head held against his chest. She could hear his heartbeat, steady and loud as she closed her eyes a moment. She enveloped in him entirely, his sounds, his smells. He smelled...different. Like a pine tree or a winter wind. Fresh, yet there was something underneath it all.

"I'll be fine. Even if Ron hates me over Christmas, I'll have you and George. And Ginny."

Fred, reluctantly, pulled himself away from her, "Is that all I am to you, a back up plan?"

Professor McGonagall entered the common room and smiled at the sight of them, climbing the boys dormitory without a word.

Rebecca laughed softly before musing, "Is recycling something I said really thinking of your own comeback?"

"If it makes you laugh, I'd say anything in the world." He smiled cheekily and watched her go up the stairs. 

"Good night, Fred."

"Good night, nuisance."

She smiled at him from the top and shook her head as she entered the dormitory hall.

In the boys hall, Professor McGonagall was in the doorway of Harry and Ron's room when Fred walked by. Ron was sputtering, "B-But professor! Don't you want to win?"

She snapped, "Mister Weasley! Whether or not I want to win matters naught when safety is at risk!"

Ron muttered, "Exactly what Rebecca and Hermione said." Louder, "They're the ones that told you right?"

"Apparently they have the only sense between you four. I hope you two are able to see that before you end up saying, or doing, anything you will regret."

Ron made eye contact with Fred and looked away quickly. Harry never noticed the older Weasley, he was too busy staring at the floor.

*******************************************

"Yes, Fred."

Fred turned over and looked to George's bed. George was laying in the opposite direction and spoke out of nowhere.

"Yes, what? I never said anything."

George sighed heavily, "Yes, she'll be fine. Yes, you should give her the tile. Yes, you're a twit."

Fred sat up confused, "I never even said anything! Wh-How could I be a twit?"

George chuckled, "I figured I just had an opening to fit that in. You didn't have to say anything, you're thinking so loudly, I'm picking up on it from over here."

Fred grunted non-committedly. 

"Still not a twit."

*******************************************

The morning was a flurry of activity in Rebecca's, Hermione's and Ginny's dormitory. As soon as the two returning to the Burrow were 'packed,' Hermione would find something else that they needed around the room.

After the third time this had happened, Ginny shouted, "If I don't have it in the trunk now then I go without. Can we please go get some breakfast before we need to be at the train?"

Rebecca laid Harry's Christmas present on her bed, reminding Hermione that it had to go down to the tree Christmas morning.

"Yes, I said I would."

Rebecca laughed as she put a jumper on and then a jumper in the trunk, slamming it shut. "I know, that's why I'm only reminding you!"

Ginny pulled her trunk out into the hallway where it would be collected and brought to the train for them.

"I'll meet you two down there, you're too slow." She called back into the room.

Rebecca shook her head and put her trunk out next to Ginny's, "You should see how she wakes up at home, that's slow."

Hermione and Rebecca hugged as they looked in at their room. "This is weird."

Hermione looked to her, "What is?"

Rebecca and Hermione walked to the end of the hall, "Me being the one who leaves. You've left each Christmas before and now I am while you stay."

Looking over the entire common room, neither girl was shocked to find Harry and Ron not there. Ginny stood in a corner chatting with some other second years while Fred twirled his wand at the bottom of the girls stairs, his back to them.

Rebecca motioned for Hermione to stay silent as she began to creep down the stairs. Right behind Fred, she tapped him on one of his shoulders and plopped down on the opposite.

"Looking for something?" She asked as he turned and jumped at her sudden appearance.

"Twice! Two heart attacks in two days!" Fred grabbed at his chest dramatically as Hermione and George conversed in front of them, the portrait hole a steady flow of traffic.

Harry and Ron were ahead of them in the corridors, their heads bent down towards each other and their hands gesturing wildly.

Ginny ran up behind them, panting. "You couldn't wait for me?"

George looked down at her, "Nope."

Ginny glared at him before laughing, "I wouldn't have waited for you either." She looked to where Rebecca and Hermione were staring to. "I'll do it, if you want."

"Do what?" Hermione asked confused.

"Kick some arse."

*******************************************

Breakfast was as extensive a spread as ever, the last meal prepared for the entire castle before those celebrating Christmas at home left. Ron sat as far from the two girls as he could, not looking in their direction. Harry sat on the side of Ron that was closest to them, though he too ignored them.

Hermione and Rebecca were going over the list they were building of things left for Hagrid's case to save Buckbeak.

"I think it wouldn't hurt to send another owl to that charity...What were they?"

Rebecca tapped the top of her muffin, "MCS! Magical Creature Saviours. They never responded to me."

"I'll send them another owl and explain how urgent the situation is. Maybe the Christmas season will make them more likely to offer help."

"Maybe. Maybe we should...talktoDraco."

Hermione leaned closer to her, asking her to repeat herself.

"...IcouldalwaystrytotalktoDraco..."

"Rebecca, I can't understand you!"

Rebecca set her muffin down, "I could ask Draco to see if his father will drop the suit."

Hermione stirred her bowl of oatmeal. "I don't see a spat helping at all."

George leaned over, "He did leave you the memory of his dog, maybe he was trying to build a bridge?"

Fred scoffed, "Malfoy? He doesn't build bridges--he burns them."

Rebecca looked to him, answering carefully. "I think that that was true in the past, and, very well could still be true. But if there's even a slight chance, a minute, miniscule microscopic chance, it could work then I have to try. For Buckbeak."

Fred pursed his lips and looked away before answering, "I know. That's the kind of person you are."

Rebecca grabbed her pumpkin juice and finished it, seeing that Draco was leaving the Great Hall. "No time like the present then. I'll be right back." She pulled her legs out from under the table and scooted off the bench. Fred watched her leave.

Hermione smiled to herself before turning to him seriously, "She might need someone afterwards, depending on how it goes..."

Fred nodded but didn't move.

George smacked him on the center of his forehead, "You!"

Fred scowled, "I knew that! No need to bloody hit me." He took the last bite of his bagel and left the Great Hall. 

As soon as Fred was out of earshot, George turned and looked at Hermione.

"Sixth year."

"What?"

"Sixth year, their first date. 10 galleons."

Hermione snorted and shook her head, "You're sixth or ours?"

"Ours, in two years."

"I'm betting next year, 15 galleons."

George considered the bet and stuck his hand out, "You're on, but you're horrible at this. Have you not seen how bloody awkward he is with her? He's going to need time!"

"We'll see."

*******************************************

"Draco? Wait up a minute!" Rebecca weaved around the other students entering and leaving breakfast.

"Wait!"

Draco had turned at the sound of his name being called but continued walking away when he saw that it was her calling him. When she finally caught up to him, she had had to jog to keep up with his fast pace.

"Draco?"

"What?" He asked snidely.

"Can I borrow your ear a second?"

He looked at her and found that her face held no anger, no disdain. The feelings he had grown so use to Gryffindors looking at him with.

"If you talk quickly, yes. I'm still packing."

Rebecca followed him to the side of the hall where he leaned casually.

"It's about Buckbeak."

Draco's slight smile fell and his face went stoic. "Why? I don't care about that bloody chicken. It's dangerous."

Rebecca tried to stay calm, "While Buckbeak does have the capacity to be dangerous, as all hippogriffs do, he isn't. Nothing is inherently dangerous, like nothing is inherently evil."

"You don't know that." Draco said softly.

"I do."

Draco shook his head and looked down the corridor to the Potions classroom. "I don't know what you think I can do."

"I just want you to talk to your father. Ask him to reconsider."

Draco scoffed, "Talk? To my father?"

Rebecca reached up and grabbed a curl of her hair, playing with it as she tried to think of any way to reach him. "Draco, if the case goes the way it seems it will, they're going to kill him. Execute him."

"I...I can try. I can't promise results though."

Rebecca smiled, "Results can never truly be promised. Thank you."

Draco turned to go back down the hall,

"Wait! I have something for you, let me find it."

She went through her pants pockets, her robe pockets, and finally found it in the pocket of her hooded jumper. She pulled out the small, ribboned box and handed it to him.

"Happy Christmas."

Draco's cheeks burned as he took the present from her. "Should I open it now?"

"No, it's a Christmas present."

He smiled, "Thank you." and paused before asking a final question. "Would you have given me this if I'd said no?"

Rebecca shrugged, "You didn't say no, so I'm not sure."

Pansy appeared at the end of the corridor and narrowed her eyes at the sight of them, "Draco! It's time to get ready to go!" Her shrill voice echoed long after she'd turned back.

"Happy Christmas to you as well." Draco said before leaving her.

Rebecca turned to go back to the Great Hall, feeling that the conversation went much better than she could have hoped. Peeking out from behind a suit of armor was a familiar looking pair of shoes.

"Fred?"

"You can see me?" The body asked slowly.

"Not entirely, just you're foot. And your leg. And you arm."

Fred stepped out, "Guess I'll have to get you back for scaring me at home then."

She looked up to him, "Were you following me?"

"No." Fred looked around, not reaching her eyes.

"You just happened to be in this corridor that I went down."

"Appears that way." He still looked away.

Rebecca shook her head. "I don't believe you."

Fred met her eyes finally, "Wasn't sure how that was going to go. Didn't know if you'd need a little pick-me-up before going back to the others."

Rebecca launched into an excited recount of their conversation, "I think, knock on wood, Buckbeak may have a larger chance."

Fred put his arm around her as they went back to the Great Hall to wait for the announcement to leave for the station.

*******************************************

Dumbledore stood at his podium, waiting for silence. 

"The holidays are upon us once again. I hope that those of you leaving us will remain vigilant in your safety--Do not go off without an adult with you, do not go off alone at all. We shall await your return, with all of us wishing you a happy, safe holiday."

He went to step down from the podium before turning back, "Almost forgot, the carriages are ready. Train leaves in forty-five minutes."

Hermione turned to Rebecca, "I've got the list, you and Ginny are packed, feel like you forgot anything?"

Rebecca made an inventory of everything she'd packed, thinking carefully before answering, "No, I think I have everything. I'm going to miss you."

"You're going to miss me? I'll miss you. Though I won't miss your sleep talking."

"I don't sleep talk!"

Hermione saw that Ginny was collecting the others to head to the train and get a compartment before they were all taken, "Yes, you do."

Ginny had reached them, "You do, Becs. Sorry. Don't worry though, most of the time it's rubbish or gibberish."

Rebecca's mouth dropped, "You knew?"

Ginny shrugged, changing the subject, "Ready to head to the train?"

Rebecca sighed, grabbing Hermione and hugging her tightly. When they separated, Harry was standing behind them, Ron farther behind him.

"Safe travels."

Rebecca nodded her head, "Thanks."

Harry licked his lips nervously, "Are you...mad?"

Rebecca raised her eyebrows, "Harry, you're the one who was mad. I was being cautious."

"Oh, yeah."

George put his head on Rebecca's from behind, staring at Harry. "Everything good here?"

Rebecca nudged George off gently, stepping towards Harry, "Be there in one moment, if that's okay?"

George grumbled an okay and left the two girls with Harry and the ever so distant Ron. Fred was watching their exchange carefully.

"Professor McGonagall told us something last night, something about not saying anything we would regret. Too late, it seems."

Hermione nodded her head, "It seems so."

Ron stepped forward, standing next to Harry. "It was a Firebolt."

Rebecca shook her head, "It doesn't matter. If there was a chance that it could have hurt you, or Harry, or Hermione, or anyone at all, it's not worth it."

Ron nodded begrudgingly before. He took a big breath and stepped farther forward, standing face to face with Hermione. He stuck his hand out for a shake.

"I never should have called you paranoid."

Hermione scoffed, "Or said I don't let Harry enjoy anything."

Ron's jaw clenched, "Or said that."

"Is this an apology?"

His jaw released, "Yes."

Hermione reached out and shook his hand, "Then I accept it. I hope you have a happy Christmas."

"I hope you do, too. You're first Christmas at the castle, right?"

They launched into the polite, slightly awkward chat that always comes after making up from an argument.

Harry stuck his own hand to Rebecca, "I was wrong as well... again. I shouldn't have called you a nuisance."

Rebecca tilted her head, "Well, you didn't call me a nuisance, you called twins a nuisance. Which, you and I kind of are. You mostly though."

Harry chuckled, "I certainly am for you. This year's just been so mental, Black and our parents and the dementors...None of which has anything to do with how I've treated you.."

Rebecca nodded, "Knowing is half the battle, isn't it? Now it's just pulling your head out of your arse."

Harry blushed slightly, "Yeah, working on it already."

"Also, since your speaking to me again, I can tell you about your gift. It'll be under the tree Christmas morning."

Harry looked up to her, "Are you saying you don't trust me to not peek?"

She grabbed his hand and pulled him into a hug, "Absolutely."

Fred and George were grabbed by Ginny, "It's...so beautiful!" She mock wiped her eyes with their scarves until Rebecca and Ron joined them after having a similar apology-exchange.

Percy appeared behind them, "Ready now? The train waits for no one."

Rebecca zipped her coat and shoved her cap onto her head, "As I'll ever be. Did the snow ever stop?"

Fred looked out of the windows around the Great Hall, the snow falling steadily. "Not quite. Good thing I brought this for you then,"

He pulled a second scarf out of his pocket and put it around Rebecca's neck loosely, "A little warmer, I hope."

Rebecca felt her cheeks warm as his hands brushed against her face as he pulled it even and gently pulled her hair out from under it.

"Toastier already, shall we go before Percy leaves us?"

Ginny piped up from behind them, "He's already gone."

Fred whirled around, "What a prat!"

George had finished pulling his own jumper on and opened the door, "Let's get a move on then!"

Ginny and Rebecca linked arms, chatting until they were interrupted by a voice shouting her name from behind them.

Rebecca turned and saw a familiar black-haired head zooming about. When Harry reached them, he pulled her into another hug.

"I forgot to tell you Happy Christmas, so Happy Christmas."

Rebecca hugged him tighter, "The present is still staying upstairs. I meant to give this to you before we left anyways." She reached into the top of her bag and pulled out the Marauder's Map.

"Don't get into too much trouble without me, okay?"

Harry grinned, "I wouldn't even consider it."

*******************************************

Aboard the Hogwarts Express, the returning children found Percy seated with other prefects returning home. There were quite a few empty compartments towards the middle of the train and that's where they found themselves. There small bags put up on the racks and their coats piled by the door.

Toot! Toot!

The train chugged on its way, the frozen countryside blurring into an endless line of white. Rebecca pulled a book out of her bag shortly after they'd pulled off.

Wizarding Law and You: The Git's Perspective, one of the few law books Madam Pince allowed her to take out of the library, the only one allowed home.

Fred leaned over onto her and stared at her as her eyes flit over the pages quickly, her fingers playing with a strand of her hair.

"Something on my face?" She asked as she tore her eyes away from the pages to meet his.

"Just me eyes." He responded in a silly accent making her laugh.

Ron looked up from his magazine, "That wasn't even funny."

Rebecca turned back to her book, sighing, "Ron, what are we ever going to do with you?"

Fred put his head back on her shoulder, glancing between her, the book, and the outside racing past.

*******************************************

Author's Note:

This chapter is another one of those chapters where I feel like it will be scrapped when major editing happens, but it's as good as it's going to get for now.

A few things:

1\. I know that the Weasleys didn't return home for Christmas this year. It'll work out, trust me :)

2\. Read numbers are increasing substantially. With this increase also comes an increase of notifications. If you comment a question and I don't answer too quickly, I will. May just take a bit longer.

<3


	38. Chapter 38

The children kept themselves busy during the long train ride back to King's Cross station, napping, reading, chatting. As they piled into the car, Molly and Arthur found themselves awash with the chatter and noise that they missed so dearly while the children were away at school.

The Burrow was more than an hour's drive from the station, and the children, tired from the day's excitement, ended up sleeping, for the most part. 

Rebecca and Fred were in similar positions to the day in the carriages returning from Hogsmeade: Fred against the window, his head resting on the pane. Rebecca, under his arm and against his side, her glasses falling down her nose. 

Ron had his head back against the back of his chair and his mouth hung open, rarely-occurring snores leaving it. Percy too was asleep, his prefect cap pulled over his eyes. George and Ginny talked with their parents quietly, going over their antics of the year so far.

"When his broom hit the Whomping Willow, the tree went mental! Turned it into a pile of toothpicks." Ginny explained.

George nodded, "Yes, that's what they were fighting about yesterday. Harry got a new broom: a firebolt, in the mail unlabelled. Becca and Hermione thought in needed to be checked for jinxes before he could ride it, while Ron and Harry...disagreed, to say it nicely."

Molly shook her head, "Boys."

George's head shot up indignantly, "Hey! Fred and I went to McGonagall's with them!"

Ginny laughed, "Fred led the whole way, you just followed."

Arthur looked in the rear-view mirror at the mention of Fred and saw how they were sleeping. "Molly, look at them." To George, he asked, "You said Fred led the way?"

George nodded, "Yeah, knew exactly what she needed to do even though we only caught the end of their spat."

Molly and Arthur smiled at each other as Ginny started to talk about her second year classes. The sleeping children woke, as all children do, as Arthur turned on to their drive. Rebecca yawned as she sat up off of Fred, cheeks tinged pink as Fred smiled cheekily at her.

She leaned forward in her seat to look out of the windshield, taking in the sight in front of her. The Burrow was coated with a dusting of fresh snow that fell lightly, the lights illuminated warmly from the candles and roaring fireplaces inside. There was a bright green wreath hung up on the door, lights around the porch.

The door swung open as the car came to a stop, two red haired bodies stopping on the porch.

"Bill! Charlie!" The car shot to life as they ran out to see the oldest two Weasleys. Most gravitated to Charlie, whom they hadn't seen in much longer. Rebecca hugged Bill, "Hey!"

Bill hugged her back tightly, "Hey, you! Happy Christmas!"

"Happy Christmas!" Rebecca stepped back as the others hugged Bill.

Rebecca walked to in front of where Charlie stood, introducing herself, "Hello, I'm Rebecca."

Charlie laughed, "Yes, I've heard. The newest addition."

Rebecca nodded, "Yeah, you work in Romania. With dragons, right?" She looked up at him with the glint he recognized, he'd seen it in the mirror in his own eyes when he left for work. The appreciation for nature was evident in her.

Charlie looked to where Molly and Arthur were crossing the yard from the car to the porch, "I do! You seem to have known that though. I can tell you about the species we have and how we care for them if you'd like some time."

"I'd love that. Do you work with other magical creatures?"

Charlie thought for a moment, "Well, we have the animals that are raised for the dragons. The sanctuary has a few injured and elderly dragons, a handful of phoenixes, a few handicapped-hippogrif-"

"Hippogriffs! It's a long story, but I'm working with Harry, Ron, and our friend Hermione on a case to save a hippogriff at school that has a trial early next year. You, a worker at a sanctuary and someone familiar with hippogriffs, would make an excellent statement!" She paused, seeing how he watched her. "That is, if you don't mind giving one."

He shrugged, "I don't mind at all, there's nothing I wouldn't do to help a creature."

Ginny shouted across the porch something about "the wicked spiral" from the match before break, causing Charlie to laugh.

"Yes, I've heard about the success we've had this year. I played a bit when I was at Hogwarts."

The trunks were carried into the house, the coats hung by the door. Rebecca was enthralled with the holiday decorations spread around the house. There was a tree in the dining room with parcels wrapped underneath, Christmas cards hung on the board, garland around the fireplace. The cinnamon pot on the stove simmered lightly, making the house smell as Christmas-y as it looked. 

Molly saw how Rebecca looked around, "What do you think? Too much?"

Rebecca shook her head.

"It's perfect."

*******************************************

Draco was met at King's Cross by one of the butlers of Malfoy Manor, his parents nowhere in sight. 

"Master Draco, your trunk is already in transit. If you'd grab my arm."

Draco did with disdain, he hated apparating. After the brief feeling of being sucked through a straw, he opened his eyes to the Manor's entry.

"Welcome back, sir."

Draco shrugged his coat off and gave it to the maid at the entrance. "Where's my father, I must speak with him."

The maid turned to the butler, "Has Master Malfoy returned from his meeting?"

The butler answered Draco directly, "Master Malfoy will be returning shortly. Your mother is in the parlor, waiting for you."

Draco rolled his eyes and climbed the stairs, turning right at the top and finding his mother listening to her records with two cups of tea on the table.

"Draco darling, come sit with your mother."

Draco did as he was told, his mother eyeing him carefully. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, mother. I wanted to have a word with father."

Narcissa pursed her lips, "Your father is at a meeting and will return before dinner."

"Do you know what his meeting was about?"

"He's been in meetings for weeks about that beast that attacked you. The final member of the council answered his request yesterday. Don't you worry at all--that beast is as good as dead already."

Draco paled, "I see..."

Narcissa narrowed her eyes at him, "Why? Did you have something else to tell him?"

Draco took a sip of his tea, "Well, it has been asked of me by a classmate working in defence of the hippogriff to see if we could withdraw our case."

"No, we shall most certainly not do something so daft. That monster shouldn't be around students, let alone at a school."

Draco found himself growing frustrated, "Look, all I told her was that I would ask. I've asked."

Narcissa leaned closer to him, her eyes dark, "I don't care what little slag has been talking to you, you'll say nothing of this to your father. He's working endlessly on this case, for you! Go to your room. Perhaps you'll be more grateful tomorrow."

Draco left the parlor quickly, saying nothing to his mother as he left.

When he got to his room, he threw the door open and slammed it shut. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled the box Rebecca had given him and threw it across the room. It thudded harshly against the wall.

Draco jumped onto his bed and sat against the headboard, his knees bent and his head held in his hands.

"I should have expected this really, but I didn't expect this...guilt. I was the one who didn't listen, I'm the reason the creature will be killed."

Draco drummed his hands against his heads rhythmically as he thought. When he stood up, he went to get the gift box. He'd thrown it hard enough that a corner of the box had crumpled and the ribbon had come undone, so when he picked it up, the gift inside slipped out and hit the floor.

He bent down and looked around for where it could have gone, whatever it was. Reaching under the edge of his desk, he felt something cool and metal. Pulling it out, a hand traced of the gift as his other hand was held lightly against his mouth.

It was the rendering he'd done of his old dog, the one that still made his heart ache to think about. The tile was shrunken down and filed along the edges, with a black chain attached to it.

He held the gift in his hands as the tears began to fall. "I don't deserve this. She's going to hate me."

He kicked his shoes off and climbed into his bed, laying on top of his blankets. He cried himself to sleep, but not before slipping the chain around his neck.

*******************************************

The castle seemed empty as ever, particularly to Hermione and Harry. They were down in the library, law books set up in a half-circle around them.

"Look at this statute, 'If the creature is found to be of unsound mind, the crime is unjust.' We just have to prove Buckbeak is unsound."

Harry looked at Hermione excitedly.

Hermione pursed her lips, "Harry, I'm not sure about you, but I'm not a hippogriff psychiatrist!"

Harry looked back at the books. Hermione ran a hand through her hair roughly. 

"I'm sorry Harry, that was harsh."

"No, you're right. I just don't really know what else we could do. We've read this all already."

"I know. I was just hoping there was something we'd missed." Hermione closed the book she had in front of her. "There's nothing in here we'll find tonight. Want supper?"

Harry nodded and closed his book as well. They stacked them up and put away their notes. Chatting lightly.

The Great Hall was empty, a shock to Hermione who had never been a remaining holiday student.

"Is is always this empty?"

Harry shrugged, "There seems to be a bit more than last year actually." He saw her face fall, "It can be really fun staying. Best chairs in the common room are always open and-" He leaned closer and whispered, "Wait until Christmas dinner. Dumbledore had a little too much brandy last year, ended up dancing on the table!"

There was a chuckle from behind them, causing the two to turn quickly. They saw the familiar sight of a long grey beard and half-moon spectacles, "Yes, I'm afraid I do have a tendency to let the celebrations overtake me."

Harry's face burned as Dumbledore smiled at him. Hermione giggled. "I'm not wandering around for fun however. An owl hit my window this afternoon, quite hard. He had a letter for you two. Must have gotten lost in the snow."

Dumbledore produced a letter from his long, wide sleeves and presented it to them. "Have a good supper."

Harry and Hermione opened the letter as soon as they'd seen the handwriting on the envelope: Rebecca's!

"Harry and Hermione,

I'm not just writing because I miss you, even though I do already. There was a surprise waiting for us at the Burrow today: Bill and Charlie. I was talking with Charlie about our feathered-friends situation and guess what?

I won't really make you guess. Charlie's sanctuary in Romania has a few hippogriffs and has agreed to give a statement testifying that hippogriffs are not any dangerous than other magical creatures!

I think this could be what we were looking for, our final piece to the defence!

I love you,  
I miss you,  
I will see you soon.

RJ XOXO"

Hermione and Harry read the letter quickly, smiling at each other when they'd finished.

*******************************************

Harry tossed and turned in his bed. He was the only one from his dorm to stay, like Hermione, but he found the room too quiet to sleep. He walked around the dorm for a while, watching the sky outside the windows and even tidying his desk before sitting back on his bed--bored out of his skull.

"Perhaps I'll see what the rest of the castle is up to..."

Harry reached into his top drawer and took out the Marauders Map, intoning "I solemnly swear I am up to no good." Before tapping his wand to it.

The image came clearer a moment later, the lines spreading across the parchment quickly. Most students were in bed, a few were still walking around their dorms. In the common room, quite a few names he recognized as Gryffindor seventh years were sitting in a circle by the fire. 

In the halls, teachers were going around, the ghosts were circling, but for the most part, the castle was ready for bed.

Harry was tracing random paths around the castle, halting when he saw a name he recognized strangely going to the back of the parchment.

"Peter Pettigrew? Sirius Black murdered him, McGonagall said so herself..."

Harry unfolded the parchment to find the name on the back, but it was gone.

*******************************************

Back at the Burrow, Christmas cookies were being baked. Molly had a spoon magically stirring the gigantic bowl of dough while Fred and George scooped some out and pushed the shapes into the flattened bits on the tray. Ron and Charlie were placing the trays into the oven and taking out the baked cookie trays while Bill and Percy scooped them onto the cooling trays. Rebecca and Ginny were at Molly's side, Rebecca excitedly and Ginny, less so.

"Ron! Don't let those cookies burn. Fred! I catch you eating one more bit of dough, I'll bake you myself!"

"Oops..." Rebecca said softly, eating the last bit of dough he'd discreetly tossed her before smiling at Molly. "No more, message received."

Molly shook her head as she went to see the cooled cookies, "Going to make yourselves sick!"

Fred pinched another bit out of the bowl, motioning for Rebecca to take a step back, "Catch it!" He mouthed.

She bent down a little and moved her head to get under the flying dough. Right as it landed in her mouth, Molly turned back to them.

"What was that?"

Rebecca chewed quickly, coming up with an answer, "Bug. Nasty little bugger. Didn't want it near the cookies."

George snorted. "That's good ol' Rebecca, practically a venus flytrap."

*******************************************

Around the dining table, cookies and bowls of icing were being passed back and forth. Ginny had a pile of decorated cookies in front of her already and was more occupied with licking icing off the spoons with Ron.

Rebecca was bent over a cookie, standing in front of her chair. She'd already tucked her hair back behind her ears, but it insisted on falling. She was chewing on her bottom lip as she worked on the first cookie she'd started on. 

"Look! It's for you." Rebecca slid the plate over in front of Molly. The little cookie had curly red frosting and coloured squares along its shirt, just like Molly's jumper.

"Oh dearie, this is lovely!"

"Than-" Thump

Rebecca went to sit back in her chair and ended up sprawled on the floor. "Bloody hell, where'd the chair go?"

Everyone in the dining room laughed as she stood up, the bowl of icing she'd pulled down with her fine. George and Fred cackled wildly, her chair pulled next to them. She laughed with them and pulled it back to her spot.

She grabbed a cookie off the tray in the middle and took a bite out of it, sans icing.

"Want some frosting with that?" Fred asked.

"Sure-" She held the cookie out to him, thinking he was just going to put some onto the cookie, when she felt a spoon hit her cheek, cold and slimy.

Fred laughed, "There you go, frosting."

She brought the cookie to her cheek and wiped the frosting onto it. "You're feeling cheeky tonight, aren't you?"

"You noticed?" He asked.

"Oh yeah, just a little."

*******************************************

Fred and George had nearly started an all out brawl in the kitchen after trying to see of Charlie, after so much time with the dragons, was fireproof.

Molly ended up kicking them all out of the kitchen, sending them up to fight over the showers. Rebecca grabbed a bowl and went to the sink, Ginny stayed as well.

"You guys can go up, it's okay." 

Rebecca shook her head, "Oh no, look at all this!"

Molly laughed, "Watch." She waved her wand once and the dishes were piled by the sink where the sponge would scrub them as it finished the one it was working on. The broom ran around the floor, pushing the flour into the dustpan and the dish towel dried and stacked the clean bowls.

Ginny sighed, "Why didn't you just do that in the first place?"

Molly put two cups of milk on the table in front of them, "The quickest way to get boys out of the kitchen is for it to need cleaning. And, now there's time for some chatting with my girls! Ginny? Anyone caught your eye this year?"

Molly leaned down next to her mug with a sly smile on her face, eager to girl talk with her girls.

Ginny gulped her milk down, grabbing a cookie as she backed out of the kitchen. "Me? No, not me. Becca sure has though!" She turned and ran up the stairs, leaving Rebecca in the kitchen with a madly grinning Molly.

"Well, how dull. I already know about you."

Rebecca snorted into her cup of milk, "What do you mean?"

"Oh, love." Molly handed her a towel, "Mothers know everything. Now, you and Fre-"

"Fred? We're friends."

Molly smiled, "Sure. Friends."

"I'm serious, we're very close friends! You and Hermione sure would get along."

*******************************************

Fred ended up in the middle of the shower line, giving him just the time he needed to catch his father. He grabbed the tile from his trunk and smiled at it. Every time he saw it he felt like he was back on that bench with her.

He held it under his arm and checked the hallway. Rebecca had just escaped Molly's grasp and was entering the girls' room, closing the door lightly behind her. Fred creeped down the hall and tried to go down the stairs as quietly as he could. George was in the shower, Ron was in his room. Bill and Charlie were in their room and Percy was already in bed. 

"Should be a clear path to dad."

At the bottom of the stairs, Fred turned left and knocked on his father's office door.

"Dad?"

Arthur's head poked up from under his desk. "Yes?"

Fred entered and looked down to where his father was sitting, jacks and a ball spread on the floor.

"I know, I know. Your mother doesn't want me working in the evenings. I'm just stumped on this muggle magic. I think they use it for the future."

Fred crouched down, setting his tile on the desk. "No, not really. RJ showed us these when we tried to play exploding snap. Watch."

Fred bounced the ball and scooped up a handful of jacks before catching the ball again. "Just a game."

Arthur tried, laughing as he managed to snag a few. "I see!"

Fred stood up and stuck a hand out for his father to grab. "Very helpful son, very helpful indeed!" He looked to the overturned tile, "Is that what you needed?"

Fred scratched the back of his neck, "Not exactly. I wanted your opinion on something."

"Hit me, I'm a pouring fountain of fatherly advice and knowledge."

Fred chuckled, "I wanted to know if you thought this would make a good present for RJ, she's my Secret Santa drawing."

Arthur flipped the tile over before gasping softly, "Fred."

Fred blushed, "She sent you a letter about her infunde lesson, right? George and I sat in it."

Arthur nodded, "Evidently! This is amazing, have you shown your mother yet?"

Fred shook his head.

"Well let's go show her now! This is magnificent!"

Fred was led to their bedroom where Molly was hanging a shirt. Arthur showed her the tile and she reacted similarly.

"Fred, did you make this?"

"Yes, I was just asking dad if he thought it'd make a good gift."

Molly smiled at her oldest twin, "This is perfect."

Fred took the tile back and hugged his parents, thanking them. When he was gone, Arthur reached into his pocket and pulled out a galleon, handing it to Molly.

"So, you may have been right about the smitten thing. Just take the money and don't be smug."

Molly laughed and flipped the galleon before sticking it in the savings jar. "Smug? Arthur, I would never!"

Molly told him about she and Rebecca's chat in the kitchen as they laid in bed. "Oh these children, they'll be the death of me." 

Arthur sat up and looked at her, "How ever so?"

Molly patted his shoulder, "Second-hand tension."

*******************************************

I'm starting to get excited for POA to finish up because The Goblet of Fire marks the beginning of the big plot actions (and relationship maybe?)

Enjoy!

Also, sorry about the little absence. School's trying to kill me and I needed the weekend to recuperate. Maybe another chapter will be released tomorrow as an apology...

<3


	39. Chapter 39

Hermione woke up early Christmas morning, slightly saddened as she looked around the empty room. She had stacks of books covering Rebecca's bed. There was the 'want to read next' pile, the 'not sure about' pile, and the 'needs to be returned' pile that grew larger each day.

She pulled her slippers on and a jumper on over her pajamas before leaving the room and heading to the common room where she knew that Harry would be impatiently pacing. She opened the door and looked down to him, realising that she forgot his gift from Rebecca.

"Hold on, forgot something."

Harry plopped onto a chair and opened a carton of Bertie Bott's, popping one into his mouth. He made a face, "Soap."

Hermione emerged a moment later, gift in hand. Harry had drawn Ron, so Rebecca had that gift to give to Ron that morning. Ron had drawn Hermione and given Harry the task of giving it to her.

They exchanged the bags and opened their gifts quickly. "A broom maintenance kit and certificate!"

Hermione winced, "Rebecca told me to tell you that she'd gotten it before the whole broom-debacle..."

Hermione pulled out a book from the impeccably neat wrapping Ron had done, "It's a planner! I was looking at this last time we were in Hogsmeade, in Wiseacre's. I really needed this..."

Harry was reading the back of his kit, "Hope the Firebolt ends up cleared."

They both scribbled a 'thank you' and a 'Happy Christmas' onto some wrapping paper and went to send it to the Burrow on their way to Christmas breakfast.

*******************************************

Malfoy Manor was held in the same tension it had since Draco had returned home. Despite his mother's forbiddance, he had brought up retracting the case against Buckbeak to his father.

His father took the question...more personally...than his mother had. Draco reached up and rubbed his swollen cheek just thinking about it. It wasn't the first time his father had hit him across the face with his cane, among other places. It certainly wouldn't be the last.

"Two more weeks. Two more weeks and then I can go back to school."

His hand left the chain from his necklace, the charm having not yet left from around his neck since he'd opened it. As he went downstairs to watch his father unwrap a tie from his mother, his mother unwrap a pair of earring from his father, and to open his own present that would, inevitably, be something endorned with the Malfoy crest or the Slytherin emblem.

The stairs creaked as he descended slowly. The butler stood at the door, stoic as usual. If Draco could read minds, he would have heard the anger the butler felt at the sight of his black eye and the sadness of the maid in the sitting room when she too saw his bruise.

But, Draco couldn't read minds. Instead, he sat on the couch and felt disgustingly alone. He opened a large present his father handed to him, confused at the contents therein. It was a large wooden slab, polished to a dark sheen and had hooks on the back for hanging on the wall. 

"It's a mounting board, for the beast after its executed." Lucius sais snidely, revelling in the pain he saw flash across the boy's face.

"Thank your father for such a thoughtful present. Have we taught you no manners?" His mother screeched at him.

Draco stayed silent. 

"Boy!" Lucius snarled.

"Thank you, father." Draco muttered. Angry at the situation.

Angry at the 'gift.' 

Angry at himself.

*******************************************

Rebecca had thought that the morning they left for school was crazy. Clearly, she'd never seen a Weasley Christmas. Ginny woke her up before the sun had even half-risen over the horizon, "Quickly! We want to open presents before Aunt Muriel arrives!"

Rebecca sat up and stretched, "You have an aunt?"

Ginny threw a jumper at her, "Yes, and she's horrid! We need all happiness done before she gets here and ruins it! She's always too early for lunch!"

Ginny ran from the room, opening Ron's door and giving him the same message. Rebecca put her jumper on and brushed her teeth, grabbing her glasses before meeting the others downstairs.

"Oh Rebecca, Happy Christmas!" Molly cried from the kitchen, grabbing the young Potter and wrapping her in one of her famous squeezing hugs.

"Happy Christmas!" Rebecca exchanged holiday wishes with the rest of the Weasley's who had crowded around the tree. Rebecca gave Ron the parcel Harry had asked her to and watched Ron tear into it.

"It's the book of Krum's stats!" Ron shouted as he turned the page to a random one. "Did you know he's scored more than 15,000 points!"

Charlie looked up from his tea, "Ron, that's only...150 goals."

Ron scoffed, "How many have you scored, Charles?"

Charlie smirked, "Well, since I was a seeker and scored 150 each time I caught it...more than Krum."

Arthur put his hand up between the two, "Boys, it is Christmas and I want peace and happiness."

Ron went to open his mouth, scowling, but was interrupted by Arthur again, "Peace and happiness, Ronald!"

Rebecca and George laughed, ducking as a tray of cookies floated into the room.

"Breakfast is served!" They all grabbed Christmas cookies as parcels and gifts were handed out around the room. Ginny threw Rebecca a tin under the tree with her name on it.

Rebecca looked at it strangely, it was a mint box with only one mint left in it. There was a note attached to the other side, 

"Rebecca, I thought you would like to enjoy one of these mints. I've found that they're a favorite of mine." --Dumbledore

Molly and Arthur smiled at each other, "That man is so perfectly odd."

"He does love his sweets, must be his way of telling me the password for his office- Luliweather's Lolly Mints. Why would I need this though?" Rebecca pushed the thoughts to the back of her mind as Molly unveiled her newest line of Weasley sweaters and called out names as she took them off the stack.

"Ginny!" "Ron!" "Rebecca!" "Fred!" "George!" "Percy!" "Bill!" "Charles!" "Arthur!"

Rebecca's sweater wasn't the usual orange with the green R, instead it was burgundy with a an orange R, beautiful as ever. They all thanked her profusely, one more present left under the tree.

Arthur grabbed it and handed the neatly wrapped gift to Fred, "Here you go son."

Fred gulped and held it in his hand, "Here you go." He plopped it abruptly in Rebecca's lap.

Rebecca was startled, to say the least. With the way Arthur had handed it to Fred, she had thought it was for him. "Thanks?"

Rebecca opened it quickly, finding an empty tile staring up at her. In the bottom corner was written:

"Holland and Hawai'i."

The back of the tile, the image-holding side, was facing the rest of them. They collectively oohh-ed and ahh-ed, prompting Rebecca to turn it back around finding her own breath taken away as well.

"Fred!" She whispered as she took in the picture in front of her. It was of her, from the day they'd sat on the bench in the courtyard. Every detail on her face was pristinely clear; from the end of her lightning bolt scar poking out from under her hair and hat to the pink tinge on her cheeks from the cold. The minute snowflakes were clear where they'd landed and collected on her hair and hood.

"Fred, this is..."

Fred looked at her, grimacing. "What? It's what?"

She looked up at him, her eyes wide, "Fred this is absolutely brilliant. It's better than brilliant, I just don't have any words that could possible describe just how better-than-brilliant this is."

George looked at them, his eyes darting between them. "Stupend-o-awe-bulous."

Bill looked at him strangely, "What are you going on about?"

George shrugged, "A word better than brilliant: Stupend-o-awe-bulous."

Ron leaned over and read the words on the back, "Why're two countries on the back?"

Rebecca turned it back and over and raised an eyebrow at him, "Ron...Hawaii's a state and Holland is a region."

Fred's smile spanned his entire face as she went onto talk about how Holland wasn't a country itself, although commonly misperceived as one. Ron shrugged at the explanation, "Oops. Thanks though, geo prof."

Rebecca continued to look at the tile as they others migrated to their rooms to put on their Christmas best, "Ron, I'm begging you, please brush your hair this year." Molly called up to him.

Ron grumbled to Rebecca as he passed her, "Aunt Muriel called me 'Rat's-nest' last year for all of Christmas. Demon woman..." He trailed away as he left the room.

Molly and Arthur smiled to Rebecca and Fred respectively as they left the room, leaving Rebecca and Fred in the privacy allotted in such a full house.

"You really like it?" Fred asked quietly.

"Fred, I absolutely love it."

Fred sat back in relief, "That's good news."

Rebecca looked at him, her head tilted slightly, "Have I given you a reason to think I wouldn't appreciate this?"

His eyebrows furrowed, "No."

"Then why would you think I wouldn't like it?"

Fred shrugged, "I'm not sure really, it is perfect. If I do say so myself. Not trying to toot my own train or anything..." 

Rebecca stood and laughed, "Whoops, watch the ego there. What have I done?"

Fred laughed with her, standing to leave as well. They both looked up as a jingle sound rang above them. It was a mistletoe bundle, a magically-made mistletoe that jingled ever-so softly when two people stood beneath it.

Rebecca looked around, "We don't really have to, if no one's around..."

Fred shook his head, "Not with this mistletoe. If you don't kiss under wizard's mistletoe--" He shivered, "You don't even want to know what can happen."

Rebecca looked up at him shyly, her tile under her arm. Fred bent down, moving towards her face. He looked directly in her eyes before leaning forward and closing the distance between them. 

Their lips brushed against each other for a moment, a simple peck being shared.

They separated and looked at each other, blushing. 

"Happy Christmas, Fred." Rebecca said softly before leaving the dining room to get dressed before helping Molly with the Weasley family Christmas lunch. 

As Fred left the living room, Charlie and Bill cleared their throats from the hallway where they leaned against the walls with their arms crossed. "Wizard's Mistletoe?"

Fred blushed brighter than the sun, "You-you haven't heard of it? New...strain."

Charlie and Bill nodded, "That's some game right there. Wicked game." They stuck their fists out for fistbumps before they all went upstairs to get dressed, promising to not say anything. George was standing on his bed when Fred entered their room, "Did it work?!"

Fred looked at him oddly, gesturing for him to lower his voice, "Yes! It did! You're a genius, now shut it before the whole house knows!"

George jumped and landed with his hands behind his head, "The love doctor is in. Another patient--cured." He smirked and nodded as he hummed a romantic song.

Fred threw a pair of pants at him before leaving for the bathroom, smiling the entire time.

*******************************************

"Who's this?" Aunt Muriel asked rudely as she peered down her long nose at Rebecca. "Not one of yours...wrong colour hair."

Rebecca looked up at her and paused a moment before sticking her hand out, "Rebecca, it's a pleasure to meet you."

Muriel took her hand in hers with a sneer evident through her miles of wrinkles. "This one...Not a fan of. Not at all."

Rebecca's mouth dropped slightly, though she composed herself quickly, "May I lead you to a seat?"

Ron snorted from the doorway, leading Aunt Muriel to quip, "Does this barn now have pigs?"

Molly and Arthur made eye contact down the hall as they winced at her rude words. "Molly? Why am I surrounded by children? Are there no godforsaken adults here?"

Charlie poked his head out from the stairway where he was sitting, "I'm an adult Aunt Muriel."

The ancient woman looked him up and down, "So the dragon returns."

Charlie stayed quiet, his lips held together tightly.

"Aunt Muriel! I thought I heard you, come, let's sit." Bill put an elbow out for her and guided her to living room, where he'd already put a cup of tea and bottle of brandy.

"Oh Bill! I'm so happy to see you, it's been far too long you know."

"Yes, I'm aware..." Bill's voice trailed away as he led her way from the rest of them.

"That's Aunt Muriel for you." Ginny sighed as everyone, except for Bill and Muriel, reconvened in the kitchen.

Molly whispered, "Alright, look. Lunch is almost done. We'll eat and then...whose turn is it this year?"

Ginny raised her hand.

"Excellent! Ginny, you'll say you're feeling ill."

Fred was standing next to Rebecca. He leaned over and softly asked, "What do you think about Aunt Muriel?"

She shook her head incredulously, "I don't even know. She doesn't even know me! What's not to be a fan of?"

George answered for her, "Nothing, if there's anyone you don't want to let get to you, it's her. She's just an angry old woman. We had an idea, however. Perhaps you'll join us..."

They filled her in and she smirked up at them, "Perhaps I will."

*******************************************

"Muriel? Bill?" Molly walked down the hallway to the sitting room where the two were laughing. "Lunch is ready."

Aunt Muriel turned to the doorway, "Oh Bill, if only you were here to teach the rest of them some manners."

Molly nodded her head, not even knowing where to start on that statement. Arthur saw how furious his wife was. "Darling?"

Molly shook her head, "Tell me that we're doing a good thing."

"Darling, we're doing a great thing. She's an old woman and doesn't have many more Christmases. She gets to spend this one surrounded by family."

Molly took a deep breath, "Thank you." Arthur put his hands on hers and smiled, "You are so kind. And so beautiful. Not to mention, the greatest at everything. Did I mention beautiful?"

She smiled at him, leaning over and kissing him. "Don't go too wild now!" She laughed, "You always know just what to say."

Muriel appeared at the doorway. "I'm not bloody dead yet! Why's this room silent as the grave?"

Ron smiled tightly at her, "How has your Christmas been so far, Aunt Muriel?"

Aunt Muriel shook her head, "Never mind. Silence is better." The old woman went to the chair that was pulled out for her next to Bill.

"Unless, you have anything to say Bill." Bill's face was blank. It was one thing to be her favorite and another to watch her treat the others poorly.

"I'm fine thank you," He pulled her chair out for her. Rebecca reached out for Fred's hand, squeezing it under the table.

Pop pop...pop pop pop...

Aunt Muriel sat back up as quickly as the over 100-year-old could. "Oh my...What in the...Merlin! What's that stench?!"

George laughed first, then Fred and Rebecca, then Ginny and Ron. Soon every single Weasley was laughing.

"This was you two? Three!" Aunt Muriel pointed at Fred and George before seeing how they included Rebecca in their boasting.

"You two--Count yourselves out of my will. You? I have nothing to say to this...this farce!" She shuffled to the fireplace where she floo-ed back to her cottage by the beach. 

Molly turned to the three of them after she had gone, saying nothing.

Rebecca tried to still her laughing, but couldn't. Molly's lips turned up into a smile, "Really?"

Fred and George just shrugged, "What? You're blaming us?"

Arthur grabbed his wand and waved it, a breeze blowing through the room until the only smell was the soup Molly had made. "Hand me your bowls, one at a time! Let's eat."

Bill handed his bowl and asked, "Does this mean she doesn't like me anymore?" 

Charlie patted him on the shoulder, "How ever will you deal with such a loss?"

Ron looked up from his soup, "Loss? What's been lost? Gained more like."

Arthur chuckled and shook his head as he handed the bowls back and forth from Molly to the children. "Oh Merlin, what a family. Wouldn't change a thing though."

*******************************************

Harry and Hermione spent the day in the common room, reading, napping, and chatting. The blizzard that had been projected to dissipate ended up strengthening and crawling over the castle. The walls whistled with the wind and the castle seemed to hibernate in the darkness.

Supper was a feast comparable to a king's Christmas feast. And, although Harry ate enough for Ron, he found himself wide awake in his empty dorm. He reached over and pulled the Marauder's map out from his drawer to look over the castle again.

"Peter Pettigrew! Right there!" Harry left the dormitory, wanting to figure out what was happening. At the portrait hole, the name disappeared once more.

"This makes no sense!"

*******************************************

The time between Christmas and schools return passed quickly. Molly and Arthur made sure to take an afternoon and spend one-on-one time with each child before they had to leave again.

Bill and Charlie had only been able to take the week off; They had left a few days after the Christmas celebrations. Molly and Arthur found themselves sharing what they'd learned about the children each night before bed.

"Ginny, you know she's one of the top second-year witches? Yeah! Defence Against the Dark Arts whiz!"

"That's excellent! George couldn't decide on something he wanted to do. We tinkered around the shed a bit. You should hear the ideas that they've made. It's absurd! Pranks for this, pranks for that. It's mad!"

Molly smiled, "We've done well. They're smart, mostly well-behaved, kind-hearted. I think Ginny and I are set for tomorrow afternoon and you should do something with Rebecca, she's absolutely itching to."

Arthur smiled back at her, "Well, after the Christmas fiasco, they better be well-behaved."

"Should we plan on having Muriel for next year?" 

The two adults laughed wildly as they turned the lamps off and kissed each other good night.

*******************************************

Upstairs, the children were talking in their respective rooms. Rebecca was admiring the top of her dresser, where the masterfully made tile leaned. Ginny was drying her hair from her shower.

"Can't believe it's already almost time to go back. Feels like break has just whizzed by."

Rebecca leaned back. "I don't know. I'm sad about leaving, of course, but I also miss it. I feel like I haven't seen Harry and Hermione in months."

Ginny nodded, "Is it hard, not seeing Harry during the summer then?" 

"Yeah, we write though. It's not the same, but it's something."

There was a knock on the door, Fred stuck his head in. "RJ? Can I borrow you a moment?"

Ginny smirked as Fred walked her to the end of the hall. "Didn't interrupt anything, did I?"

Rebecca shook her head no, "No, just chatting."

Fred stopped at the end of the hall, sitting on the bench under the window. "I just wanted to show you Mars. Charlie was telling me how it was supposed to be at its brightest this week."

"Which one is it?" 

Fred peered up at the sky, frowning slightly, "Well...he didn't say how to know which one it is. They all look like stars."

Rebecca giggled, "I don't see anything brighter than the rest, except for the moon."

Fred alternated between watching her enjoy the bright sky and looking up himself. Rebecca spoke without looking away from the stars. 

"There's just something magical about the stars. Not like magic magic, but- I don't know. Maybe it's stupid."

Fred shook his head, "No, it's not."

Percy went to leave his room to go get in the shower. "What're you two doing? You'd best hope I don't get dungbombed..." He threatened ominously.

George stuck his head out of he and Fred's room, "There's no dungbomb, dimwit. They're looking at the stars. I don't know if you've been able to see them, you're head so far up your-"

"I don't know why I bother anymore." Percy interrupted George and closed the bathroom door behind him.

George shook his head, "Prat."

Rebecca stood up and tore her eyes from the beautiful sight, "Thank you, Fred. Mars was quite enjoyable."

Fred winced, "You think you saw it?"

Rebecca shrugged and smiled, "Maybe!"

Ginny's voice echoed down the hall as the door was opened. "What'd he want? Mars? What does he know about Mars?"

*******************************************

Author's Note:

Second chapter as an apology for being so absent! They'll be back at Hogwarts and its accompanying mischief next up on: I'm absolutely neglecting my schoolwork to write this for you.

Another chapter that I considered leaving out, but ended up thinking it was pretty cute.

<3


	40. Chapter 40

The Hogwarts Express chugged along the frozen landscape, speeding its way back to the castle. Those aboard had already changed into their robes, mainly for warmth. The train's compartments were heated, but it was still chilly as the air outside was below freezing.

Rebecca had in her trunk the written, signed, and sealed testimony Charlie said he would write for her, though she was hoped Draco had had luck speaking with his father. In fact, it occurred to her that it might be best if she was to ask him was while they were on the train.

"I'll be right back."

Fred watched her leave before turning to look back out the window morosely. Ginny snickered.

"What Ginevra?" Fred asked her cheekily.

"What did you just call me?" Her eyes narrowed dangerously.

Ron looked up from his licorice wand, his eyes wide.

"Ginny. I called you Ginny. That's your name, innit?"

Ginny watched Fred for a moment, "That's what I thought." 

*******************************************

Rebecca peered into the compartments, finding more empty than not. The last compartment at the back of the train housed the young Slytherin.

Knock knock

She cracked the door open, "Draco! Did you have a good holiday?"

He felt his hand want to go to the chain around his neck, but he stopped himself.

"It was fine." He intoned without feeling. "What are you doing in here?"

"I wasn't sure if you'd spoken with your father." 

"I feel like if it had gone better he wouldn't look so...defeated."

Draco sighed and looked out the window, "What's done is done, the creature dies. He won't stop it."

Rebecca studied him, the way his jaw was clenched and his hands gripping the seat fiercely.

"He doesn't want this, not anymore than we do."

Rebecca moved on, there was no point in making him feel guilty if he what he could have done didn't work and opted to change the subject, "Did you open your gift?"

His blue eyes met hers, "Yes. Thank you." Silence filled the cabin.

"I'm going to go back to the others now. Thank you for trying."

Draco watched her leave. "I'm sorry I couldn't help." He thought as he was alone once more. 

*******************************************

"Anything from the trolley, dear?" The sweets lady asked her as she passed her. Rebecca reached into her pocket and pulled out two galleons. 

"Could I get a...let's see...I'll have a chocolate wand and could I buy something for someone else?"

The woman gave her the wand and smiled, "Of course, kindness is always allowed."

Rebecca nodded, "Could you give another chocolate wand to the boy in the last compartment, down there?" She pointed over her shoulder to where Draco sat in his solitude.

"Right on my way, excellent! You'll want to find you seat now, dear. We'll be arriving any minute now."

Rebecca thanked her and went to join the others, chocolate in hand. Ginny watched her enter carefully, "Any luck?"

She shook her head, "No, his father won't stop the trial. It's okay, we still have Charlie's letter and Hermione's been working on the case like a maniac." 

Hogwarts came into view around the corner as the train approached its destination. The dementors swirled around the top of the castle, over the Black Lake, across the sky above the safest place in the world.

*******************************************

Harry and Hermione stood shivering outside of the castle's entrance. Harry laughed to himself as it occurred to him that they were dressed similarly to Rebecca. 

"What?" Hermione turned to him, also turning away from the wind.

"It's just-Look at us! We're dressed like Rebecca!"

Hermione looked at her arms, dressed in a long-sleeved shirt, a jumper, and a heavy coat and laughed with him. "We're not shivering hard enough!"

They had seen the train arrive a few minutes before and had already been passed by other students entering the castle. Draco stalked passed them, looking at them both momentarily before spitting, "Careful Potter, ghosties all over. Wouldn't want you to faint again."

Harry went to answer, but couldn't. His arm was grabbed and he was being dragged alongside Fred and George.

"Mate? What're you doing?"

"Shhh. Act natural." George told him.

"I don't naturally get dragged from the front of the castle."

Rebecca scooted between Fred and Harry, "I may, or may not, have accidently dropped an Ice-maker...down the stairs...It's from the bloody hole in my pocket"

Hermione sighed, "I thought you were going to fix that."

"I always mean to!"

Professor Lupin stopped in front of them, eyeing the commotion rising from behind, "Welcome back, happy holidays?"

"Yes, professor." They answered in one form or another without stopping, continuing their rush to the safety of the common room. Peeves was floating above their heads, causing Rebecca to eye him carefully.

"Ice on stairs! Ice on stairs! Icy, icy, icy. Nicey, nicey, nicey! Ice on stairs!"

Harry looked to Rebecca with his eyebrows raised, "How is it that the day you come back, things go looney?"

She shrugged, "I have a way with looney-ness."

Harry leaned closer to her, "I have to talk to you later."

Rebecca squinted at him, "Good or bad?"

"I'm not sure."

They made plans to meet in the common room an hour later, to go to dinner as a group again.

Climbing the stairs, Rebecca filled Hermione in on what Draco told her, to which Hermione told her about what he'd said before they had all gotten to the entrance. Rebecca shook her head, "I don't know, I think there's something bigger."

Ginny rolled her eyes as they entered their room, "Hermione, did you do anything except read?"

Hermione laughed sarcastically, "Don't you know who I was left with? All he wanted to do was play wizard's chess, until he got sick of winning, and then mope around about quidditch and his the Firebolt. That's it."

Ginny jumped onto her bed and put her hands behind her head, "That's nothing, listen to this. Our nasty Auntie Muriel came for Christmas, right? Christmas lunch comes..." Hermione listened to the story, realising just how much she'd missed them.

Rebecca looked over the books on her bed, "Half of these are for classes she's not even taking. Why would she have checked them out?"

As the snow continued to cover the castle, the sun sank below the horizon and the students left for the Great Hall.

*******************************************

"Oh, I'm so full. Too full." Ron griped on the couch.

Ginny walked past and slapped his stomach, "Fourths?"

Ron winced as he tried to move away from her, "Why didn't you stop me?"

The others ignored his theatrics, catching up with one another. The early evening turned into night too quickly for Rebecca's taste. Sitting there, the fire crackling warmly a few feet away, her friends laughing with each other, enjoying one another, enjoying their company...There was precious little she enjoyed more.

When the time to part finally came, Harry whispered into her ear as they hugged good night, "Midnight. I'll be down here."

Rebecca nodded, "I missed you."

Harry squeezed her tighter, "I missed you, too."

They separated and went to say good night to others. 

*******************************************

Hermione, although wanting to stay up chatting as they were apt to do, made herself stop and go to sleep to prepare for the busy day ahead. Ginny had fallen asleep nearly an hour before hand, though not before poking a bit of fun.

"Good night, Hermione. Good talking, Becs."

Rebecca lay under her blankets, "I don't talk in my sleep."

Watching the stars drift across the sky, she waited until it was time to meet Harry in the common room. When the moon had finally risen high enough in it's crescent shape, Rebecca checked the time and left the dorm silently. 

Harry was standing near the fire, "I'm sorry to keep you up."

"Don't be ridiculous, it's not even that late." She yawned and he gave her a look. "Okay, it's a little late."

"I just wanted to tell you that when I'd seen Professor Lupin over break he said we'd start tomorrow night."

Rebecca looked to where he was staring into the fire, "You couldn't have told me earlier or at breakfast because?"

"I wanted to tell you about something else...something I can't quite explain."

They took a seat on the couch and began to talk, trying to explain the inexplicable Peter Pettigrew appearance on the Marauder's Map. When Harry was finished, Rebecca sat quiet for a moment. "So, the person the murderer who wants to murder us murdered is walking around."

Harry nodded.

Rebecca sighed and stood up, kissing him on the forehead lightly before going back to the stairs. "We'll never have a normal year, will we?"

Harry shrugged, "It doesn't seem like it, so far at least."

"I'll see you in the morning, okay? Sleep well."

Harry went to the boys staircase, "You too."

The children returned to the beds they never should have left, both thinking heavily.

*******************************************

Harry opened Professor Lupin's door slowly the next evening. Their classes had jumped right back into the swing of things, piling the students with homework and essays. 

"Professor?" The classroom remained silent. Harry called out once more as he and Rebecca stepped in. The door closed with a bang as Professor Lupin jumped out of the shadows behind them.

"Boo!"

Rebecca put her hand out in front of Harry while Harry ducked to the ground. Remus Lupin chuckled, "Oh to hear James' laugh right now." The thought of his passed friends sobered him slightly, an apology falling out of his mouth between bouts of his laughter.

"I'm sorry, I just-well, I just couldn't quite help myself."

The two children laughed uneasily with him. Remus wiped at his the corner of his eyes, leading them from the door to the center of the classroom.

Rebecca noticed the chest, the familiar chest. "You put a dementor in their with the boggart?"

Harry shook his head, "No, I don't think so. The boggart's going to take my fear, isn't it?"

Remus nodded, "Quite right Harry, to practise with a real dementor-especially on our first meeting-would be unwise. We're going to try this with Harry over here," He pointed to a spot closer to the chest, "And Rebecca over here. The boggart should be far enough to only pick up on Harry's fear.."

He proceeded to explain the spell used to defend against dementors. "Now, think about this. A dementor's effects are caused by the absence of joy, they take away happiness. So, to protect yourself against a dementor, you're going to need...Harry?"

"Magic!" Harry answered surely.

Remus looked at him for a long moment before turning to Rebecca, "Rebecca?"

"Happiness?" 

The professor chided, "Don't be unsure of your answer. Yes, happiness. Joy. The reasons that we the living, like living. The patronus charm is cast by bringing to mind your absolute happiest memory. You're going to think about every facet of the joy you experienced in your memory and use that happiness as strength for casting the spell." He looked from one to the other carefully, "This is not third year level magic. This is complicated and difficult even for the most experienced student."

Harry nodded eagerly, "Can we start?"

Remus sighed and went over proper wand movement before moving to the door of the cabinet, "Ready?"

"Ready." Harry raised his wand, holding his memory in mind. 

The cabinet door opened as soon as the knob was turned, a cloaked dementor floating out making its ghastly gasp. "Expecto patronum!"

A weak white wisp came out of the end of his wand, the dementor moving closer. "Expecto...patronum!"

The dementor closed the distance between them as Harry dropped to the floor. The dementor looked at Rebecca a moment before being cast back into the cabinet by Professor Lupin. Harry lay on the floor, stunned.

Remus knelt next to him, offering some chocolate. "That was an excellent first try. The fact that you got anything to come out of your wand shows your skill."

Harry shook his head, "I don't get it, that was one of my happiest memories."

Rebecca had walked to his side and sat next to them. "What was it? I'm struggling to come up with the right memory."

"The first time I rode a broom."

Remus made a noise, "I see. That's a problem right there. It's not a happy memory, it's the happy memory. The happiest moment you can remember. You need a better memory."

Rebecca looked to the man, "What memory do you use, professor?"

Harry shot her a look, causing her to rush and say, "If it's not too personal."

He chuckled and shook his head, "No, no. It's alright. It's a memory from when I was a boy. I was ill and lying in bed-sick as a dog. My mother is sitting next to me. She's got a bowl of tomato soup and she's brushing the hair off of my forehead, talking sweetly."

"I think I'd like a try, if you don't mind Harry." Rebecca stood up and moved to her spot.

He motioned for her to go ahead, "I'll just sit right here, in its way. Even more incentive for you to do well."

Remus thought to himself as he went to the cabinet, "Merlin, the more they interact the more I see Lily and James in them. God, I miss them."

Rebecca raised her wand and thought of her memory, taking inspiration from Remus' maternal memory. 

She was on the couch in the living room, a washcloth wiping at her face. When she opened her eyes, her glasses weren't on and things were blurry. A face came into focus as it leaned over her, Molly's face. 

"Oh dearie, whatever has happened to you?"

Rebecca's eyes drifted closed, unable to answer. Molly's presence never once left. Not the entire night."

The dementor left the cabinet, skipping over Harry and moving towards Rebecca. "Expecto patronum!" White wisp flowed weakly from her wand.

She pushed away the coldness grabbing at her, taking her happiness, and forced the memory to the forefront of her mind. Think! Molly. Couch. Love. Care. Warmth. Home.

"Expecto patronum!" A stronger flow of white left the end of her wand, the dementor paused as it was pushed away slightly, held at a distance away from she and Harry. Rebecca stumbled back and held her hands up, Remus stepping in and forcing the dementor back into the cabinet once more.

"Here, eat it. It really does help." Remus forced a chunk of chocolate into her hand. "I hope you two are proud of how well you've done this evening. It will be a while before your patronus is evident, but you're starting off very, very strong. Your parents would be very proud."

"Did you know them?" Harry's head shot away from Rebecca after making sure she was okay.

"I knew James before Lily, but I was very close with both of them."

The twins nodded and looked at each other, filing this information away for later. It's helpful to know where they can ask about their parents when the need arises.

Rebecca finished eating the chocolate before asking, "What do you mean, our patronus?"

"Every witch and wizard who is able to cast a corporeal patronus will find that it is an animal representing their soul itself."

Harry nodded, "Is there anyway to find out what it is?"

Remus chuckled, "Yes, to cast a corporeal patronus. That's plenty for tonight though, don't want you too tired for class tomorrow. I'll walk you back to the Tower."

They tried to argue against it, not thinking they needed a babysitter on the short walk back, but he insisted.

They wished him a good night as Sir Cadogan kept his difficultness to a minimum in the presence of a professor. Inside, the common room was empty. Harry and Rebecca went their separate ways quickly. They were both mentally exhausted at their efforts.

Taped to the girls' dormitory hall door, was a letter with Rebecca's name printed on it sloppily. Inside, the letter said:

"Rebecca,

This absence of yours is absolutely unfounded and ridiculous. I expect that your evening tomorrow (after practise, of course) is entirely cleared. George and I have an important question for you and...perhaps a few dungbombs about to expire...

We wouldn't want that, now would we?"

Fred"

Rebecca folded the letter back up and put it back into its envelope, holding it against her as she smiled her way back to her room where she put the note on her desk. She changed and climbed into bed quickly, Hermione and Ginny already in bed and chatting softly stopped to ask how it went.

"It went well! Definitely need some practising."

Hermione offered a few technical tips that she'd read about in her extensive, miscellaneous research. Rebecca tried so hard to stay awake, her yawns punctuating Hermione's tips more and more frequently until Hermione reached over and looked to Ginny pointedly.

"How long were you going to let me keep going?" Rebecca had fallen asleep facing Hermione's bed, her glasses still on.

Ginny laughed, "I wanted to see how long it would take you to notice!"

Hermione stood up and took her glasses off gingerly, setting them folded onto the desk next to her bed and turned the lamp off, darkness and sleep filling the room quickly.

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Author's Note:

A late update, but I'm hoping to finish 41 this week. Two more weeks of school. I have to keep reminding myself, only two more weeks of school.

<3


	41. Chapter 41

The dungeons were especially cold and unwelcoming that dark and dreary morning in late January. Rebecca had learned it was best to just shut down during Potions class. She sat next to Ron, sometimes next to Harry, staring at the board as Snape droned on endlessly. When Snape decided to come down onto the Potter children, they remained stoic.

"Nothing to say today, celebrity Potter One? Potter Two? I see. Snake must have your tongue."

Harry had broken quite a few quills as he clenched his hands tightly to keep his mouth shut.

That day however, Snape was in a particularly foul mood, and Harry and Rebecca's lack of reactions only fueled him farther. He asked them question after question on topics the third years hadn't even covered yet, let alone the fourth or fifth.

"Professor? Are we going to be making this potion today or play twenty questions all period?" Draco's snide voice rang out from the back of the classroom where he had his head resting on his hands.

Snape's eyes narrowed, his nose flared angirly. "Master Malfoy, how...kind...of you to redirect my teaching. I was unaware of your licensure."

The students around Malfoy sniggered, though Malfoy himself remained stoic. He only let his head fall back to the desk as Snape began another tirade, wasting the rest of class. When the hour had ended, Rebecca told the others to go ahead and that she'd meet them later. She shouldered her bag and turned to go back to the Potions classroom that Draco had never left.

"I think you'll find life quite miserable if you disrespect me again. I would hate for word of your insolence to reach your father. Do I make myself clear?" Snape's voice had its usual drone, but there was an edge to it. A menacing edge.

"Crystal. May I go now?" Snape excused Draco with a wave of his hand, warning him once more against any future disciplinary problems. Rebecca waited around the corner, not wanting to interrupt them but also wanting to thank him.

Draco turned the corner, muttering darkly. However, he stopped when he saw her waiting for him. He shook his head and continued.

"Hey!" He knocked her shoulder as he passed her. "I was just going to thank you!"

Draco stopped at the end of the hall and said over his shoulder, "Don't." Before turning to go back to the Slytherin dormitory.

"As soon as I think I understand anything about him, I'm even more lost."

*******************************************

Oliver paced furiously, muttering to himself, "Slytherin's beaten Ravenclaw. As long as we beat Ravenclaw, we can still get the cup. Slytherin's beaten Ravenclaw. We can still get the cup."

Angelina and Katie were tossing a quaffle between themselves while the rest of the team, including an exhausted Harry and Rebecca, sat around the planning board. 

"How long is he going to do this you think?" Rebecca asked Fred as she stifled a yawn. 

Fred smiled, "Talk to himself? The rest of his life. This evening? Probably another 15-20 minutes."

George looked over Rebecca and Harry concerned, "Are you going to be okay with your dementor practise with everything else? You both look like you're going to drop."

Harry shook his head, "We'll be fine! I'm not even tir-" He was interrupted by his own yawn. "We'll be fine." 

Fred turned his body so he was straddling the bench and put the jumped Rebecca had had between them down as a pillow. "Look, you can close your eyes for a few minutes now while Oliver loses his mind and rest a moment before practise fully begins."

Harry went to argue his not tiredness, but Rebecca shushed him and put her head down. "Just wake me up before Oliver notices I'm not listening, okay?"

Harry raised an eyebrow at her, "You don't listen to me half the time."

"What?" 

"I said, you don't listen to me half the time!"

"What?" Rebecca smiled, her eyes still closed on the makeshift pillow.

"You know what, I see what you're doing. It's not funny."

George threw his head back as he laughed, "It's hilarious, that's what it is!" Fred and George made eye contact, an idea forming in their heads. The dark-haired twins fell asleep almost immediately.

In fact, they managed to nap for nearly 25 minutes as Oliver prattled on about odds of winning against Ravenclaw and how the strategies they would need to beat Slytherin if they made it that far. When he noticed that Rebecca and Harry, along with Katie were asleep, he clapped his hands loudly.

"THAT'S ENOUGH CHATTING! IS THIS QUIDDITCH PRACTISE OR NOT?!"

Those who were asleep launched awake while those who were awake scrambled to hand out the brooms. Harry was still on an old school-loaned broom as the Firebolt was still being analysed. Oliver had them jog in unison to the pitch where they took to the air and drilled until dark.

*******************************************

Ron and Hermione were the only two who weren't at quidditch practise that evening. They leisured around the Great Hall as they at their dinner slowly. Ron was cross because Scabbers had disappeared again. He insisted that Crookshanks was the cause, though Hermione knew Crookshanks hadn't.

"Crookshanks didn't do anything! Perhaps you should take better care of your pets!"

Ron scowled, "You don't know what you're talking about." He wanted to keep going, keep fighting with her. He opened his mouth to say something horrid, something that would have started another long-lasting spat when a screeching owl flew through the Great Hall, heading straight for the two.

Hermione caught the letter and opened it quickly, recognising Hagrid's large print writing. 

"Beaky's trial has been rescheduled--The first week of March. I'm going over the information we've pulled for his case tonight, if any of you want to help. I'll be at the entrance of the castle at half-past six to any one who wants down.

Hagrid"

Ron wiped his hands on his napkin and checked his watch, seeing that they only had about fifteen minutes until Hagrid said he would be there. "Alright, I'm done. You ready to go?"

Hermione looked at him strangely, "Are you going?"

"As much as I don't want to go through your notes again, I know that you're going to go."

She scoffed, "So?"

Ron sighed, "So, Hermione, I'm not going to leave you to walk to Hagrid's alone. Murderer on the loose and all."

"I'm quite sure I am old enough to walk to the entrance alone. Especially since Hagrid said he would be walking up to meet us."

He shook his head, "Alright, fine. I'm still going though. Can you imagine what would happen if Rebecca heard that I'd let you work on it while I did nothing? I've got more life to live--I'm not looking for an early end."

They laughed and gathered their belongings, arriving to the entrance just as Hagrid turned to walk back to the hut alone.

"Hey there, I wasn' sure if you were coming 'r not." Hagrid smiled at the sight of them, but it left his face quickly. The stress and worrying about Buckbeak was overwhelming the man.

Hermione looked shocked, "Of course we're coming to help! When Rebecca and Harry hear that we were able to while their at practise, they're going to kick themselves."

Hagrid shook his head, "I don't doubt it. I think Hedwig flies to my hut more tha' the Burrow. I've got a whole collection of her notes, as well a' yours." 

Ron looked to Hermione with an 'I-told-you-so' smirk wide on his mouth. "Shut it." She mouthed to him behind Hagrid.

The walk to the hut was lined with a new addition to the castle, intermittent never-dimming torches as a means to dissuade Sirius Black's attempts to infiltrate the castle. They saw the red and gold practise robes of the Gryffindor team flitting around the pitch as they proceeded on the long, descending walk to Buckbeak's last defence.

"Are you alright?" Hermione asked up to Hagrid as he sniffled loudly.

"Oh I'm fine. I'm jus'...I'm so thankful for all the work you lot have put in. I never could'a done all this by m'self."

Ron and Hermione weren't quite sure what to say, though they assured Hagrid that they were there and that they would be there with him every step of the way. Hagrid blew his nose in her large handkerchiefs before tucking it back into his coat and shaking his head.

"Let's get 'er done then. Between you," he motioned to Hermione, "and Rebecca's owls, I've got more paper in here than Madame Pince does in the library."

*******************************************

The Gryffindor team thudded into the locker room, the girls and boys splitting in the meeting room before entering their respective shower rooms. Oliver had had them doing the hardest and the fastest drills, leaving them sweaty and tired.

Rebecca was rinsing her hair, trying to separate some of the knots, when she remembered Fred's note from the night before. "What could they want to talk about?"

Pondering the infinite number of subjects they could need to discuss, Rebecca got dressed fairly quickly and was one of the first to be sitting back in the meeting room. Oliver trotted out of the showers, hair wet and grinning wildly. 

"We've got quite a chance, especially if-"

"We beat Ravenclaw." Rebecca shook her head as she laughed, "Yes, Oliver. You've only said it hundred times."

Oliver put his practise robes into the bin by the door and ignored Rebecca and George's, who had just left the showers, intonation of Oliver's quidditch match repetition.

"We must beat Ravenclaw. We must beat Ravenclaw." Oliver checked his watch and excused himself early, "Must be going. Meeting someone for um...tutoring."

When Fred was done and ready to go, he found George and Rebecca laying across the benches faux-snoring. "Really? It's been two minutes."

They only snored louder. That was, until Fred knocked George off the bench as he walked by. George jumped up and launched himself onto Fred's back, causing them both to fall into the bin of dirty robes. They got up slowly, shaking the dirty clothes off their robes and climbing out laughing.

George propped the locker room door open, leaving and walking quickly to the left. He lead the way down corridors and up stairs until he reached a window bench where he turned and plopped down.

"What're we doing here?" Rebecca asked as she sat between them, admiring the sky only for a moment before giving them her full attention.

"I-" George began before being interrupted by Fred. "We!"

George wrinkled his nose, "...we...have been working on a few idea lately. Our own line of pranks really, and we were-"

"-wondering if you'd like to jump on." Fred finished for him. George scowled while Rebecca looked between the two of them.

"That's a genius idea! You two already know everything there is to know on what Zonko's carries, and, you already modify what you have."

George nodded, "The thing is, we need another person--a tiebreaker. We might look the same on the outside, but I'm the only one who's always right."

Fred rolled his eyes before looking to Rebecca, "So, what do you think? Are you interested?"

"Yeah, I think I am. Really interested."

Fred and George smiled over her head before launching into their newest idea. "You're actually what gave us the idea for this one. Remember what you said to Harry before practise?"

Rebecca thought for a moment, "Not really, what are you getting at?"

George continued, "You acted like you couldn't hear him. But, what if there was a type of biscuit that, after eating, left your hearing muffled for a few minutes."

Fred chimed in, "What-wafers."

Rebecca clapped her hands quickly, "That's brilliant! We could do a diluted anti-hearing potion in the dough for the wafers or even a powdered version in the flour! And, what about a tea? Everyone drinks their biccies with tea. You could do Too-dark-tea and darken their vision..."

The three sat there for over an hour, working on where they'd get the supplies, any kinks that could come up, and other pranks they'd come up with. She quickly assumed the role they'd needed her to: The Compromiser. She found the solutions in their disagreements before they would fight over whatever it was, sometimes coming up with a solution resulting in an entirely different side product.

Fred watched her from the corner of his eyes, thinking about how she showed her feelings on her face so clearly. There was no hiding the fact that she was wholeheartedly enjoying their discussion. 

"Final order of the night, as we do still have those dung bombs that need detonating." Fred grinned, "Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes--what do you think? It's been our running brand name idea."

"It's perfect. Three w's...on purpose?"

Fred shook his head, "Nope." He popped the p before standing and turning towards the Slytherin stairway. "A perfect coincident."

*******************************************

The fireplace in Hagrid's hut popped occasionally, the candles burnt low. Hagrid looked up from the papers he and Hermione were scouring and gasped. "I've got to get you two back up to the castle! Curfew was half an hour ago!"

Ron grabbed their jumpers as Hermione put what they'd been reading back into piles before following Hagrid to where they'd met two hours before. "How do you feel Hagrid?"

Hagrid shrugged, "I'll jus' be happy when everything is over. It's the waiting that kills me. I'd let 'im free tonight, yesterday even! But they'll know it was me and I can't go back to Azkaban. I can't."

Professor McGonagall was waiting at the entrance. Hermione hugged Hagrid tightly at the entrance before they parted, "Don't worry, they'll see he's not dangerous. They have to."

Hagrid smiled to them as he passed them to McGonagall who was going to escort them back to the tower. She praised them for their assistance with the case, 'accidently' letting them know about the sheer level of gratitude Hagrid had when he spoke about their help with the other members of the staff.

"I think if he were to compliment you any higher, you'd have to be put on a permanent pedestal." McGonagall smiled as they stepped through the portrait hole. Harry sat in a chair across the room wedged in with Rebecca, his dark unruly hair over his eyes as they worked. The smile on McGonagall's face wavered as she saw the shadows of her students-passed in them before the portrait door closed and Sir Cadogan offered her misty eyes his painted kerchief.

*******************************************

The three pranksters had toppled through the portrait hole one minute before all students needed to be in their dormitories for the night, laughing wildly. Harry had returned to the common room immediately after practise had ended as the essay that Snape had assigned them proved much harder than he originally thought, leaving him with only a few paragraphs and much more to go.

He was hunched over his parchment, his glasses sliding down his nose slowly, his quill scratching at the speed of spells. Rebecca composed herself slightly as she went to his side. She peered over his shoulder, "Not going for notes on good handwriting, I see."

Harry grumbled, "Bugger off, it's for Snape."

"Ah, I see. If you talk about the Wolvenshire daffodil here, he'll think you were paying extra attention."

Harry looked up at her, scanning her from head to toe before turning back to his essay. "Did you have a good time?"

Rebecca tried to keep her face plain, but couldn't help the smile. "What do you mean? We only went for a walk."

Harry turned back to her with his eyebrow cocked, "Sure. I hope you left the Ravenclaws alone, we don't need them angry when we play."

She laughed lightly, "So we might have been doing a touch more than walking, but there were no Ravenclaws involved. Well, except for-"

Harry's face shot around to hers, his face shaping into a scowl. "I'm kidding!" She raised her hands in surrender. "Are you okay? You seem tense."

He set his quill down and sat back in his chair. "Ron and Hermione are gone, no one knows where and I have this stupid essay, and...well isn't that enough?"

Rebecca had been sitting on the arm of the chair, but she slid down squeezing herself into it with him. "I'm sure Ron and Hermione are fine, unless they've finally murdered one another in an argument. As for the essay, you and I can finish it right now." She put her head onto her hand and propped herself up on the table. "Alright, write this down..."

Fred and George were chatting closer to the fire, going over the events of the evening. "You know the best part of her wanting to join? No more losing."

Fred looked at George bewildered, "Losing? Losing what?"

George shrugged, "She's not going to pick your side in any argument because she'll feel like she's playing favorites with her Romeo--I'll never lose an argument again."

Fred shook his head as he stood up to get ready for bed, "First, I'm not her 'Romeo'. Second, wouldn't it make more sense that she would choose me over you then, sort of a 'relationship privilege?' Think about it."

Fred left George as he thought about what had just happened in silence, only speaking when he shouted, "Bollocks!" Loud enough for the few students still around the Common Room to look at him strangely.

Harry looked at the essay in front of him, the finished essay. "Rebecca, I've been working on this all evening and you just finished it in twenty minutes."

"It's not that amazing, you had all the framework there. You just needed some pizazz."

Harry chuckled as he collected his school supplies and turned to the portrait hole at the sound of it opening. Ron and Hermione came in quickly, rushing to them.

"He's gotten Buckbeak's trial pushed forward. It's the first week of March!"

Harry stood up quickly, "He who?"

Ron spat the answer, "Malfoy's father."

Rebecca' brain buzzed loudly, she was furious. Harry reached down and grabbed her hand as Hermione continued her rundown of the work they'd done. Rebecca squeezed his hand back, trying to contain herself.

"We still have Charlie's letter and we've still got about three weeks."

Ron asked Harry a few questions about their practise while Rebecca asked Hermione a few specific questions about what they'd accomplished laying out Buckbeak's defence.

Fred and George had already gone to bed for the night, and it was good that they had. Without alerting her, Ron, Harry, and Hermione had all noted the way her eyes darkened: The normally-emerald hue had clouded to a forest green, a dark, dark green.

It occurred to them as it had Fred earlier, "There was no hiding what she was feeling, she could be read like a book if you knew what to look for."

*******************************************

Author's Note:

An extra update because I love you, I hope you enjoy!

<3


	42. Chapter 42

Between quidditch practise, homework, dementor lessons, and Buckbeak's defence work, Rebecca and Harry were stretched to their limits. They found themselves sleeping wherever and whenever they could since they were staying up so late to work.

As was bound to happen in such an extended state of tired, the Friday before the Valentine's Day and the accompanying Hogsmeade trip, Rebecca snapped. She'd been working on one assignment or another in the library since the last class for the day had ended, leaving her eyes burning and her head thumping. She ended up forgoing dinner altogether, deciding to finish her work.

As she left the library and turned to go to the common room for a while before she and Harry were meeting with Professor Lupin, Crabbe and Goyle were following Marcus Flint as they wandered around. Draco had told the two of them to go make themselves useful elsewhere, and the two daft-headed dullards took 'useful' to mean 'bullying.' 

They walked by her and shoved her into the stone wall, smashing her back against it. Fred, who had just turned the corner to bring her the sandwich he'd scavenged from supper, shouted "Hey!" running down the hall. 

The three Slytherins ran down the corridor, running from the numerous, continuous jinxes Rebecca sent down the hall at them, her bag on the floor beginning to drip. Fred ran in front of her and grabbed her wrists, keeping her from hitting them with any of them.

"No murdering today!" Fred grunted as she pulled her arms from his grasp.

"They broke the damn ink well." She bent down and pulled out a parchment roll that had previously been the transfiguration essay she'd just finished and was now, well...was now more ink than parchment. 

She began to cry as she saw the extent of the damage, the tears rolling down her cheeks quickly. Fred took his wand out of his robe and tapped on the ink that had leaked out onto the floor and then her bag, cleaning the surfaces.

"I don't...I don't know how to take some ink off of something, only all of it."

"I was done. I'd finished it all and was just going to sit for a little before tonight's meeting with Professor Lupin."

"Here," He handed her the sandwich and gathered the sopping sheets of parchment. "Madame Pince has to know how, she's around paper and ink all day. You sit a moment, relax, breathe, eat. I'll be right back. Okay?"

She nodded and took the sandwich as she wiped her eyes on the sleeves of her robe. Fred was gone in a flash, determined to find a solution. "Madame?" He called as he put the papers on the counter, "I need some help."

"What's this! You're dripping!" She screeched. Fred tried to explain, "Well, there was an incident, inkwell broke inside her ba-"

Madame Pince took her wand and tapped it on the paper, all the spilled ink lifting off and her written words being left behind. "Get out before you make more of a mess!" 

Fred laughed as he thumbed through her parchments, "Good as new!" He hurried back out to the hall to show her where he found her eating the sandwich against the wall. As she looked up to him, he hadn't noticed how dark the circles were under her eyes, exhaustion was evident.

He held them all behind his back, "Pick a hand."

Tiredly she guessed, "Left?"

He pulled out his empty hand, leading her to say, "Right?" He then pulled his right hand that was empty as well. He winked and pulled them out of the sleeve of his left arm, presenting the cleaned essays and notes. He crouched back down next to her and helped her fit everything back in as it was.

"Better?"

She took a deep breath, "Yes, all thanks to you. Thank you for stopping their bodily harm, as deserved as it was. I'm just so bloody tired. Like I'm...I don't know."

"You're out of petrol, maybe?" Fred suggested.

"Something like that. There's so much to do and there's not enough time. I don't even think I got to sleep last night."

"Do you have a plan for Saturday?" 

She put the last thing in her bag and stood up, grabbing the sandwich and taking another bite. "No, I wasn't even sure if I was going to go down to Hogsmeade. Hagrid said to go, that there was nothing else we could do for the trial next week, but-"

"Well, I was wondering if you'd like to go pick out some tea or get a butterbeer or something...with me."

"Like a date?" She asked blankly.

"NO! No, just as friends. One friend helping another friend whose going through a rough bit relax and breathe before she runs herself into the ground."

Rebecca laughed and shook her head, "I was just kidding with you, though I'm glad you laid it out so plainly." She took a bite of the sandwich, "I'd love to. Whatever you want to do though, you can make every decision. I'm so tired of thinking about anything."

"Any decision?" He asked cheekily.

"Within reason." She hurried to add. 

"Nope, you can't change your mind! I shall make every decision for you tomorrow." He turned left and stopped in front of the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom and paused, "Well, we're here."

She rewrapped the other bit of sandwich to eat it when going back to the Tower after they'd worked on the patronus charm and wrapped him in a tight hug, surprising both Fred and herself. He squeezed her back, her head held against his chest. "All's well that ends well, yeah?"

She nodded into him, "Yeah. Thanks to you."

Fred went to say something but was interrupted by Professor Lupin opening the door and greeting the two. They separated, Fred blushing heavily and backing away slowly, "Tomorrow morning, I'll see you at breakfast and we'll head off, okay?"

"Okay, I'm looking forward to it."

"Me too." 

Fred turned and faced the direction he was walking as Professor Lupin smiled down at her with his eyebrows raised, "Planning an outing in Hogsmeade tomorrow?" 

She blushed lightly, "It's not like that."

He closed the door, "I never said it was like anything."

She put her bag with Harry's and responded, "You don't have to say anything, it's how you said it."

The professor chuckled and nodded, "I think it's a brilliant idea, none the less. Third year is hard and the stress is most evident leading up to exams. You're no longer treated like the children you are in first and second year, and yet, you're not fully acclimated to the level of rigor involved in third year and beyond. I think it's a common feeling that third year is difficult."

Harry nodded to her, nonverbally checking in and making sure all was well. She nodded back and grabbed her wand before going to where Professor Lupin was standing with that day's copy of the Daily Prophet.

"You arrived just in time actually, Harry had just asked an excellent question." Remus tapped the front of the paper, "What is the Dementor's Kiss? The Ministry of Magic announced that Sirius Black, upon capture, will receive it."

He took a deep breath and turned around, setting the paper back onto his desk and pausing a moment before turning back to the two Potters. "The Dementors place their lips upon yours and they remove you."

Harry looked to Rebecca who was staring ahead in horror as Lupin continued, "You can exist without your soul, you know, as long as your brain and heart are still working. But you'll have no sense of self anymore, no memory, no ... anything. There's no chance at all of recovery. You'll just — exist. As an empty shell. And your soul is gone forever ... lost."

"That's..." Rebecca couldn't even finish.

Professor Lupin nodded slowly, "It's the ultimate punishment." He walked closer to them and sat on a chair in front of them, "Now, I don't tell you this to frighten you, far from it actually. I told you this because I want you to be aware of what exactly you're defending yourself against." He stood up and clapped his hands, "Who's going first?"

*******************************************

Harry and Rebecca dropped next to their bags. "Marvelous!" Their professor's compliments went in one ear and out the other of their exhausted heads. They'd managed to get the dementor-boggart back into the box each time, working together more often than not. They both had heard the screams of their parents at the close proximity, but neither of them had fallen unconscious.

Professor Lupin made sure that they had chocolate to eat on their walk back to Gryffindor Tower before closing the classroom door behind them.

"I'm most impressed by your progress, you two should be very proud of the work you've accomplished these past few weeks." He paused as they turned the corner, "And, for that reason, I must insist that we practise less."

Harry and Rebecca both went to argue back but were silenced as Remus held his hand up at them. "I won't hear any arguments. You've made all the progress you can with the boggart and I won't have you practising with an actual dementor. We will still practise to keep the skill sharp, but truth is...you both look ragged."

Harry sighed heavily, "Yes, professor. Thank you, for helping us."

Rebecca nodded, "Yes, thank you. I feel," She looked to Harry who nodded, "We feel that we would be able to protect ourselves next time a dementor comes too close."

Remus stuck his hand out at the two of them in front of the portrait hole, shaking both of their hands. "I don't doubt it. Good night. Enjoy yourselves tomorrow."

He turned greeting Professor McGonagall who was walking towards them. "I'm glad I caught you before you were in bed." Harry noticed that she had the Firebolt in hand. "It has been found entirely jinx-free, I recommend you start practising with it before the next match." She smiled at them and shooed them into the Common Room before going back to her quarters.

Harry turning to Rebecca as soon as the door was shut behind them, Firebolt in front of him, "What did Professor Lupin mean, 'enjoy ourselves' tomorrow?"

Rebecca smiled shyly, "Fred helped me with an issue this evening and we made some plans for tomorrow in Hogsmeade."

Harry nodded, "Okay, I think I'll be down at the pitch, breaking this in then."

She punched him in the shoulder before hugging him good night, "Just make sure someone else goes too, okay?"

He assured her that he wouldn't go alone before they went their separate ways. Upstairs in the girls' room, Hermione was sitting at her desk with a stack of books nearly toppling off the end of her desk. She didn't even look up when Rebecca entered, only asking if she'd finished the transfiguration essay that had been giving her such a hard time.

"I did, though there was a minor-fiasco with a smashed inkwell."

Hermione turned at that, her eyes wide, "You didn't toss your work did you? I've got the spell to get all non-written ink off a parchment!"

Rebecca put her bag on her trunk and hung her robe on her hook, "No, I didn't toss it. Fred was there and helped me. He summed it up perfectly really, 'all's well that ends well.'"

Hermione turned back to her parchment scroll, "I've only got a little more on this before I can call it a night. Ron was asking me about anything we're doing tomorrow, and I said that I'd ask you when you got in."

Rebecca had decided she would shower in the morning and grabbed pajamas as she answered, "Well, I actually have plans...already..."

Hermione turned even quicker than before, "What?"

"They were a spur of the moment kind of thing. Fred asked if I'd like to do something tomorrow after he helped me with the ink."

Hermione raised her eyebrows, "You and Fred are 'doing something' on Valentine's Day?"

Rebecca shook her head as she stepped into the bathroom and grabbed the door, "It's not like that. I don't even know what we're going to do, he's making every choice." Rebecca closed the door and looked at herself in the mirror before getting ready for bed.

Ginny laughed from where she had been 'sleeping,' "She's so bloody oblivious."

*******************************************

The sun rose slowly over the still-snow-laden castle, waking Rebecca at an acceptable time. She stretched slowly and grabbed her glasses and admired the late-winter beauty: The sun glinting off of the icicles on the many spires, the snowmen left in the quad from other students' making, the trees blanketed with snow on every branch.

Standing up and putting her feet on the floor, she raised them quickly as the ground crinkled. Upon further inspection, a note was found.

"RJ,

I wasn't kidding, every decision. Go ahead and wear some warm trousers and a jumper. Bring your coat! 

Fred"

Laughing, she stood and put on what was asked of her, finishing getting ready and grabbing the scarf Fred had given her on her way out of the room for the unknown adventures of the day. In the common room, Hermione and Ron were dressed for an outing as well.

"You guys are heading to Hogsmeade as well?" Rebecca asked at the bottom of the stairs.

"Yeah, she's making me." Ron groaned, "Something about needing something from somewhere. I wasn't really listening."

Hermione scoffed, "That's new." She looked Rebecca over, "I see you found the note. We're supposed to tell you that he's waiting for you at breakfast."

"Really?"

Harry turned from where he was sitting next to them, "No. They're lying." He deadpanned. 

"Harry, you're so funny." She deadpanned back before they all laughed. "I'm heading down then, I'll see you all later!" The halls were busy, the older years snogging wherever they thought they had a sliver of 'privacy' and the professors splitting them up whenever they fell into their line of sight.

As she entered the Great Hall, there were paper hearts levitating up by the candles and pink tablecloths along each table. She saw Fred and George sitting with Lee and went to join them, sitting in her customary spot of between Fred and George.

"Good morning!" Fred said as he placed a plate in front of her with a collection of different muffins.

"Could I get some-" She was wholly interrupted as he smirked and put a cup of orange juice in front of her.

George snorted, "This is only a sign that you're too predictable."

"I'll have you know that I am not 'predictable.' I simply have mastered a certain routine and tend to stick to it."

Lee stage-whispered to George, "Isn't that what predictable means?"

Rebecca ate her predictable breakfast as they joked around, Fred standing up as soon as she was done. "Alrighty. Mates, we'll see you later. You ready to go?" He made sure he had everything he'd come with and pulled his jumper on. "Let's get down to the carriages then."

Their ride to Hogsmeade was mostly uneventful, no dropping of Ice-Makers on the stairs and they were put into a carriage with a few other students. Rebecca couldn't really tell who they were because none of them separated from their kissing long enough to tell.

Fred and Rebecca looked at each other shocked at first, though as the ride went on it only got funnier and funnier and, by the time they'd reached their destinations, they were red in the face and struggling to hold in their laughter.

When the carriage doors opened they were the first out and cackling madly, "They never even stopped to breathe!" Fred gasped out.

Fred pulled a piece of parchment out of his pocket and looked it over, "Let's head off this way." They began to walk, slowly but with a purpose, until Fred turned out of the alley they'd taken and revealed Zonko's right in front of them.

Fred held the door open and guided her to the back wall, "I'm actually set on supplies right now, but I wanted to show you this last aisle on Valentine's day...it's pretty-"

"Mental?" Rebecca offered as they peeked around the end at the swarm of students, girls and boys alike fighting over the last of the 'love potions.' "I don't even get it, it's not an actual love potion."

"How so?" Fred asked as they left the shop, turning right once outside. 

"Love can't be bottled up and stored, let alone sold." 

Fred watched her out of the corner of his eye, again, and smiled. "So, I was thinking that we'd stop and get some tea to bring back and then head to the Three Broomsticks for some butterbeer?"

Rebecca stopped and looked around, "Isn't Madame Puddifoot's back there?" Fred stopped and looked around, finding nothing familiar. "Why yes, yes it is."

Fred stuck his elbow out for her to intwine her arm through and went back in the direction they actually needed to go, chatting all the way.

*******************************************

The Three Broomsticks was far emptier than Madame Puddifoot's, much to the enjoyment of Fred and Rebecca. They'd spent the entire time in the tea shop trying to find the strangest teas to show the other, never actually choosing any to buy. By the time the sat in a booth and had their warm butterbeers in front of them, it was almost time to go back to the carriages to return to the castle.

They were in the middle of their drinks when Fred leaned over and pointed across the bar, "My bet is...he's going to go in for a kiss and get rejected."

Rebecca gasped, "Fred that's horrid! How can you even say...that..." The man had set his drink on the counter and leaned in, the girl turning her face away so that he only kissed her cheek. She stood up and said something before setting some money onto the counter and leaving the shop.

"That's so sad." Fred shook his head, "Well look over there, he's been grabbing the box in his lap for twenty minutes, my bet is-"

"He's going to propose!" Rebecca finished before he could smiling, "You already guessed one."

They watched the man wipe his palms once more before standing up and getting onto one knee in front of the other man he was with. Fred and Rebecca clapped with the rest of the bar before taking the last sips of their drinks and leaving. The sun was low in the sky and the wind had picked up. Fred put his hands into his pockets, regretting not bringing anything more than his jumper.

Rebecca took her mittens off and handed them to him. "Oh, I'm not cold."

She raised her eyebrows, "Yes you are, take the mittens."

He fought back before she grabbed his wrist and slid one of them onto his hand and stuck the other in that palm. He thanked her and put them on as she took her hat off as well and gave it to him. He tried to argue, but she wouldn't hear it, "I have a hood Fred! Just wear the damn hat!"

He pulled it on and put his arm around her shoulders, changing the subject, "Did you have a good, decision-less day?"

"It was an amazing day. Nothing about it could have been better."

Fred laughed, his breath sending a cloud into the air. "That's brilliant, mission accomplished."

Farther back on the street, George, Lee, and Hermione were crouched behind a sign and watching the two of them. George and Lee snickered as Fred put his arm around her and turned to Hermione as they went out of their sight. 

Ron appeared from behind them with a bagful of heart-shaped chocolates. "Honeyduke's end-of-holiday sale prices, I love you. The only redemption of this endless day. Now will someone tell me why exactly we followed them all bloody day?"

George acted like he thought about it before answering, "No." and then quickly left for the carriages as Hermione and he whispered furiously. Ron shrugged, he was ready for dinner.

*******************************************

Harry was dripping in sweat at dinner, his hair severely wind-blown and his cheeks red from the cold. Ron slapped his back as he asked him how the Firebolt flew quietly as it was still under tight wraps, to which all Harry had to say was, "I wouldn't worry about the match next week."

While Ron and Harry talked about the broom, Rebecca asked Hermione how their day went. Hermione stammered a moment, "Us? Wh-why?"

Rebecca looked at her a moment, her eyes narrowing slightly, "Ron said you had to pick something up from somewhere. Why're you being weird?"

"Oh! Yes, that. No, it was out of stock. Perhaps next time." Fred leaned over from where he and an older Gryffindor boy were talking and used his finger on the end of her glasses behind her ear to put them up on top of her head before putting his hand over her eyes.

"Now, I may have told a slight fib about the whole 'not making any decision' thing. You're now faced with the pen-ultimate question that has plagued man since the beginning of time. Do you think you can handle it?"

She nodded, "I'm sure of it, lay it on me."

Fred took a deep breath before slowly asking, "Left or right?"

She reached up and felt the hand over her eyes, "Right, you're left is on my face."

"Oh." He pulled his hand off of her and set a small box in front of her, "I didn't really think that one through I guess." She picked the box up and read the name, The Stressful to Restful tea for All.

She giggled, "About yesterday?"

He smiled just from the corners of his mouth, "It's not not about yesterday, but it's also because you've been under a lot of stress lately and I hope that this will help a little."

She smiled and looked from the box to his eyes, "Thank you, for the tea and the brilliant day." She grabbed her fork and went to have another bite of her tart before setting it back down and looking at him, "Wait, how'd you get this? I was with you the entire time."

Fred looked at her and winked, "A magician never tells his secrets."

*******************************************

The Gryffindor common room was crowded that evening. Some of the older students were passing around a bottle of fire whiskey and the fireplace roared cozily. But, as all evenings with friends do, it had to come to an end eventually. After Ron had nearly fallen asleep on the couch with a licorice wand hanging out of his mouth, they all decided to head up to their rooms. 

Hermione and Rebecca climbed the stairs in unison after saying good night, only pausing as Fred shouted Rebecca's name from the top of the boy's stairs. 

"Hey! You've decided to not do any work tonight, only relaxing on such a splendid day with such splendid company!"

She smiled and checked her watch, "Your decision making window is over by nearly half-an-hour."

However, once in their bedroom, Rebecca decided that he was right: It was okay to take one day off of all responsibility. She pulled her excessive number of blankets over her and chatted with Hermione until the castle, and the girls fell asleep.

*******************************************

"Wake up at once! Students are to report to the common room and then go to the Great Hall under the direction of the prefects! Remain calm!" Professor McGonagall's voice echoed down the hall of the girls' bedrooms, their doors opening with simultaneous bangs.

Rebecca sat up in bed instantly, fear rushing through her veins. "The boys!" She had her shoes on a second later and was out the door a second after that, Hermione and Ginny following right behind her. She pushed by anyone in the hall and ran down the stairs two at a time, happy she'd grabbed her glasses.

She scanned the common room. Dumbledore was there, at the top of the boys staircase, while Harry and Ron were standing at the back of the common room with Professor McGonagall. She and the other two girls ran to them, all asking what had happened and if they were okay at once and where the others were.

"Ladies! Please, maintain a modicum of control." Professor McGonagall chastised before Ron went on to explain that he'd woken up to Sirius Black standing over his bed and slashed his bedding. Ron paused his retelling as there was a clatter coming from the boys' dormitories. "Wait! Fred!" A familiar voice was heard, George's voice.

They were in the middle of the group of boys, though Fred shouted as he approached the exit of the hall and the top of the stairs, "Clear the way! Move it!" And parted through the stairs, sprinting. They spotted their group in the common room's farther end and ran straight up to them, Fred yanking Ginny's shoulder and turning her to him as he looked her up and down before doing the same with Rebecca, though he pulled her into him as he looked over Hermione.

"No blood? No injuries?" Fred panted.

Ron piped up from aside Harry, "I could've died!" Professor McGonagall sighed, "No, no injuries tonight. To the Great Hall, all of you."

Rebecca looked up from Fred's chest, "When you weren't out here," she paused and shook her head as she closed her eyes and laid her head back onto him, "I thought the worst. About Harry, about Ron, about you."

George scoffed, "And nothing about me, bloody chopped liver is what I am."

Fred used his other hand and slapped him, "You know that's not what she meant." He looked down to her, "Right?"

"Of course not." McGonagall pointed to the exit where the last of the Gryffindor students were exiting Gryffindor tower. Rebecca and Fred separated, though he didn't leave her side. Harry walked next to her and whispered, "You're lucky you missed it, honest. Apparently Neville had a list of all the passwords since Sir Cadogan changed it so often and he'd lost it--letting Sirius Black in. McGonagall took fifty points, gave him detention for a month, and he's not allowed to Hogsmeade for the rest of the year."

Ron leaned forward, "I've never heard her yell so loudly. Bloody terrifying."

Hermione chimed in, "At least the Fat Lady will be returning now, and a guard on top of that." Professors lined the corridors, whispering amongst themselves or securing the perimeter. Lee weaved his way around the other students and made it back to George, leaning next to him and talking softly. George nodded and Lee ran back to where he had been before.

Fred looked over to his twin curiously, but George shook his head and mouthed, "Later." The Great Hall was filled with cots, again. Rebecca insisted that Ron take the cot in the very center of their area, forgoing her spot next to Fred. 

The professors announced that the lights around the Great Hall would be turning off in five minutes and that they needed to be in their cots. Rebecca pulled her blanket up over her, sitting up once all of her friends were asleep and running over a head count silently. 

She put one of her arm under her head and looked up at the stars in the roof enchanted to look like the sky. They only became more beautiful when the lamps were extinguished. Most of the students fell asleep quickly, they had in fact been interrupted in the middle of the night.

Rebecca, however, couldn't quite go back to sleep. Whether it was the residual adrenaline from thinking her brother or friends had been murdered or the fact that it was absolutely bloody frigid, she didn't know. What she did know was that Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore made their rounds in a large circle around the entirety of the Great Hall and passed her cot approximately every two and a half minutes.

The sixth time the passed her, they paused and looked over the sleeping students. "Oh Albus, what are we going to do?"

"All that we can Minerva, we're going to put further restrictions and, if there's another incident, I fear we may have to end term early."

They continued on their path. Rebecca thought on this, not knowing that Harry was listening as well. She and Harry both knew that whatever happened, Hogwarts couldn't end term early. Harry and Rebecca being separated? While a murderer who was presumed to be after them was still on the run? 

There was shuffling and whispering coming from her right, ending with something being put onto her feet. She sat up to see what it was after making sure that the professors weren't too close and found an extra blanket tossed on her. 

Harry winked from his bed and pointed over his shoulder where Fred and George smiled. She pulled it over herself after whispering a 'thank you' and found that the blanket must have been Fred's at one point and sat up again to make sure he hadn't given up his only blanket. He hadn't, though she had no idea where exactly he had gotten an extra.

It smelled like him, however faintly. There was the usual hint of spice, something cinnamon-like, but there was also his usual smell of something green and fresh and wild, "Grass? Pine trees?" She let herself become consumed by these thoughts for they were much preferred over the darkness that threatened to take over, the darkness that came with the threats of Sirius Black.

*******************************************

The morning came far earlier than it needed to, the sun shining directly into the Great Hall as it rose. Rebecca and a few other students slept facing away from the windows, but most of the Hall was awake quite early.

Fred stretched, greeting Harry and Hermione. Harry and Hermione laughed as another snore left Rebecca. Ron had his face shoved under his pillow and Rebecca was simply on her side. Fred laughed quietly with them, as he sat on his cot and watched the way her hair moved every time she took a breath, the way the curls traced the curvature of her cheeks and fell against her jaw.

"How can someone be so beautiful...asleep?"

George sat up and threw his pillow at her. "Why?" She asked as she yawned and looked between the two of them, Fred looked to George, "Yeah, why?"

George laughed and wiped the corner of his mouth, "Drool much?" he mouthed to Fred who took his own pillow and whacked him in the face with it, discreetly wiping his mouth with his sleeve, just to be safe.

*******************************************

Author's Note:

Enjoy this beautiful chapter that is over 5k words. I got a little bit away from the Prisoner of Azkaban's storyline for a while there, but I'm hoping that the chapter I start writing tomorrow will put us back on track and I'm estimating that the PoA will be over before we hit 50 chapters!

I hope you're all doing well and staying safe. I have finals next week and then am onto the holiday break and should be able to keep it going pretty frequently. I'm actually doing better mentally than I have been for a while, I'm one of those people that needs something to look forward to and I've actually started researching the steps and the process involved with immigrating to the UK. It's not a fast process, but by having a sort of 10-year plan for my future I feel like I am able to wake up more positive.

<3


	43. Chapter 43

The roar of the crowd from the stands filled their ears and shook the ground as the Gryffindor team jogged and approached the Ravenclaw team in the center of the pitch. Harry should have been looking over their team to find their seeker and look for any preliminary weaknesses, but he wasn't. He'd never noticed the Ravenclaw seeker before and he was in awe. She was shorter than he was-- by nearly a head-- her hair was dark as a shadow, and she was extremely pretty.

Oliver slapped him on the back hard, "C'mon mate, no ogling today, only destroying."

Rebecca, on the other hand, focused solely on the murmurs of Katie and Angelina on either side of her.

"Calm and connected."

"Going to pass ahead, throwing where they're going."

"We're going to score each goal like its the first."

Back and forth they passed encouragements until Madame Hooch blew her whistle and recited the rules. Then, the coach-turned referee grabbed the quaffle and put her foot on the case with the bludgers and the snitch.

"Tweet!" Her whistle blew and the match was off. Lee was announcing, as usual, though he was behaving better than his record would have one assume.

"And the quaffle is in play, Ravenclaw in first possession. They're passing it around the Gryffindor chasers and slowly making their way down the pitch until-OH! That's going to hurt in the morning. One of the Weasley twins, looks like George, sent a bludger straight at the quaffle-having Ravenclaw, resulting in a dead-on hit in the arm and the quaffle being scooped up by Spinnet. Spinnet throws to the person I have been required to call Rebecca, bloody rules, who is dodging and passing back to the Ravenclaw keeper."

Professor McGonagall's voice was heard lightly over the microphone, "Mister Jordan, please keep your disagreements with school decisions to yourself. Thank you."

Harry and, whom he learned was Cho Chang from the opening announcements, circled along the upper perimeter of the pitch. Harry found himself sticking to the lower half of the uppermost areas, already on edge as he remembered the dementors from last time. The weather was clear and cool, the wind slight.

Rebecca and the other chasers seemed to have been telepathically connected, their passes flawless and their plays even more so. In short time, Gryffindor was ahead 80-00. Harry and Cho had seen the snitch twice at this point, both of them losing it after a short chase. The third time, however, the third time was different.

Ravenclaw had climbed their way up to 30 points when Harry spotted the familiar golden glint at the bottom of the pitch. He dropped into a dive immediately, Cho following right behind him. The snitch flitted higher up, though Harry nearly lost it as Cho let out a terrifying scream. She pulled up at the sight ahead of them, three dementors!

The other players above them froze at the scream, Rebecca gripping her broom tightly as she watched Harry charge straight at the dementors. "Expecto patronum!" A burst of white pulsed out of Harry's wand, knocking the three shapes to the ground and holding them there. He tossed his wand up and caught it with his other hand, rolling to the right as he plucked the snitch out of the air with the same level of naturalness that landed him a spot on the team three years ago.

"Harry Potter's caught the Snitch! Gryffindor's won!" Rebecca dropped in a nosedive so sharp she was perpendicular to the ground. Pulling up and jumping off next to Harry, she had to run aside her broom a few meters to slow herself.

"Harry, you alright?" She called, her broom fell to the floor and she pulled her wand out and held it in front of her at the pile of grey and black lacy sheets. Professor McGonagall and Madame Hooch had reached them at this point and approached the piles that still didn't move. Madame Hooch pointed at the trainer-clad foot sticking out at one end, causing Professor McGonagall to levitate the sheets away.

Professor Lupin, who had appeared between the two Potters, sucked in a quick breath at the sight: Four Slytherins, Marcus Flint, Crabbe, Goyle, and Draco had orchestrated the whole ordeal, they had draped the dark sheets over themselves to scare Harry in losing the snitch to Cho.

"50 points from each of you! Not to mention detention upon detention! This-you-I can't..." She trailed off as Snape lead the four of them back to the castle. Professor Lupin congratulated Harry, "Harry, that was an excellent patronus. You should feel quite accomplished."

Harry grinned up at the professor, wrapping his arm around Rebecca's shoulder and turning to the rest of the team and the students that had collected around the scene of the disturbance. He thrust his other hand up into the air, revealing the caught snitch and sending a flurry of cheers across the crowd.

*******************************************

Once in the locker room, Oliver told them to wait before going to the showers, writing on the board before he spoke. "Look, here's the quidditch cup tallies so far--Slytherin is ahead by 200 points. Next match, after the Easter holidays, we can still get the cup as long as we catch the snitch when it'll push us over 200."

Oliver paced in front of the board a moment, "This is our last chance — my last chance — to win the cup. I'll be leaving at the end of this year; I'll never get another shot at it."

He faced them an grimaced, anticipating the outrage, "That's why we're going to practise more. Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and..."

Katie looked up, her eyes wide, "And?"

Oliver smiled, "No, I'm just joking. You'll have Wednesdays and Sundays off."

Fred grumbled, "St. Oliver, patron of generosity."

Oliver clapped his hands once and did a quick run over of the match, going over what he liked and what he didn't want to see in the big match. "Now, as we've already played today, I'll give you today off from practise. So, that's it. Shower up and get out!"

Katie turned to Rebecca in the shower, "Can you believe it? He gave us today off!" Angeline shook her head, "Aren't we lucky!" and put her head back under the running water. Rebecca did the same, using the cool water to clear her head.

"Okay, I just need a plan. A plan...With quidditch everyday except Wednesdays and Sundays, I'll need one day to do all the homework and then I guess I can do anything else that pops up at lunch. That only leaves Buckbeak. His trial is on, Monday. Shite! That's tomorrow! I'll have to-"

Angelina tapped on Rebecca's shoulder, causing her to pull her head out from the water and turn to look at her older teammate, leaving her body facing the wall for a modicum of privacy. "You're not trying to drown yourself, are you?"

Rebecca smiled faintly, "No, just working some things out."

Angelina nodded, "The good news is that Easter's in a month, we only have to suffer the Admiral Oliver for a few weeks."

Katie cackled from across the room, "Admiral Oliver! That's a good one!"

The three girls finished showering after a few more minutes of playing around and changed into their clothes before dumping their dirty game robes and going their separate ways. Rebecca loitered around the main room of the locker room, looking at the numbers Oliver had written on the board as she waited.

A few minutes later, Harry left the locker room with his hair dripping wet. "I saw some of your shots today, they were brilliant!" She thanked him, congratulating him on his catch, "I didn't cast a full patronus and catch the snitch!"

Harry reddened, "It was pretty cool, wasn't it." Fred and George exited the showers, scooting around the end of the room, "Careful there Georgie, his heads growing."

"I see it Freddie, if we don't hurry, there's not going to be any room to breathe."

Harry rolled his eyes and opened the door to the corridor, finding Ron and Hermione waiting outside. Hermione hugged them both quickly, "You both did so well!"

Fred scoffed jokingly, "Thanks Hermione."

Hermione shook her head, "You two did as well, as usual."

George grabbed his chest, "My heart, it's-it's breaking!" 

Ron rushed through congratulating them on a good match before asking if they could go on to lunch. Hermione leaned over to Rebecca, "He can't possibly be hungry, he's done nothing but eat since he woke up." 

Hermione looked ahead to make sure Ron couldn't hear her, "Everyone is still worshipping him after last week...It doesn't seem like it will ever end."

Rebecca laughed, especially since as soon as Hermione finished a Hufflepuff second year went up to Ron and started talking like he was their best friend. After lunch had ended and they meandered about, ending up outside by the black lake's picnic tables, Rebecca sat on the bench backwards with her elbows back on the table facing the sun. Hermione had left nearly an hour beforehand, saying she had some homework to do.

When the sun peeked out from behind the few-but-large clouds, the students below were bathed in warmth. Rebecca sighed as the sun came out once more. Fred was beside her, facing the other side where Ron was going over the night he woke up to Sirius Black standing over him again.

Fred (and the others) had Ron mostly tuned out. They nodded at the right times and shook their heads at the right times, busying themselves with other thoughts. Harry was reliving his patronus casting, wondering if Cho found it impressive. George was thinking about which prank prototype they'd test next. Fred wasn't really thinking of anything in particular, just lots of little things. He was thinking of the prototypes as well, along with their newest idea of the Skiving Snacks: Candies that would create the perfect symptoms of illness to skive off a day or two of school. He was also thinking about his mother and father and the ever-growing homesickness that seemed to plague him every year in second term. As his thoughts took their usual detour and began to wander around every facet of Rebecca, he leaned over to her, "What're you thinking about?"

She opened her eyes and looked at him, "I was thinking about how cool it would be if people were like plants and could feed themselves with the sun."

Fred looked at her silently a moment, wondering why, of all the things to think about, that was what she was pondering. "What about in the winter?"

"I guess you just go hungry."

*******************************************

They stayed around the picnic table for a long time, long enough for the clouds to grow and darken without them noticing. They'd begun to talk about who would win in a fight: The Whomping Willow or the giant squid. 

"THE WHOMPING WILLOW WOULD DESTROY THE SQUID!" Harry shouted, standing in his chair and staring down his largest opponent, his own twin.

"I'M TELLING YOU IT WOULDN'T! LOOK! THE TREE IS NEXT TO THE WATER, THE SQUID COULD JUST PULL IT IN!"

"IT'S A BLOODY SQUID!"

"A BLOODY GIANT ONE!" Rebecca pounded the table and stood up across from him, opening her mouth to continue as the first drops began to fall.

George stood up quickly, "Alright, enough arguing. She's controlling the weather and I'm scared."

Fred laughed and stood up as well, "Yes, let's go before it rains too much harder." Just as he finished his sentence the sky flashed white and thunderer ominously, the rain only falling faster. Rebecca swung out of the picnic table, shaking the sleeping Ron awake and pushing him up off the bench.

The group hurried up to the castle, trying to avoid the quickly growing mud puddles and finding it a pointless endeavor. By the time they reached the last turn before the entrance, they were speckled with mud well above the knees and drenched. 

"I think she must sleep standing there, it's the only explanation as to why she's always there." Fred whispered to Rebecca as Professor McGonagall's tall figure came into shape inside the doorway of the castle. Unlike the last time they appeared soaking wet, she gave them all a small smile and waved her wand at them, still clearly riding on the high of winning the quidditch match that morning.

George turned back slowly, whisper yelling, "WHAT IS HAPPENING?" As he patted his dry, mudless clothes. Fred started talking about how he'd heard Nearly Headless Nick talking about the match from when McGonagall was in school and lost after a bludger caught her against Slytherin, "That's why she's so competitive, doesn't want to see them beat her again." Rebecca filed away this information for later use.

The castle door closed behind them with a bang, the hall suddenly much darker than it was. They ended up gravitating to the common room for the rest of the afternoon to spend time before dinner. Once outside the portrait hole, Rebecca and the Fat Lady broke into conversation like old friends.

"How are you dear?"

"Me? I'm fine! How are you? Does it feel good to be back?"

The Fat Lady nodded, "I wish it was under better circumstances, but yes."

"Well, we certainly missed you. It's been proved that no one could possible replace you." Ron cleared his throat from behind them and nodded towards the common room, clearly telling her to hurry up. The Fat Lady scoffed, "Boys. You should be kinder Ronald, especially since I let that rat of yours in and out so often!"

Ron looked at her with wide eyes, "You do? Have you today?"

The Fat Lady swung open, rolling her eyes, "So now you want to chat? Yes, I did early this morning."

Ron pushed past the rest of them and started crawling around the edge of the common room, calling for Scabbers. Fred and George laughed as he bumped his head on a lamp table and crawled under it. Harry walked, not crawled, going the other direction. 

"I'm going to run up and check on Hermione. Don't wait up for dinner, okay?" George grunted non-committedly as he and Fred grabbed a set of Exploding Snap and started doling out hands. Opening the door to their room, Rebecca found Hermione with her head held by one hand and a quill scratching furiously in the other. She knocked on the door obnoxiously, drawing a single chat.

"How's it going?"

Hermione sighed, "It's not. The order of events of the seventeenth Goblin-rebellion is proving just as convoluted as the first sixteen." 

Rebecca jumped onto her bed and scooted up so that she was next to Hermione's desk, "What class is this for again?"

Hermione sat at her desk silent a moment, "It's complicated."

Rebecca nodded, "I see." Seeing that she clearly wasn't getting anything else regarding the strange schoolwork, she grabbed the textbook and flipped to the beginning of the chapter on the seventeenth rebellion. "Okay, well it says here that it began after an insult to the forty-third Goblin prince Elshendirest..."

Forty-five minutes later, Hermione had a finished essay and Rebecca had far more information than she'd ever asked for about the seventeenth Goblin rebellion. Hermione stood up and stretched slowly, "I can't believe we finished that, I was ready to stay up all night to sort it out."

Rebecca flopped back onto her bed, "But now we have to leave to catch the end of dinner and I need a study nap."

Hermione put her essay into her bag, "C'mon, it's not that far." Rebecca was glad that Hermione was going to dinner; Rebecca had been skipping dinner every once in a while to finish what she was working on. Hermione was at dinner once, maybe twice, a week.

Hermione was in a much happier mood as they walked down the hall, "I'm really, really happy that that's over with, but I think I'm happier that we get to just go get dinner, the two of us. I feel like we've hardly seen each other lately, between quidditch and your illicit activities."

"Illicit activities?" Rebecca asked astonished, "What are you talking about?"

Hermione looked at her friend and raised an eyebrow, "You, Fred, and George don't disappear for hours at a time to do school work. Though, I do wish you had an activity that didn't risk the loss of house points, detention, and inevitable rule breaking."

Rebecca moved past her friend's judging, knowing it came from a place of love, and opened the door to the common room, finding Fred at the bottom of the stairs. "Great, Hermione's just gone on about how happy she is that it's the two of us and he's gone and waited."

Hermione's shoulders fell a notch at the sight of Fred grinning up at Rebecca. Fred went to say something as they got closer, but he was interrupted by Rebecca, "Fred, I didn't find that thing I was looking for. I'll have to look for it after we go get set some dinner, if you can wait that is."

Fred nodded once, understanding the message, "Oh that's fine, I'll just be on a short walk. I think I'll find a walk fruitful."

Hermione and Rebecca had an excellent supper together. They chatted and caught up in a way that they hadn't been able to in weeks. "No! Ron actually said that?"

Hermione took a drink of her pumpkin juice, "Yes! He said Crookshanks was a dirty murderer and that I was," She laughed harder still, "harboring a fugitive!" The girls laughed so hard they were attracting looks from the other Gryffindor's still eating.

Seeing as how they were done, Rebecca and Hermione left the Great Hall, still laughing intermittently. "I've got it from here, I know Fred's out somewhere waiting for you."

"What do you mean?" Rebecca asked nonchalantly.

"Who on Earth has a 'fruitful walk.' You two are nowhere near as secretive as you think."

Rebecca shook her head, "Alright, nothing gets by you smartarse. Are you sure though? We're only a staircase away."

Hermione shooed her off, telling her to go find him before he caused any trouble. Rebecca winked cornily, "There's no trouble-making allowed unless I'm there anyway." She went off towards the Hufflepuff section of the castle, knowing that he'd be waiting near the painting of the cornucopia filled with fruit.

Turning down the dimly lit hallway, Rebecca found him exactly as she'd expected him: Leaning against the wall causally with his arms crossed loosely, his long hair falling down around his ears and the smile she'd grown so accustomed to seeing playing around his lips.

"About time, I nearly digested myself."

She rolled her eyes and reached up, tracing her finger along the pear until it giggled and a miniature door opened. "Master Fred! Master Just Rebecca! Gonray is so happy to see you again!" A little voice cried out as they stepped into the kitchen and caught the attention of Gonray, the house elf Rebecca had become especially acquainted with when they had come by last.

"Gonray! It's great to see you, how are you?"

The house elf's eyes widened, "Oh, asking how Gonray is. Master Just Rebecca is too kind, indeed." 

Fred grabbed his stomach and made a face as Rebecca looked back to him, "Starving." She shook her head and looked back to Gonray, "Would it be possible for us to get him some dinner? He ended up waiting for me," She leaned closer to Gonray and whispered loud enough for him to hear, "Despite me asking him not to. And then our other friend was just so happy for a girls-dinner that I couldn't dream of bringing along a boy to ruin it."

Gonray nodded, "Of course! Anything for you?" Rebecca shook her head and thanked the house elf, "No, I'm fine, thank you. The supper was as amazing as it always is."

Gonray bowed and left, going to get Fred something to eat. Fred had sat down against the wall and watched her as she sat near him. "What?" 

Fred shook his head, "Nothing."

Rebecca pushed further, "No really, why're you staring?"

"You just-you have this thing about you. You're so likeable."

Rebecca smirked and cooed, "Are you saying you find me likeable, Freddie-boo?"

Fred rolled his eyes, "Forget I said anything. I meant to say insufferable." Gonray reappeared with a plate containing a collection of things Fred would enjoy, as well as a cup of hot water and a tea bag for Rebecca.

"Master Fred told Gonray to bring this with dinner, but not to tell...you..." Gonray swallowed and looked back to Fred whose eyes were wide and looking at Gonray. "Sorry Master Fred."

Fred cleared his throat, "It's quite alright, thank you Gonray." He filled his mouth with dinner, using a full mouth as an excuse to not answer Rebecca's questions about the unlabelled tea. When she had finally let it steep and took a sip, she found herself sipping at it even though it was scalding, not even letting it steep fully.

"Seriously Fred, what kind of tea is this? It's really..." Her vision started to go dark around the edges, like the lights were fading. "You didn't, did you?"

He put his nearly empty plate down and moved closer to her, getting closer to her face. "I would never, never test an untested product on you. That's why I made George drink it this morning! It's your idea, the Too-Dark-Tea!"

Her peripheral vision remained completely dark, though she could see just barely directly in front of her. "How long does it last?" 

Fred chuckled, "That's where the genius appears--The effects last as long as the tea bag sits in the cup."

Rebecca reached her hand out for his arm, squeezing it lightly, "Fred, I never took the tea bag out."

Fred pursed his lips. "That's an...unforeseen effect of what was supposed to be a happy surprise. Let me think a minute."

He moved back to his dinner plate and took another bite. "Are you eating your dinner?" Rebecca asked quickly. Fred put the plate back down quietly and swallowing what he had put in his mouth, sensing imminent danger. "Of course not, I was simply moving it out of the way."

"Here, quick idea." He plucked the tea bag from the cup and had her take another sip. "You've had it in that cup for about-say two minutes. I'll try and keep time and we'll see if it fades away by then."

She held her wrist out, "Two minutes." He turned her wrist gently and checked the time, shocked that curfew was about to pass. "Unfortunately, we don't have two minutes. You'll have to let me guide you back and see if it's fixed on the way. If not, George and I have the blindness-potion antidote upstairs in our room."

Fred opened the door and put Rebecca in front of it, turning to thank Gonray, "Thank yo-"

Thunk "Oh bloody hell!" Rebecca muttered as she held the top of her head. Fred put one hand on top of her shoulder and on hand against the middle of her back, "Whoops, alright, here we go."

He guided her underneath the short door and crawled out himself, "Here, give me your arm." Fred put her elbow under his arm and grasped her hand, "I really thought this would go differently."

Rebecca squeezed his hand, "Hey, don't be daft now."

He shook his head, ignoring her. They walked to the end of the hallway, Fred pausing and peering around the corner before whispering, "We're just past curfew now, we need to be really quiet. When I say to, we're going to go across the hall and up the stairs."

She nodded and grabbed tighter, Fred sucked in a breath and jumped back into the hallway as he saw Professor Snape turn down the hall towards them. "Damn! Here, come back." He whispered quickly, pulling her back into the darkness of the hallway and crouching down behind the side of a bench.

"What? What was it?" He reached up and put a hand over her mouth, watching Snape stop and peer down the hall, his eyes getting closer and closer to seeing them every second. Snape's head suddenly shot back in the direction he had come in. The professor glared back into the darkness only a moment longer before turning with a flourish of his robes.

Fred went to take his hand off her mouth, but leaned forward and put his lips right next to her ear. "Don't make a sound, he's done this before." 

Rebecca looked in his general direction and scowled. She opened her mouth to say something back, but only felt Fred's hand replace itself over her mouth. Fred cocked his head towards the end of the hall, near the main corridor, listening as footsteps grew closer. He watch Professor Lupin walk quickly past before taking his hand off her mouth for the last time.

"If I get old and blind, I am getting a dog. You are an awful guide." She said blandly. "Now, what the hell are we hiding from?" She whispered sharply.

Fred stood up and pulled her with him, "Oh nothing much, just the professor who would like nothing more than to get you expelled."

Rebecca nodded, "Ah, I see the point of the whole hand-covering-the-mouth thing now."

Fred sighed and peered out again, "It looks clear, let's go." As the climbed the stairs, he tilted the hand of hers that he was holding and looked at the watch nervously. 

"It's been more than two minutes, hasn't it?" 

Fred said nothing, though he did lead her along quicker. "How long has it been since I drank it?" She asked, tilting her watch back so he could see it again. "Ten, maybe fifteen minutes. Why? Is it clearing up?"

Rebecca pursed her lips, "Not quite...It's getting harder to see." Cold fear and heavy guilt grabbed Fred by the chest, his heart thumping heavily. "The antidote, we're not far now. Only a few more minutes." 

He gave up his stealthy approach and pulled her along faster now, she was practically running to keep up with his wide strides. At the portrait hole, the Fat Lady scolded sharply, "Rebecca! I expected sense from you, staying out after hours with a murderer on the loose!"

"The password is 'eye of newt' and we need entrance, not a scolding!" Fred whispered just as sharp, looking around wildly, "I need to get to an antidote in my dorm before she's lost her sight forever!"

The Fat Lady went to rebuke him for his tone, but noticed how Rebecca looked straight forward and the tight grip she had on him. "Blindness. That's a new one. Don't let me catch you out of bed again. Two Potter's out at night! What has this school come to!"

Rebecca turned her head in the direction where her voice came from, "Harry? Harry's out of bed?"

The Fat Lady swung open, "Yes, got his wand charmed with the bloody sun and following a piece of parchment."

Fred cut Rebecca's investigation short as he squeezed through the portrait hole as soon as he could fit. Rebecca tried to step over where she thought the step was, but caught the lip of it with her shoe. Fred's arm was yanked backward as she stumbled. He righted her and took a tighter grip on arm before dragging her to the boys' stairs. He put her hand on the bannister, he was just going to run up and bring it back to her.

That was, until she reached back out for him, "Fred? Fred, I can't see anything--at all. Let me come with you, don't leave me. Please." She was trying to keep the fear out of her voice, she could feel the guilt coming off of him in waves, but he still heard it. He ran back down the few stairs he'd managed to climb and grabbed her arm again.

"I'm right here. Yeah, there's the first stair. Okay, yeah, that's good." His words were laced with everything she needed: Kindness, warmth, reassurance. At the top of the stairs he threw the door open and lowered his voice slightly, still talking to her constantly.

"We're passing the first set of doors, the second. Here's Harry and Ron's-"

"He's not doing something stupid, do you think?"

Fred put his other hand onto her wrist, saying nothing. He was never quite so happy to see his door as he was then. He threw the door open, the bang making Lee and George jump up. "Fred! What's she doing up here!" Lee shouted, covering his bare chest.

He guided her to his bed and sat her down gently before running to George's desk, the vial still in the holder. George had jumped up and sat next to her, "You alright there?"

She'd gone to answer when Fred grabbed her hand and put the vial into it. "Drink." She did as she was commanded, the potion making her grimace. George looked at her confused, "I drank that this morning, it didn't taste like anything."

Rebecca cocked a grin, "I know, it just occurred to me that you drank it." While George scoffed and acted like he was wounded at the insult, Fred knelt down in front of her, resting his hands on her knees.

Just as the original potion originally faded from the edges of her vision in, it was regained from the outside to the center. She grabbed his hands and squeezed, looking around wildly. "I can see! It's coming back slowly, but it's coming back!"

Fred let out the breath he didn't know he was holding, putting his head onto her hands. "Back to the drawing board on that one."

Lee got over being woken up right after going to sleep after hearing tha Fred tested their new prank on her. "Mate, what's wrong with you?!"

Rebecca stood up, putting her arm around Fred's midsection and pulling him into her. "Hey, no time spent with you is ever boring and everything ended up a-okay."

Fred shook his head, "I shouldn't have tested that without it going through more trials, let alone so far from the antidote."

Rebecca shook him, "And now we know for next time!" She dragged him along with her to the exit of his room, "Walk with me, I have a few ideas I want to run by you."

He walked back down the hall with her, listening. "I think we need some snake oil in the tea leaves. It'll lessen the effects while also shortening the effectiveness time..."

She pretty much talked nonstop until they were at the bottom of the girls' stairs, the point where he could go no farther. He wouldn't meet her eyes on his own, so she moved her head so that he had to. "Fred, if I'm not bothered by this evening then you can't be. It's a newly written law."

He rolled his eyes, "Everything's back to normal? No double vision or blurriness?"

She looked at him seriously, "With or without my glasses?" Before laughing, she hugged him tightly, climbing up a few stairs so that her arms were above his. "Everything is just fine, okay? Now I'm going to go upstairs and convince Hermione that we didn't do anything to get expelled and you're going to relax. I appreciated the distraction anyway, Buckbeak's trial has been weighing on me. Okay? All's well?"

He nodded into her shoulder, "Okay, all's well."

*******************************************

\--Three hours earlier--

Harry didn't want to invade Rebecca's privacy, but curfew had just passed and neither Fred nor Rebecca had returned from who-knows-where they had gone off to this time. "I solemnly swear I'm up to no good."

"Good thing she never asked for this back now!" He looked around their names, finding them tucked away in a hallway. Harry's eyes widened as he saw how close their names were to each other. "Oh!" 

Ron sat up from his bed, "Y'alright mate?"

Harry looked over his shoulder, "Just kicked the post, sorry." Ron laid back down. Turning back to the map, Harry saw that they had moved from the depths of the hall to the exit to the main corridor. Harry also noticed that Snape's name was moving along the main corridor, heading towards them. Along the farthest edge of the map, Harry saw something that pushed Rebecca and Fred's doom to the back of his mind.

"Peter Pettigrew." Harry was out of bed and in his shoes a second later, trying to get out of the room without alerting his room mates. Once in the hall, Harry gave up stealth for speed and raced out of the Gryffindor area.

"I'm not losing him again!"

The Fat Lady tried to stop him, but her warnings fell on deaf ears. Harry was determined. He turned left and followed the map to the level it said Peter Pettigrew was on before casting Lumos and inspecting the hall. The portraits along the hall moved away from the light, scolding Harry for his insensitivity.

Peter Pettigrew's name turned at the end of the hall it was on and stopped, turning around towards Harry. Behind Peter's name, Snape's name appeared and hurried directly at Harry.

Harry cursed and they dimmed his wand. "Mischief managed." The map went blank and he was stranded in the dark, alone. For a moment at least.

Snape illuminated his own wand as he appeared in front of Harry. "Out of bed? Tst-tst. Whenever will you learn that the rules apply to you as well?"

Harry scowled, causing Snape to go farther. "Really, it's absurd. You strut around here, just like your father, thinking you own the place-"

"My father did not strut." Harry defended.

Snape saw the parchment Harry was holding, "What's this now?" He grabbed the top of the parchment and tilted it towards him. "What is this?" He demanded as he eyed the old, ratty, empty parchment. "Revealius!" The professor tapped his wand on the parchment once.

"Read it, boy."

"Mr Moony presents his compliments to Professor Snape and begs him to keep his abnormally large nose out of other people's business."

Snape grabbed the parchment and read the next line for himself,

"Mr Prongs agrees with Mr Moony and would like to add that Professor Snape is an ugly git."

"Do you think your funny?" Snape reached forward and grabbed Harry roughly by the shoulder. 

"Is everything alright here, Professor Snape?" Professor Lupin's voice rang out from behind him. 

Snape scowled further, "I guess your appearance is useful. I found a student out of bed with a piece of dark magic in his possession."

Professor Lupin smiled as Snape handed him the parchment, "This parchment is 'dark magic' Severus?" Remus chuckled as he read the last two responses, "Mr Padfoot would like to register his astonishment that an idiot like that ever became a Professor. Mr Wormtail bids Professor Snape good day, and advises him to wash his hair, the slime-ball." 

"This is just a harmless prank, enchanted to insult." Remus gave Harry a look, telling him to say something.

"Yes! Ron picked it up for me at Zonko's."

Snape released Harry, "Twenty points from Gryffindor for being out past curfew." He said to Harry icily. "You can return him to his dormitory." Snape said to Remus with just as much ice before leaving the two of them alone.

"I'm sorry, professor. I was just-"

"Just following a map?" Remus' gave way to a serious look. "Harry, I'm very disappointed in you. Everyone is trying so hard to keep you safe and you're wandering around, possessing something that could lead Sirius Black straight to you, something that could lead us straight to Sirius Black when he's in the castle!"

The two turned the corner and climbed the stairs to the entrance to Gryffindor Tower. "I'm sorry professor, I wouldn't have left if it wasn't importan-"

"What could be so important as to risk your safety."

The Fat Lady gave Harry a knowing look, greeting the professor and opening, "Peter Pettigrew."

Remus slun back at the name. "Where did you hear that name?"

"It's the boy, the one Sirius Black murdered. I've seen him on the map, three times now. I saw him again tonight, that's where I was going. To figure out what was going on."

Remus shook his head, "Harry, listen to my words: Do not let me that you were out after curfew again. There are somethings that simply must be followed. Do you understand?"

Harry nodded, "Yes, professor."

"Good. Then I will be keeping this and I shall see you in class tomorrow."

Remus turned and left, The Fat Lady closing behind him. Leaving Harry in the empty common room mapless and with an ever growing number of questions.

*******************************************

Author's note:

This chapter was more than 6k words! I hope that's an adequate apology for not having it finished yesterday on weekly update day. Enjoy, tell me what you think, next chapter is already being written.

<3


	44. Chapter 44

It was well past midnight and Rebecca tossed in her bed, her mind filled with flashes of dark, incomprehensible images. Hermione sat up and listened to the words she was repeating over and over.

"Swing. Double. Rat. Dog. Dark. Friend"

The images flashed through her mind too quickly to focus on any details. Just that she saw the blur of something metallic swinging through the air, the shadows of two people multiplying as shadows, a garden rat, a dog with shaggy hair dark as night, and then nothing at all.

Her words never reached a volume higher than a harsh whisper, though Ginny woke up at the ruckus and looked to Hermione concerned. "I'm not really sure what we're supposed to do. I know you shouldn't wake a sleep walker, but nothing about this-" Hermione gestured to their friend.

Ginny climbed out of bed and peered over Rebecca, watching her eyes flit rapidly behind her eyelids. Ginny lifted up Rebecca's blankets and climbed into her bed, wrapping her arms around her.

"I'm pretty sure we aren't supposed to interrupt her..."

"I can't watch and do nothing!" Ginny pulled the blanket back over her own body and put her head onto Rebecca's shoulder, holding her close until Rebecca stilled. Ginny looked back over to Hermione smugly, leading Hermione to roll away from both of them.

In the morning, Rebecca was surprised to find another person in her bed. "Ginny? Are you alright?"

Ginny grumbled, "You woke us up last night! Flipping around like we needed a priest, it was absurd. What were you even dreaming about?

Rebecca shook her head, putting her glasses on. "I don't know. I don't remember anything after going to sleep last night. What was I saying?"

Hermione came out of the bathroom dressed for the day and looked at Ginny as she answered, "Nonsense, like usual."

Ginny understood what she was saying, "Don't tell her," but what she didn't understand was why. Ginny got out of Rebecca's bed and laid out her robes for the day as Rebecca went into the bathroom with her pre-laid out outfit. Before the door had even latched, Ginny was at Hermione's side.

"Why aren't we telling her?" She whispered.

"First year, ours not yours, we had that detention in the Forbidden Forest. Remember?"

Ginny nodded, remembering too well the letter Arthur and Molly had gotten and the chaos of that day. "Hermione thinks this has something to do with that?"

Hermione continued, "Those who were with her that night said that she'd 'dreamt about the path' when she found the unicorn. If this is another one of those dreams and she doesn't remember, that's probably for the best."

Ginny shivered, "Were you there when it happened?"

Hermione looked into Ginny's eyes, "No. I was in the other group and from what Fred, George, and Ron told us, we were the lucky ones."

Ginny's curiosity grew exponentially, but Hermione was clearly done sharing. "Let's just keep it to ourselves, okay? I have to send an owl off before breakfast, could you tell her that I'll meet her there?"

Ginny nodded and took advantage of the empty room to get dressed for the day, wondering if there was more to what Hermione had told her.

*******************************************

When Rebecca left the bathroom and found Ginny staring at her intently, she felt slightly put on the spot. "Is something wrong?"

Ginny looked away, "No."

Rebecca watched her a moment, curious. "Where'd Hermione go?"

"Off to the owlery, said she'd meet you at breakfast."

Rebecca stuffed a jumper into her bag and shouldered the heavy pack very ungracefully. Ginny snorted, "Careful there, you'll knock something right over."

*******************************************

To the surprise of her roommates, were they even aware, Hermione lied about needing to post a letter. Instead, she went to the common room in hope of finding Harry and Ron there. The stars must have aligned that night because Harry and Ron had both, uncharacteristically, woken up before their alarms.

"Good morning, Hermione." Harry said as she walked up to the chairs they were occupying near the fire. She looked over her shoulder to make sure no one could hear what she was about to say and pulled a third chair between them.

"You both remember first year, in the forest." 

Ron leaned closer, "What specifically?"

Harry gave him a look before turning to Hermione, "That thing?"

Hermione nodded, "Ron, you told us that she said she'd 'dreamt this before.' Was that all she said about it?"

"Yeah, there wasn't exactly time for tea and a conversation after that!" He spoke loudly at the end, feeling that she was insinuating he hadn't listened.

Harry shhed him and looked around, making sure that no one was listening yet, "What are you talking about? Where is- Is she okay?"

Ron jumped in as well, "Hermione! Is Rebecca alright?"

"She's fine!" Hermione's ankle started bouncing, her brain working too fast to put what she was thinking into words immediately, "I don't know what's going on exactly. It may be nothing, she was just sleep talking again. It was different this time--she repeated a few words, reciting them like they meant something."

"What were they?" Harry asked curiously.

"'Swing. Double. Rat. Dog. Dark. Friend' Does any of that mean anything to you two?"

Ron shook his head, "Only the if the rat is talking about Scabbers whose missing again. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you Hermione?"

Harry rolled his eyes at Ron's accusatory tone, "What do you think Hermione, are you worried?"

Hermione, who was privately elated to hear Harry ignore Ron's rudeness, was transparent with him. "If it really was a...premonition of some sort, the symbols would only mean something to her."

The door above them opened and they heard Rebecca and Ginny's voices as the two descended the girls' staircase. "Let's just keep our eyes open, okay?" Hermione said as she grabbed her bag and went to join the other two girls.

Harry and Ron stood, gathering their belongings and double-checking that they had all of their books for the day. "It's probably just stress Harry," Ron tried to comfort his bespectacled friend, "You know how hard those two have been working on this trial, not sleeping and all's got to have an effect on the both of them."

Harry nodded, not expecting Ron's follow up statement, "That's why Hermione's extra loony!"

*******************************************

Harry watched Rebecca through transfiguration, her quill scratching at her parchment on a little doodle. She seemed like she always did. "Maybe it was just a bad dream." But even as Harry considered the idea, he could feel that it wasn't true. 

Professor McGonagall turned the teapot on the table at the front of the class into a squawking toucan for a few seconds, shocking them all out of their daydreaming and preoccupations. 

"Must I remind you all that you're examinations are in less than a month and a half? The ability to successfully transfigure household ware into wildlife does not come easily!"

She commanded them to turn to page seventy-six in their books and read the next lesson as she waved her wand, making teapots appear in front of each of them. 

"I suggest you show some sliver of progress before class is over, you are not excused until that point."

Rebecca picked her wand up off of the desk in front of her and spun it back and forth between her thumb and middle finger. Harry watched as she read the page and looked back up quickly, "Psst, Harry?"

He turned and looked at her, "What?"

She tapped the exercise at the bottom of the page, "What's a snail?"

Ron turned around at the absurd question, "What do you mean, 'what's a snail?'"

Rebecca bit back, "Sorry Ronald, guess I forgot your a damn zoologist!"

Harry laughed at the response and tried to explain what a snail was, "It's like...like a slug, but not."

Hermione turned around and answered quickly so that McGonagall didn't scold them. "Imagine a slug that's wearing a shell. That's a snail."

"Thank you Hermione and Harry, what kind answers!" Ron stuck his tongue out at her before facing his desk again. Rebecca looked down and read the incantation once more before tapping her wand to the tea pot and imagining a slug wearing a shell.

"Mutatio corporis!"

The students around Rebecca exploded in laughter as they looked to see what was making Harry laugh so hard, leading Professor McGonagall to finish with the student she was helping and cross her arms next to Rebecca's desk.

"What is going on over here?" The old professor looked down where Rebecca's teapot had been and had to stifle her own need to laugh. She'd transfigured a slug wearing a shell, just as they had described, but this snail's 'shell' wasn't like any other snail's. Not at all, it resembled a beach shell and yet, that wasn't even the worst part. No, that would be the part where the slug was wearing the shell on its head crooked, like a cap.

"Miss Potter, are you unaware of the anatomy of a snail?"

Rebecca looked up to the professor confused at their reactions, "Why professor, isn't this a snail?"

McGonagall's wand tapped against the creature she'd created and had a real-snail appear. 

"Oh."

"Yes, 'oh.' As for the rest of you, where's your efforts? That's what I thought." Rebecca used the end of her wand to poke at the snail in front of her, looking at it from all angles before putting it back to a teapot and focusing to try once more.

The classroom was its own little ocean, the rapidly-maturing voices repeating mutatio corporis washing upon McGonagall's ears like waves on the shore. Rebecca tapped the tea pot and tried again, a more snail-like snail appearing.

By the time the class had ended, everyone except for Crabbe had achieved the level of progress McGonagall deemed enough to leave, though Draco stayed with him and continued to try to get him to understand.

Hermione excused herself on their way to charms, telling Rebecca to save her a seat for her. Professor Flitwick had a new lesson on the board, a charm that would make something impermeable to heat.

Thirty seconds before class was set to start, Rebecca leaned forward and tapped the back of Harry's chair, "Hermione still hasn't shown up!"

Ron shrugged, "Probably lost in a book or something somewhere. Why worry?"

Rebecca scoffed at his nonchalant response, leading Harry to look between the two of them carefully, "Let's just calm down. No need to bicker, children."

"Quite right Mister Potter, quite right indeed. Why bicker when we can learn! Look to the board..." Professor Flitwick spoke from in front of Harry's desk before climbing the stairs to his elevated center stage and teach the day's lesson.

Rebecca alternated between taking notes and taking glances at the door across the classroom, worried. Harry, while concerned as well, was unable to give as much attention to their friend's absence as his sister was--Charms never was his strong suit and his 'impermeable' feathers ignited in a very not impermeable fashion.

*******************************************

"The two tallest towers in this bloody castle and we have to go up them both!" Ron panted as they climbed the circular flight of stairs to the divination classroom. Upon arrival to the classroom, Rebecca was disappointed to see Hermione not there.

"Maybe she broke bad and we'll see her with the Slytherins at dinner." Ron mused, though even he was starting to get concerned. 

They gave up the pretense of conversation and stared at the door, finding that each person who came through the entrance was not Hermione. The minute before class began, Hermione ran in with one cheek red like she'd been asleep on it.

"Where were you during Charms!" Rebecca demanded as she patted the spot at the table next to her, "I saved you a spot like you said!"

Hermione looked at her watch, "Charms! I missed Charms. I missed a class..." She looked at her table, her hands shaking in anger. Hermione looked into Rebecca's eyes with a dangerous fury whirling in the brown depths.

"Hello class, it's-"

"NO! It's not a going to be a good class! Not when th-this waste of time continues to take our energy away from the real classes!" Hermione shouted as she stood up at her desk and tightened her grip around the book like she was going to throw it. She shouldered her pack, deciding against throwing the book and instead slamming her and Rebecca's table before leaving as quickly as she'd arrived.

Ron and Harry looked at Rebecca with equally wide eyes. Professor Trelawney cleared her throat and continued smugly, "I did say at the beginning of the year that one of our own would leave before the year was through."

*******************************************

Rebecca sent the boys ahead to lunch, asking them to bring something for her if she didn't show up before Defence Against the Dark Arts.

"Where're you going?" Harry called after her.

"I'm making sure she's okay!" Rebecca walked backwards to shout back her answer, walking directly into a familiar green and black clad person.

"How many times do I have to tell you to watch where you're going?" Draco tried to sound intimidating, but it only came across as tired. 

"Apparently once more. Sorry about that."

Rebecca fixed her rumpled robes and went to walk past Draco, stopped by him suddenly holding his arm out in front of her. "Granger...She alright?"

Rebecca ducked under his arm, "I'm not sure, I'll tell her you were worried though."

Draco's voice echoed after her, "I don't!"

She turned back around and gave him a knowing look, "Fine, your secret's safe with me. No one else will know you have feelings."

Rebecca didn't stay to hear his response, walking faster to where she hoped she would find Hermione. Her original intention was to go back to their dormitory and look for her there, but as Rebecca hurried down an 'empty' corridor, she heard Hermione's voice.

"Miss Granger, you are aware of all ramifications and consequences of dropping a class this late in the year?"

"Yes professor, I understand."

"Then it is done."

There was a long pause while Rebecca went closer to the door and held herself against the wall right outside the classroom.

"Professor, I have another question."

"What other school rules shall we bend this afternoon?"

Rebecca could imagine the wince she knew Hermione would do at the sharp tone of their head of house. "It's more of an inquiry, I couldn't find any information about unconscious premonitions."

McGonagall's chair squeaked as she leaned forward onto her desk, "To whom are you inquiring for?"

Hermione went against every fiber of her being as she responded with a lie, "It's not for anyone, it was just a theory I'd had and then found nothing on the subject."

"That's probably for the best then. Premonitions are hard to interpret in the conscious world, not to mention rare and only seen by few. Subconscious...Premonitions of the sleeping are even rarer and impossible to interpret by anyone except the one seeing. I hope that answers your inquiry."

Even out in the hall Rebecca could feel the weight of McGonagall's gaze landing on Hermione, at the sensing of a half-truth. Hermione stood up and thanked her once more, the groaning of the chair being pushed back in telling Rebecca that she needed to get away from the door.

She crept back to where she could stand behind the corner into the next corridor, watching from a distance. Hermione left the Transfiguration classroom, Professor McGonagall standing with her arms crossed, calling after Hermione once more.

"Miss Granger, as to your inquiry...I trust that you have the sense to involve an adult if necessary."

Hermione nodded, "Yes, professor." Before ducking back away and heading off towards the library. Rebecca leaned back in the privacy of her empty corridor.

"What the hell's going on?"

*******************************************

Rebecca wandered back to the Great Hall, thinking over any and all possibilities for Hermione's strange behaviour and the 'subconscious premonitions' she'd asked McGonagall about. She'd thought herself into a headache. Her head thumped slowly as she slid into the table, forgoing her frequently yelled over spot between Fred and George and scooting next to Harry on the other side.

"Hey you, no luck?" Fred asked, having been filled in on the Divination-flip out by Harry and Ron. 

She shook her head, grabbing the sandwich Harry handed to her from his plate, still wrapped in case he had to take take it for her. "No, no Hermione, just an aching head."

Fred looked concerned, "You should go to Madame Pomfrey."

"Fred, it's a headache. Probably tension, not even magic can eliminate stress."

Ron nodded, "Yeah, mum tried once but what do you know? We still have Fred and George!"

George did not the offense lightly, reaching across the table to beat on him with a stalk of celery he'd been chewing on. , "Mum says there's nothing a cuppa can't fix."

He grabbed a teapot from down the way and poured her a steaming cup. Sliding the cup across she put her hands around it for the warmth. He noticed and laughed, "Cold?"

She smiled, "Only my hands," she reached up and pulled the neck of her robes down an inch, revealing a light jumper before putting her hands back around the cup. Fred wrapped his hands around hers, holding them between the heat of the tea and his own warmth.

"Ready for tonight?" He asked grimly.

"His trial's the last for the day, not tonight."

Fred shook his head, "Not Buckbeak's trial, you've done everything you can for that. No, quidditch practise. You're lucky you didn't hear Oliver's plans..." He rolled his eyes, "It's not going to be pretty."

George groaned, "Harry's the lucky one! The rest of us need more than our eyes--I wouldn't plan on writing any essays tomorrow, Rebecca." He lifted his shoulders and let his arms drop like they had stones connected to them, miming the level of exhaustion they would have tomorrow.

*******************************************

Towards the end of lunch Hermione joined them, Ron raising his hand and crying, "Don't yell at me!"

Hermione froze. Rebecca and Harry's eyes met, thinking Ron just sent her right back into a foul mood. To their surprise, Hermione laughed, unable to stop once she'd started. 

Ron turned the conversation to the latest Potions assignment, knowing that Hermione would appreciate the change of subject as she ate quickly. She did not want to be late for Defence Against the Dark Arts when they were finishing a unit. "I'm quite excited for the next unit on aquatic defense. We should learn about the more nefarious species that live in the Black Lake!"

Rebecca shuddered, "Yay. Aquatic horrors, should be great."

Unfortunately, as Snape made them aware in his monotone way, "Professor Lupin," He sneered as he said his name, "Has fallen ill and is incapable of teaching at the moment." Snape glared as Harry and Rebecca sat next to each other. "Turn to page three hundred. I want an essay by tomorrow on lycanthropy and the ways to kill a lycanthrope."

Hermione raised her hand, "Sir, we're not into four-footed mammalian of the night. We're almost done with our flying defense unit."

Snape walked to her desk and put his hands on it, leaning down so his face was close to hers. "Miss Granger, when I want to hear from you I will ask. Until then, you are free to sit silently and do the work assigned."

He sulked back to his desk and said, "Five points from Gryffindor." back over his shoulder.

*******************************************

Harry reached a sore arm up to his face and wiped the sweat off his forehead before it could drip into his already smarting eyes. "Fred thought this was easy!" Oliver had him doing full sprints on his broom around the pitch, climbing into the steepest climbs and dives when he blew his whistle.

"Faster Harry! Don't you want to win?"

Harry leaned forward on his broom, pushing it to its limit.

Rebecca was in a similar state of effort. Oliver had Katie, Angelina, and herself on three different teams trying to steal the quaffle from each other. Whoever got it and scored got to yell at Oliver. Angelina scored for the third time, "OLIVER, IT'S ALREADY DARK, ARE WE PRACTISING UNTIL DAWN!"

Oliver tilted his head like he was considering it before bowing his whistle and waving his arms for them all to join him in the middle. "Alright team, you did an okay job tonight. I want to see more effort tomorrow, okay? Okay. Hit the showers and get some rest."

The team disappeared in a blink, the showers running only seconds later. Rebecca and Harry showered as quickly as they could make their starting-to-grow-sore bodies, wanting to get to the common room. Hermione and Ron said that they sit up and wait in case Hagrid wrote with the results of Buckbeak's trial.

"Harry?" Rebecca called from the room between the showers, she was already dressed, her hair dripping onto her mostly dry clothes.

He stumbled out of the shower, his shirt untucked and his hair in a similar messy and wet state. "I'm good, Fred and George said to go ahead."

They ran out the room, slipping slightly with their wet-bottomed shoes before righting themselves and running down the corridor and starting to climb the stairs. Only two flights of stairs and one corridor from the portrait hole, the stairway changed and led them to the the other side.

"This way!" Harry called as he went the opposite direction, grabbing the handle of another stairway to swing onto it faster. Rebecca followed, though she wasn't sure why Harry would know his way around the Ravenclaw corridors so well.

The two slowed down as they saw Hermione standing in front of one of the tall windows outside Gryffindor tower, staring up at the sky with a piece of parchment held in her hands as tears slowly rolled down her cheeks.

"They didn't care." She whispered as Rebecca grabbed her by the shoulder and Harry grabbed the parchment. "All that work, all the evidence, it didn't matter. They'd decided before the trial even started."

Rebecca shook her once, making her friend look into her eyes, "We have the right to an appeal, we'll make the next case even stronger."

Hermione shook her head, "How? We've read every scrap of information we could have. If a testimony from a bloody worked at a sanctuary didn't work, what're we supposed to do?! Rebecca, we failed." Her voice reached a harsh pitch before breaking, her sobs echoing in the corridor. Rebecca felt her own tears form as Hermione stopped fighting Rebecca's efforts to hold Hermione's head against her.

"Then we'll get another letter. And we'll find more books, more information, more cases. And fail? We're not done yet, we haven't failed anything yet." 

Harry nodded in agreement to Rebecca's statement. Rebecca turned her head and looked to Ron expectantly, needing him to join her united front. He sighed heavily, "I don't know why you're giving me that look. You'll need my genius anyway, couldn't do it without me."

Fred and George ran up, explaining the obstinate staircases and surveyed the teary eyes of the four third years.

George pursed his lips, "Not good?"

Hermione sniffled and wiped her eyes, "Not exactly."

George asked Harry for the parchment and started a slow walk back to the portrait hole with Hermione who was explaining some of the legal terms Hagrid had included. Ron and Harry spoke quietly amongst themselves, following Hermione and George at a slight distance.

"You okay?" Fred asked Rebecca, who had taken the exact position as Hermione and looked up at the night sky.

She shrugged, "We'll just try again, make another, stronger case."

Fred sighed, "They're gone, I don't need to see a this strong, nothing-ever-gets-me-down wall you put up. I'm asking about you."

The tears welled up again, not going back down even though Rebecca willed them away harder than she'd ever not wanted to cry before.

Fred closed the distance between them and wrapped his arms around her tightly. "I'm angry. That case showed that Buckbeak wasn't a danger. But it didn't matter because they'd already decided." Another barrage of tears started falling faster than before. "I'm angry that-" a sob interrupted her, "-their decision is to end a life. A sentient, living, breathing, flying creature that didn't do anything wrong. And I'm angry that we this trial did fail."

Fred's hand rubbed her back in circles, murmuring his response softly. "And you have every right to be angry. There was no justice in that courtroom today. But you have to hold onto that anger. Everytime we work on the case, we'll remember how angry we are and let it help us make the best appeal. And this trial didn't fail. It'll help us make the next one even better."

"We?" She lifted her head off his chest and looked up at him.

"We. George and I are offering our full array of services, we are entirely at your disposal."

"Our problems would be solved if you could just take out Lucius Malfoy." She let her head fall back into the comfort of his embrace.

"For dinner or a movie?" Fred asked.

She smacked his arm lightly, already feeling the twinge from her aching arms. "Are there magical hitmen?"

Fred turned her body and started the walk back to the portrait hole with her wedged solidly under his arm, her arm around his middle in the way they'd grown accustomed to walking together when no one else was around.

"Okay, moving onto a more realistic and definitely more legal plan, what about..."

They strategized as the Fat Lady smiled at their positions, they strategized on the chairs by the fires, and they strategized until the clock struck eleven and they could hardly keep their eyes open any longer.

But, they had an idea.

*******************************************

Author's Note:

This is another one of those chapters that will most likely be rewritten in revisions, but I needed to just get it written and published to move onto the next big plot event in the Prisoner of Azkaban.

I hope you enjoy!

<3


	45. Chapter 45

It had been three weeks since they had received the results of Buckbeak's first trial; only three weeks that they had been putting every spare minute towards his appeal. They'd found a routine that worked with the almost-nightly quidditch practises: Fred, George, Harry, and Rebecca worked on the appeal during lunch and after practise while Hermione and Ron worked on it during their practises. 

Harry and Rebecca were more than willing to sacrifice their study periods to keep working on it towards the beginning, but Hermione refused adamantly, "Oh no, I don't think so. Take the study blocks to study. There will be no failing."

Hermione provided the third years with coordinated study calendars. "This is what I'll be studying and when, in case you want to join, as well as what I recommend you study each day from now until examinations in three weeks."

Rebecca looked over the sheet, "With these it'll be impossible to fail! You even put the date frames that our notes on the topics should be!"

Ron scoffed, "If you two didn't manuscript every word from each lesson, you wouldn't need the date frames!"

Hermione raised her eyebrow, "That's alright Ron. If you feel so confident in your notes, we don't have to lend you ours."

"Of course that's not what I'm saying, you're both such talented, smart, well-written note takers and to not share in your abilities would reflect poorly on your character, we don't want that now do we?"

Harry looked between the two girls, "I'm not going to go quite that far, but you both do have the best notes."

Hermione checked the time and started to collect everything they needed for their next class. Ron's complaints about how he could possibly be expected to concentrate on classes with the quidditch final the next day: "It's not just wrong, it's unju-"

"I think it's it's excellent that the match is tomorrow. I almost don't care what happens tomorrow as long as Oliver's insane practises are done."

Harry sighed, "Rebecca, please don't let him hear you say that. He will drop dead and that just feels like another issue we don't need to deal with."

The pathway to Hagrid's teaching clearing was scattered with their Slytherin and Gryffindor classmates alike. The Slytherin students all wore matching scowls at Harry and Rebecca, a detail that did not go unnoticed by Hermione.

"I wonder if they think it's coming across as an intimidation technique before tomorrow..."

"Or maybe they're all chronically constipated." Ron finished for her.

Hermione rolled her eyes and walked ahead of them as he and Harry started coming up with different puns involving 'Slytherin' and various bathroom activities. Rebecca leaned closer to Harry and whispered, "Shit-herin" before joining Hermione and ignoring the howls coming from the boys.

Hagrid refused to teach about the care for any creature that could harm the students in anyway since the first lesson with Buckbeak. When all of the students had entered the clearing and sat along the logs around a Hagrid-scale chalkboard, Hagrid turned the board over and revealed a detailed anatomical drawing of a dragon.

"He's going to bring out a dragon!" Draco whispered excitedly to the boy next to him. Who he was, Rebecca wasn't sure. Both Crabbe and Goyle had such round heads they were identical from behind.

"Settl' down, there'll be no teaching wi' all this chatter." Hagrid waited until they were silent again. "We are goin' to take the las' few weeks of the year and learn about the larges' and most fierces' creatures of the wizarding world: Dragons."

Hagrid looked over the class' excited faces, taking a little pleasure in the crestfallen look that taking over Draco's face at his next sentence, "However, due to a concerned parent an' all, we will only look at photographs an' drawings o' the dragons."

The other boy on Draco's side leaned over and asked loud enough for most of the class to hear, "Is he talking about your father, Draco?"

Draco shut him up with a few choice words whispered between them, the boy gulping before turning back to the professor.

Time went quickly as Hagrid began answering the questions they all had about dragons, most coming from Rebecca until Hagrid asked, "Does anyone aside fro' Rebecca have any questions? Any at all?" Rebecca let her hand fall to her side quickly, listening to the others ask questions for a while before asking one more question, the most important question of all.

"Can dragons be ridden?"

*******************************************

The walk back to the common room seemed so much farther than it had before, especially since Harry and Rebecca had enough time to go in, put their bags in their rooms, and then leave again for the extra-long practise Oliver had schedule.

"He wants you to practise through dinner?" Hermione asked bewildered, "There must be a rule against that."

"He said in his announcement that we'd eat there, don't worry." Harry said, "Did he say when we'd be done tonight?"

"Half past nine." A familiar combination of voices answered from behind them. Fred and George joined the group, joining their chatter and answering Hermione's question at once. Rebecca started patting around her pockets as Fred greeted her.

"So," She got right to business, "I think I found the problem. The tea and the wafers are too potent and have no expiration in their effects, right?"

Fred went to answer, but didn't have the opportunity with how fast she continued. 

"I was doing my Potions essay last night and, drumroll please, I think I've found our missing ingredient: fanged geranium roots. Strange right?"

She handed him the updated recipe she's drafted up and he read over it as they climbed the stairs. "How'd you find the time for this? You've got the tea and wafers on here and these. What are these actually, we never talked about 'Handy-dandies'?"

Rebecca laughed at the thought, "Just an idea I had, still working on the other variables and such. I work on this stuff whenever."

Hermione leaned back from where in front of them, "And in the shower."

Fred turned to her with a teasing smirk, "How does one even work in the shower?"

Rebecca sent Hermione a scowl, "It's not like that at all--I simply put a never-wetting parchment and quill in the bathroom in case I'm struck with inspiration!"

They'd now reached the portrait hole, where Ron was receiving his punishment from the Fat Lady. Ever since Ron had rushed her and Rebecca's conversation, she made Ron sit through a nice chat with her before she would open for him.

"I'm doing excellently, Ron! Thank you so much for asking, how are you?"

While waiting for Ron to finish his conversation, Fred took out his own little scrap of parchment filled with notes. "George and I have been working on a list of everything we still have left for the appeal's case. Hermione's got her own list of things she and Ron are going to do this evening and then I was wondering if you wanted to knock a few of these out with me tomorrow after the match."

Rebecca cleared her throat, not realising she would be put on the spot so efficiently. "Oh! Um, that works for me. I just have to write another letter to Charlie tomorrow and then respond to Molly's."

Fred looked down, thinking about how he had missed his parents more lately. "I'll add a letter home too, wait for me?"

The portrait hole opened slowly, the group corralling in. "Of course! Do you think you'll be ready to send it off on the way to breakfast? I can wait if you're not."

Fred shook his head, "No, I was going to sit and write tonight. I'm going to run my bag up." Rebecca gave him the recipes for him to put in their box of ideas and followed Hermione to their room, ready for bed already and still hours from sleep.

*******************************************

"You're late!" Oliver scolded from in front of the board. Harry checked his watch confused, "We're five minutes early?"

Oliver shook his head, "Early is late, on time is even later, late is unacceptable!"

Katie patted Harry on the shoulder as they squeezed into the room around the rest of the team. "There's no point in trying to understand anything he says, Harry. He'll be sane again after the match is over."

Oliver blew his whistle in the small room, the team winced. "Two minutes going! Meet me on the pitch by then or we'll do laps." Apparently Oliver didn't find that they were moving fast enough. "Laps without brooms!"

The team had never gotten changed quicker.

*******************************************

Oliver's voice was hoarse when he blew his whistle and let the team fall onto the platters McGonagall had sent to the pitch. The dug in, positively starved from the work he was putting them through. Professor McGonagall approached the team as they were scarfing the food down, congratulating Oliver on their progress.

McGonagall's eyes surveyed the team and how they were eating. "Wood, you haven't been starving them, have you?"

Wood looked down and tried to change the subject, "Are you hungry professor? Can I get you anything?"

"Wood!"

Oliver crossed his arms and gestured back at the pitch, "They're not starved! I simply pushed dinner back a few hours for motivational purposes!"

"Wood..." She was appalled that he had done such a thing. "Go. Five laps around the pitch before I bench you from tomorrow's match. There is a line and you have crossed it this evening."

The team was happy to see Oliver getting a reality check, but it was awkward to watch their captain get scolded so harshly. Once his broom was in the air and he was off doing his punishment, McGonagall walked around the slightly dispersed team and spoke with them on their work.

"Girls, I was very impressed by that Skinter feint into the Robles pass. You've been studying and it is more than evident." They thanked her for noticing.

"Rebecca found an ancient quidditch strategy book in the library that we've been trying a few things out of." Katie explained.

McGonagall smiled, "Quidditch on the Page?"

Katie nodded. "That came out the my final year on the team." McGonagall reminisced before leaving Katie stammering, "Ancient? Who said ancient, I didn't, did I?"

Angelina and Rebecca teased the third chaser about her comment until Oliver returned from his punishment and made a plate from the picnic's remaining items. Professor McGonagall cleared her throat as he went to eat and motioned to the rest of the team.

He sighed and faced them all. "In hindsight, I see that practising through dinner was wrong. I just- This is it. This is my last year and I want to be able to say that I led Gryffindor out of their eight year period of loss. I want to be able to say that I was a good captain." 

The team jumped to his defence immediately, "Wood! Don't be daft, you're a great captain!" Rebecca shouted over the others.

"The greatest!" Fred and George echoed after her. 

They shouted more encouragement before falling into a chant. "Wood! Wood! Wood!"

Oliver held his hand up until they silenced before grabbing his sandwich and checking his watch. "Then let's do this, let's get this cup!" He grabbed his broom and waved them all to the showers. "Go and get some sleep! I'll see you at breakfast tomorrow in our game robes, ready to play like we've practised."

Rebecca stacked the plates before grabbing her broom, just barely catching the conversation happening between Oliver and McGonagall.

"No, he's said he's done hiding."

"Can you see where he's coming from? No one deserves to live in a closet."

Fred nudged her arm as he put his plate into the pile and nodded towards the locker room. "Come on, let's get out of here." He mouthed.

When they were out of where they could hear them, Rebecca tried to feign confusion. "Wow. Wonder what they were talking about..."

Fred gave her a look, "Really? I think you know exactly what they were talking about, like I do."

Rebecca sighed, "Harry and I only know by accident."

Fred shook his head, "At this point, I think the only one who doesn't is George. He's not the most observational." Rebecca looked up to him, "How do you know?"

He chuckled, "It was actually last year, Flint was going on about how 'wrong it was' and how he wouldn't play in a league that allowed 'that.' Lee and I took care of it though."

"You didn't beat him, did you? Not that he didn't deserve it. I just-" She went silent until he asked, "Just what?"

"I hate the thought of you sinking to Flint's level, that's all. You're...good." "Oh my god, I'm making this so cheesy!"

Fred grabbed a towel and stopped outside the boys shower room, "Lee and I weren't violent or anything. We just told him that if anything was said before Oliver decided to say anything...well, we we're just going to say we'd seen Flint in a similar situation."

He left Rebecca at that, turning and entering the showers while she did the same. 

"You're good? How much more stupid can you sound, Rebecca!"

Fred wasn't thinking anything in particular, his head was filled with the echoes of her voice. "You're good."

*******************************************

Ginny woke Rebecca up the next morning with a barrage of pain as she jumped on her bed over and over. 

"What? I'm up." Rebecca checked their clock, "I still had ten minutes!" 

Ginny shrugged, "Yeah, I'm sorry. Oliver bet a galleon I wouldn't come get you up early."

Rebecca sat up and slide her glasses on, "And the jumping?"

"That was a galleon from Harry."

*******************************************

Three-quarters of the crowd was decked in the scarlet and gold of Gryffindor while the Slytherin house represented their team strongly. The Slytherin team scowled and glared at the Gryffindors as they entered the Great Hall.

"Was Flint recruiting the biggest or the ugliest this year?" George asked quietly, causing Rebecca to snort into the cup and Harry to glance across the hall, making sure they hadn't heard him.

"None of that George," Oliver scolded absentmindedly from down the bench, like his heart wasn't in it. Rebecca glanced at their captain, noting his alternating gazes towards the Hufflepuff table and his plate. She nudged Harry's shoulder, "Ask Oliver for the plan."

"Again?"

"Again. Just do it, please?" Harry looked at her as he considered it, knowing she must have a reason.

"Fine. Hey Wood," He leaned closer to the table so Oliver could see him, "Can we run over the plan one more time?"

Feeling needed by his team was exactly what Oliver needed, he sprung up, grabbing a pancake to carry and waving his hand so that the team would follow him. "Oh Harry, what've you gotten us into now?" George asked.

"Good luck!" Hermione and Ron called after them, patting Harry and Rebecca on the backs as they passed them. Katie had Quidditch on the Page in front of her as she walked between Rebecca and Angelina, pointing out the last few details on the plays they had practised.

"The most important thing to remember is the Shellington Split's final twist. We only ever practised with Angelina leading the triangle and Rebecca and I alternating on the back...If the opportunity arises Rebecca, look here," Katie pointed at the illustration, "The quaffle is only released when the broom is perpendicular to the ground and your completely upside down. Then the opponent goes right over you and you miss their legs like this." She pointed to the next illustration before slamming the book closed.

"That's it. The book's done all it can for us." Katie turned to the front where Harry was getting the biggest rundown of the plan. 

"You must catch it only if we're more than fifty points up... Only if we're more than fifty points up, Harry, or we win the match but lose the Cup. You've got that, haven't you? You must catch the Snitch only if we're..."

Harry answered each of his questions yes, but finally shouted, "I KNOW OLIVER!" Oliver nodded, "Good. Let's get going then, we've got a cup to win."

Madame Hooch's pre-game, no cheating speech seemed even longer than usual, most likely because it was. The players rose to the air, Draco and Harry facing off while Marcus Flint glared directly at Rebecca.

"TWEET!" Madame Hooch's whistle rung out as the quaffle was release, Angelina making first contact and tearing towards the Slytherin goals. She was boxed in by two of their chasers and dropped the ball to Katie who then threw it back to Angelina after she was free.

"And just like that Gryffindor, the first goal of the match goes to Gryffindor with a beautiful shot by Angelina Johnson! Not only is she a threat on the field, but a threat in the common room as well. Lads, do not ask her to Hogsmeade unaccompanied." Lee's voice was interrupted by McGonagall's, "Mister Jordan! The match is what you are announcing, not your failed dating life!"

The crowd laughed as they heard his admonishing. "Thanks professor, I'll go ahead and thank you again in thirty years when I'm still single." 

"You do that, until then ANNOUNCE THE GAME!"

"Angelina is in possession again, slowly making her way back to the Slytherin end when OH! She's absolutely slammed into by Flint. Can we get a penalty shot? Yes, we can!"

Rebecca tried to drown out Lee and the crowd, getting her head into the game. Angelina lined up for the shot, going for the rightmost hoop and switching to the center at the last moment. The quaffle went straight in, Gryffindor now 20 above Slytherin.

Marcus didn't take this fact lightly, barking orders out at his team harshly. As the quaffle was put back into play again, Rebecca found herself in the middle of the craziness, Katie and herself throwing it back and forth to confuse the Slytherin keeper. As Rebecca sent in her first shot of the game, Marcus stopped the Slytherin beater and grabbed his bat, lining up a shot at the back of her head. 

"Watch this," the Slytherin captain smiled as he let the bat fly. Thunk, the bat hit her head with a harsh thud, sending her face into her broomstick. "What the fu-"

Madame Hooch blew her whistle, stopping the game completely. "You alright Potter?"

Rebecca pushed the loose hair off her face, it sticking in the blood that course out of her nose. Rebecca didn't get the chance to answer as Madame Hooch blew her whistle again, calling a penalty for both Rebecca and Marcus as she watched Fred hit Marcus across the face with his own bat.

"Penalty shot, Potter and Flint." 

Madame Hooch flew to where Fred and Marcus were, yelling at them. Rebecca wiped the blood off her face and took her cracked glasses off her face, the world suddenly much blurrier. Angeline was at Fred's side, trying to pull him back from where he was yelling at Marcus still. 

George finally pushed Fred away from the scene, much to Oliver's relief. With the play not in motion, he left the keeper's position and went to where Madame Hooch had now called both captains to tell them off for their teams behaviour.

"Are you okay?" One of Fred's hands enveloped her cheek and tilted her head towards him so he could see for himself. "What about the back?" His long fingers brushed along the back of her head, stopping when she sucked in a sharp breath. His fingers came away from the back of her head with the tips lined with blood.

"It's just a scrape, I'm fine." 

"Rebecca, the game can go on with two chase-"

"No, it won't. It can, but it won't."

Fred nodded, he knew that with her tone like that, arguing was completely pointless. "Where're your glasses? They didn't fall did they?"

Rebecca lifted the hand that held them from her side. "No, they didn't fall--Just cracked on this lens."

Fred had his wand out instantly, "Want me to mend it?"

She sighed relieved, "Please. Hermione's going to throttle me if I don't start remembering her life-skills spells."

Fred chuckled, "Head smashed, nose bleeding, specs broken...and you're still thinking of homework."

"Oculus reparo." He handed her back her mended glasses, "Thank you."

Madame Hooch blew her whistle, calling for the penalty shots. Fred turned to leave to go back to his position, "Hey Fred?"

He turned back to her, gripping his broom tighter as he saw her wipe a rivulet of blood from a split lip he hadn't noticed before. "Thanks for the glasses and the whack."

He went to say something but wasn't able to as Madame Hooch blew her whistle again, making Rebecca leave for her penalty shot. 

She grabbed the quaffle from Madame Hooch, lining up until she heard the sound of the whistle and approached the goals. She made her penalty shot and Wood blocked Flint's. The game continued in this exchange of penalties. A slytherin grabbed Angelina's head, another penalty shot made. George elbowed him in the face, the first goal by Slytherin. A Slytherin beater hit Katie with his club, leading in yet another penalty.

The game hit 50-10, Gryffindor in the lead, when Rebecca and Angelina executed a play from the book that was meant to confuse the keeper and the chasers of the opposing team. Wood ended up with two bludgers in the stomach after that score, resulting in a penalty shot by Rebecca that was made. The score was then pushed up to 70-10 after another goal from Katie's score.

Another cheap penalty from the Slytherin's, but this time Angelina missed. She'd caught a bludger with her wrist and it was showing in her performance. She held it against her chest and was using her other, less skilled hand, for passing and shooting.

Harry saw a golden glint across the pitch, jumping into motion with Draco right on his tail. Harry was jerked backwards as Draco yanked on the back of his broom, leading to another penalty shot. Angelina was the one to take it, her wrist making her miss. 

Harry was back at the beginning of his process, scanning the pitch for any sign of the snitch while Rebecca and Katie made eye contact in the middle of the pitch. They nodded, knowing exactly what the other was thinking.

The next time that Katie had the quaffle, she slapped it thrice. Angelina shouted, "R to point, I'll take BR!"

They took their positions, Rebecca at the point of the triangle, Katie on her back left and Angeline on her back right.

"They're not-They're are. From how the Gryffindor chasers are lining up, it looks like they're going for the Shellington Split. Oh Merlin they are. Ladies and gentlemen...this is going to be historic. The Shellington Split was first used by Rowena Ravenclaw in one of Hogwarts first quidditch tournaments. The play is known for its precision and attention to detail, being mere centimetres off mark could be disastrous."

The girls launched into movement, Lee voicing their every move. "Rebecca launches forward, a triangle formed with Katie and Angelina. They move as one, swerving around the first two Slytherin chasers who are watching on in horror. Now's where the move earns its title as a 'split.'"

Rebecca slapped the quaffle again, marking the separation. Katie launched left and up while Angelina went down and right. Rebecca spun her broom so that she was suspended upside down as she went directly under the last chaser, the back of her fingers brushing against the wood of his broomstick.

Above, Harry tore his eyes of his sister and launched towards the snitch again, Gryffindor enough points ahead for him to catch it and them get the cup. The ringing of another goal being made echoed as Lee shouted, "THEY'VE DONE IT. THE SHELLINGTON SPLIT MAKES ANOTHER POINT FOR GRYFFINDOR!"

Harry inched closer and closer, only a finger's breadth from the snitch and Draco reaching out as well. The snitch plummeted sharply, Harry and Draco following its path identically. Harry let go of his broom and jumped forward the final distance he needed to secure the win, the snitch enveloped in his hands.

"AND NOW HARRY'S CAUGHT THE SNITCH! GRYFFINDOR WINS THE QUIDDITCH CUP!" The crowd roared and shook as they cheered, Marcus cursing and grabbing the chaser Rebecca went under by the collar, shouting into his face.

The teams flew to the ground, the school pouring out onto the pitch. Oliver was one of the first to hit the ground, shaking his team mate's hands as they cheered with the crowd. When he got to Rebecca, she grabbed his hand and didn't let go. "Go do it."

He looked at her a moment, "I am. I'm just-"

"Stalling. Go!" She smiled and pushed him. Fred weaved through the teams and put his arm around her shoulders as he smiled at his captain, "She's right you know."

Oliver paused and stared at his friend a moment, nodding once. "I know." 

Oliver straightened his shoulders and reached up, patting his wind-blown hair flat. Sam was one of the first students to exit the stairs to the stands. He looked at Oliver cautiously, trying to read his lover's expression.

Oliver's walk turned to a run, which turned into a sprint. When he finally reached Sam, he let his body crash into his, spinning in a slow circle with him as he kissed him deeply. 

"You chose me?" Sam asked.

"Of course I chose you, it's not even a choice really. You're my other half."

Sam smiled, "Kiss me again."

The crowd that had formed around them cheered madly as they kissed again, McGonagall smiling as she watched in the distance. George walked up to where Fred was wiping at the crusted blood on Rebecca's face ineffectively with his sleeve, "Did you see that? Can you believe-"

"Yep." Fred answered bluntly.

"You knew?"

"Yeah..." Rebecca answered that time. 

George scoffed, "I can't believe you didn't tell me. Actually, I can't believe you even knew!"

The other students were new reaching the Gryffindor players, the Slytherin team having already retreated from the pitch to descend into the dungeons and lick their wounded pride. Hermione and Ron were right behind McGonagall as they hurried to the team.

Professor McGonagall congratulated them all one by one, stopping in front of Rebecca and pulling a kerchief from her pocket. "Aguamenti."

Fred took the dampened cloth and got the last of the blood his sleeve couldn't get off, wincing as he brushed against the already-widened split lip. Professor McGonagall watched the gingerness he used, the care he showed. "There's one more thing professor," Fred called as she turned to find Harry, the last player she had to congratulate.

"Oh Fred, it's fine. I'll just go to the hospital wing later."

"I'll be the judge of that Miss Potter." 

Fred twirled his hand, motioning for her to turn around. She did as he commanded with a sigh, "It doesn't even really hurt anymore."

Professor McGonagall gasped as she saw the back of her head, calling for the healer, "Madame Pomfrey!"

Where the beater's club had struck her head had split, leaving a large cut on the back of her head. Her hair was already crusted with the large quantity of blood that had dripped from it. "Bloody hell!" Ron shouted as he and Harry walked up to them.

Harry turned a shade of green, wanting to look away but unable to. "Poppy!" McGonagall shouted louder this time, garnering the attention of those near her. Fred was frozen, his hand still on her shoulder and squeezing it tightly.

Madame Pomfrey appeared behind McGonagall and tutted as she saw the sight. "Episkey!" The cut itself closed lightly, only a scab left behind. "There," The matron noticed the look on Fred's face as he asked, "Is that it? It's gone?"

"The bulk of it, the scab will remain for a few days until it heals by itself. Head wounds bleed a lot more than other wounds, she's fine though. No dizziness?"

Rebecca shook her head and turned back to them, "No, it's gone now."

Fred's grip loosened slightly, "I see." Rebecca smiled at them, "There, fit as as a fiddle."

Katie and Angelina asked for Madame Pomfrey to look at her wrist, Harry took advantage of the opening to wrap Rebecca in a hug. Oliver asked for the team to circle around him a moment before they hit the showers for the last time of the season.

His eyes shone as he gave his last speech as a team captain, "I've played for Gryffindor for six years and captain for four...Being your captain has been a privilege, but being a member of this team? That's been an honour."

He sniffled and held his arms out, the team enveloping one another as they celebrated their win and mourned the loss of their captain.

*******************************************

The team showered leisurely, all thoughts of other work put off until tomorrow. The water soothed their tired bodies while preparing them for the celebration waiting for them in the common room.

Once dried and dressed, they left the showers to find the boys waiting in the main room for them. Oliver erased everything he'd written on the board and set the eraser down with a sense of finality the others noticed.

"Let's walk out of here as team for the last time, okay?" Oliver asked emotionally.

The team nodded, leaving the locker room and swimming through the cheering hallways to the common room. Harry walked next to Oliver, asking him a question. Fred put his arm around Rebecca once more while George fell into step next to them.

"Ready?" George asked them as they approached the Fat Lady. 

"For what?" Rebecca asked from the crook of Fred's elbow confused.

"The first time Gryffindor's won the cup in eight years, that's what. This is going to be wild."

The door opened to reveal more cheering Gryffindors, chanting their names as they piled in. Rebecca paled at the crowd and the sheer level of noise of it all, her ears buzzing and her head spinning once more. Fred noticed her reaction and saw that the back of the common room wasn't as full, the students gravitating around tables of food and drinks at the front.

"Here, let's head back there." Fred split the crowd like the red sea, always keeping her tucked against his side. She sat down on the window seat, Fred sitting next to her. "Better?" He asked.

She nodded, "Yeah, I don't know what that was. I think I'm just going to sit here awhile. You can go mingle if you want to."

He shook his head, "I hate parties."

"Really?" She asked bewildered.

He chuckled at her tone, "Yeah, not really a fan. There's so many people...You're not really alone, but you might as well be."

Silence fell over the two of them. "That was really stupid." He said after a moment.

She reached down and squeezed his hand, letting her head fall against his shoulder. "No, I know what you mean."

They sat like that for the span of the party, his hands wrapped around hers and the two of them leaning against each other in the seat built under the window. They chatted at first, but the relief at winning and the extended practise schedule got to them eventually.

Hours later, the common room much emptier and the food long gone, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were dragged by George to see how they slept through their own celebration. Fred's head was leaning back against the window, his mouth slighly opened as he snored occasionally. Rebecca's head was against the side of his chest, his arm under her head and wrapped around her shoulder, still holding her hand.

George sighed, "I'm not waking him up. He'll just go upstairs and talk for hours about this."

Hermione nodded, "Yeah, that's exactly what she'll do." Ron grabbed a blanket off the back of the couch and gave it to Harry who put it over her lightly.

Hermione laughed, "Now we only need three more."

Ron and Hermione circled the couches and grabbed them, "She really sleeps with this many blankets?"

Ginny had joined them at this point, "You've seen her at home, she's got even more there!"

"It's like she thinks she's hibernating." Ron whispered as he put the last blanket over them, causing them all to giggle. "Oh mum's going to be mad she doesn't have a picture of this." George said as he stepped back and turned to follow Harry and Ron up to the boys' dorms.

Ginny nodded in agreement, "Furious."

*******************************************

Author's Note:

Another chapter over 5k words! Quidditch final's over. The next chapter will jump to their exams. Technically posted on Tuesday, but I started finishing it before Monday was over...so I hope that counts ;)

Enjoy!

<3


	46. Chapter 46

With quidditch over for the year, Rebecca found that the days went rather quickly, especially since she was able to spend more time studying for finals examinations and wrapping up the loose ends on Buckbeak's appeal.

Unfortunately, they'd also gotten the date in which his appeal would take place: The last day of exams. In the days before their four days worth of exams, Hermione was pushed to new levels of stress and worry. She studied every second she was awake and was falling asleep with a book in her hands each night. 

Rebecca was in a similar state of exhaustion, especially with only one weekend left before the beginning of the exams--though she wasn't overwhelmingly concerned. No, she was so tired because every night when she fell asleep she was having dreams like she did before she saved the unicorn in her first year. She saw flashes of places around Hogwarts in a seemingly meaningless pattern, the same words always echoing through her mind. 

"Swing. Double. Rat. Dog. Dark. Friend."

The weekend before exams, her dreams were the worst they had been. The flashes lasted longer, the words repeated faster. Hermione and Ginny had grown used to her thrashing and sleeping, but that night they watched her bed in fear. She was yelling the words, her body jerking madly. Hermione jumped out of bed and rushed to her side. Ginny moved near the door, clutching her blanket in horror.

"HERMIONE, DO SOMETHING!" Ginny shouted.

Hermione acted on instinct, going against her previous advice to not wake her and grabbed Rebecca's shoulder with one hand and the side of her head with the other, trying to still her tremors. Rebecca's eyes opened the second Hermione's skin contacted hers, staring straight up into the ceiling as her lips worded the words silently. 

Unbeknownst to Hermione, Rebecca saw only one image now: Ron laying on the ground, a puddle of blood spreading around him.

There was a pounding at the door causing Ginny to jump and open it slightly. It was one of the older Gryffindor girls, "What's going on?"

Ginny opened the door the rest of the way as Hermione called to them. "We need Professor McGonagall, quickly!"

Ginny turned and sprinted down the hall, bounding down the stairs and out the portrait hole like a life depended on it. For all she knew...it did.

Rebecca still lay in the trance, her eyes now flitting from side to side rapidly. Angelina appeared in the doorway, pushing her way through the quickly growing crowd of whispering Gryffindor girls. Seeing the state Rebecca was in, Angelina crouched next to Hermione and tried to comfort her the best she could as they waited for their head of house, patting Hermione's back as Hermione held Rebecca's hand tightly. 

When McGonagall was woken up by the pounding on her door, she thought that Sirius Black had been spotted in the castle again. Instead of Dumbledore, there was a red-faced Ginny who launched into an explanation about "seizing" and "yelling" as she was pulled out of the door and hurried next to Ginny who fell silent as the two women, young and old, passed through the portrait hole.

"Ginny, who are you talking about?"

"Rebecca."

*******************************************

McGonagall entered their bedroom, her voice demanding absolute obedience. "If you do not sleep in this room, return to your beds. Now." The other girls launched into motion, "You as well Miss Johnson."

Angelina tried to argue to stay, but was silenced by a sharp look. "Yes professor." She said as she took her arm off of Hermione and left the room, glancing over her shoulder as McGonagall went to Hermione and had Ginny close the door.

"The subconscious premonitions?"

Hermione nodded, saying nothing else.

"Are they always like this? I need honesty Miss Granger." McGonagall's tone rebuked the child for not being entirely honest when she'd asked all those weeks before.

"No, not like this. She talks in her sleep anyway, but the last few weeks she just repeats these words. Latel-"

Ginny jumped in, "She's been tossing lately. She shouts sometimes, cries others."

Hermione continued, "It was the worst it's ever been tonight. She was jerking around like she was being electrocuted, shouting. She's never opened her eyes before either."

Professor McGonagall nodded, "Yes, that escalation is apt to happen. When a person is looking into the future, especially as they sleep, they're revealing themselves up to dark forces."

"She's doing this on purpose?" Ginny asked weakly.

"I suspect not. Does she know she does this?"

"She says she doesn't remember what she sees."

"And does she?" Professor McGonagall watched the way Ginny's eyes lingered on Rebecca before Ginny continued, "She says that she doesn't...but I don't think that's the truth."

Professor McGonagall took out her wand and rested it on Rebecca's forehead a moment. Rebecca's mouth stopped moving and her eyes closed. Her body stilled and her breathing became deep once more.

"She'll sleep now. I want to take her to the Hospital Wing for Madame Pomfrey to hear about this. Albus too," The professor spoke mostly to herself, the two other girls too preoccupied with their own thoughts.

"We need to get Harry." Hermione said at last.

"I will alert him and Mister Weasley, all of them, in the morn." Professor McGonagall stood and cast both the levitation charm and the following charm to Rebecca, causing her body to float over her bed and follow behind the professor's body as she began to leave the room.

"Ladies?" Ginny and Hermione looked to the matron of their house.

"As hard as it may seem, sleep will help; help both you and pass the time until morning."

With that Professor McGonagall closed their door behind her and looked down the hall of girls peering out of the bedroom doors. "Too bed, all of you!"

"Is she alright professor?"

"Yeah, what's happening?"

Angelina's voice echoed last, "Please."

Professor McGonagall sighed and knew what she had to do. "It appears that Sirius Black jinxed a blanket recently given to Miss Potter. The blanket has been confiscated and she shall spend the rest of the night in the Hospital Wing out of an abundance of caution."

A sour taste filled Minerva's mouth. "Lying to my students, straight through my teeth!" Once outside Gryffindor Tower, she summoned a house elf to alert and wake Albus of the night's events, sending the elf with the message to meet her in the Hospital Wing as soon as he could.

*******************************************

Entering the Hospital Wing, Albus and Poppy were talking at the foot of a bed. He directed her to set her onto the bed that Poppy had already prepped.

"Minerva, what is going on?" The headmaster's voice was laced with a frantic tone, however slight, that Minerva picked up on. 

"I have only the foggiest of ideas. I was woken earlier by a frantic Ginny, who then dragged me back to her Gryffindor Tower." Minerva gestured to the now lying on the bed Rebecca, "Hermione, her other roommate, said that she's been experiencing occasional subconscious premonitions, though the frequency and intensity has increased substantially."

Madame Pomfrey smoothed an extra blanket over the still child. The sleeping charm Minerva had cast plunged her mind into the deepest depths of sleep: The only movement coming from the bed was the slow rise and fall of her chest.

Minerva and Albus conversed for the better part of an hour, going over their story. "You already have told the Gryffindor girls that she's come in for observation, yes?"

Minerva nodded, "For the most part, yes."

He nodded and fiddled with the end of his long beard. "We'll say she had developed a fever that grew too high. That will explain that. As for her friends..."

"Minerva answered for him, "They will be told the truth: Subconscious premonitions are accidental and avoidable. As for herself, therein lies the issue. How do you explain that she is peering into the future as she sleeps?" She turned to Poppy, "We simply need a way to put her deeper to sleep when she goes to bed, to avoid her being caught between the veils of sleep and reality."

Albus saw what she was leading to, "Poppy, what could we do to encourage deep sleep?"

Poppy, reluctantly, left the side of the bed and went to her stores. "Sleep...sleep...sleep..." She whispered as she thumbed through the potions, pills, and other medical supplies. "We could have her try something like this, a sleep-inducing potion." Poppy grabbed it off of the shelf and took it to her bedside, "The effects are similar to the charm, Minerva, it encourages deep sleep. One thing we also should keep in mind it this is an as-needed solution: Deep sleep is hardest to achieve in times of stress."

Minerva added, "Yes, that would be examinations. And she's worked so hard on the defence for the hippogriff; they all have been."

The adults continued to talk, not far from morning. Poppy brewed a pot of tea as they sat around the desk in the Hospital Wing, continuing to talk about the events of the night. 

*******************************************

When Rebecca woke the next morning feeling extremely well rested, more so than she had in awhile. Reaching over to where her nightstand should have been, she opened her eyes and sat up in surprise as she knocked something off a night stand that certainly wasn't hers and found herself in a frighteningly familiar room.

"The Hospital Wing?"

"Miss Potter! It would be much appreciated if you would not wreck the place as soon as you awaken!" Madame Pomfrey's called as she walked to her bed, Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore right behind her. 

"Why am I here?" Rebecca asked, the world retaining it's blurriness as her glasses were left in her dormitory, "Is everyone else alright?"

Dumbledore chuckled, "I'm certain your roommates are worried, but they are fine. You have given them quite a fright."

They'd come close enough so that Rebecca could see their outlines, though their features remained blurred. Professor McGonagall pulled a chair next to her bed and explained what had happened, how her dreams weren't dreams at all.

"You repeated words, Ginny and Hermione said that you have been for a while. 'Swing. Double. Rat. Dog. Dark. Friend' That doesn't mean anything to you, does it?"

Rebecca shook her head, "Nothing."

Dumbledore asked the one question Rebecca had hoped they wouldn't. "Do you remember anything from your dreams last night?"

She stalled, "Not really."

"Not really or not at all?" Dumbledore prodded further, garnering a look from McGonagall.

"I just remember seeing Ron lying on the floor in...I don't know what it was. That's all, I swear."

Dumbledore sat back in his chair as the door to the Hospital Wing slammed open and their conversation was ended by the slapping of slipper-clad feet.

"What's wrong!" Harry shouted from the door, pushed to the back of the crowd of Weasley boys and Hermione. Madame Pomfrey muttered under her breath as she retreated to her desk, "Bloody elephants..." being all that Rebecca had picked up before she was out of ear-shot. 

They crowded around her bed, Ginny giving her her glasses as she looked her face over. "Gin, I'm fine. I didn't even know I was here until I woke up." Ginny put her arms around her neck and held her in a tight embrace.

"You scared us last night, left us terrified." Ginny whispered into her ear, "Absolutely terrified."

McGonagall finished her explanation, the only question coming from Ron, "So she can see into the future?"

Dumbledore answered for the quickly-growing-frustrated McGonagall who had just answered that question in her explanation, "Yes and no, she is seeing what could be. The future is a constantly shifting entity."

Hermione asked the next question, "Can we stop it from happening? Especially like last night."

"Yes, we can. Sleep is like many things in that their are levels and varying depths. In order to dissuade these premonitions from Rebecca's mind, she just needs to sleep deeper. We're starting with a natural approach before we try anything stronger: tea with essence of sleep infusions."

Harry had grabbed her hand throughout their discussion and turned to look at her as they were assured that everything was fine. "So I can talk to snakes and you see the future, seems fair." He joked.

Rebecca saw how it was hard for him to sound so jovial, but appreciated the attempt at normalcy. Dumbledore and McGonagall went to leave the children to talk amongst themselves, but Fred followed them, asking more questions.

Hermione gave Rebecca another retelling of last night, providing the more frightening details the adults left out. "...it was mental."

Fred returned from his questioning pale and silent, a pathway opening in the standing children for him to get to the head of her bed. He placed a hand on her shoulder as Ron held his audibly growling stomach.

"We should go on to breakfast," George suggested, "I think I heard Madame Pomfrey say she can leave, right?" George looked to Fred who nodded absently.

"I can wait and meet you guys after." Harry offered. Ron, in a rare moment of emotional clarity, put his arm around Harry's shoulder, "No mate, you can't stay! Hermione was up late last night," He leaned closer and whispered so they all could hear, "You know how she gets..."

Harry looked at Rebecca, his eyes asking if she was alright. "We'll be right behind you!" Ginny looked back at her and Fred as they left, watching them converse softly while George herded them out the door them like cats. 

"Fred?" Rebecca asked softly as he let go of her shoulder and walked to the foot of her bed and stood facing away from her. "I'm sorry." She spoke after a moment's silence.

His shoulders shook. "Fred, are you crying?" She sat up further and swung her feet off the bed to go to him. He turned back towards her showing tears in his eyes but a smile spreading across his face slowly. He walked back to her bedside and sat on the edge as she scooted over to make room for him to sit next to her.

"When Harry ran in this morning saying you were in the Hospital Wing this morning, I thought that Sirius Black had gotten to you...not that you were looking into the future." His laughter was contagious and they both ended up laughing together after looking at one another.

"I was worried that I was getting to predictable, you know? Thought I needed to shake things up."

Fred scoffed, "You've really shaken things up, haven't you?" He put his legs up onto the bed and laid out beside her, putting his head onto her shoulder as she held onto him and let her hand play with the ends of his hair. He sighed against her, "They said that they're going to try some enchanted tea."

Rebecca nodded, "Yeah, Madame Pomfrey seems hopeful."

Fred scoffed, "That woman conveys a lot of feeling; hopeful not being one of them."

She smacked his head lightly, "Be nice."

The three adults appeared from behind the curtain around the bed next to hers. Fred jumped to get up at the sight of them, but Dumbledore raised his hand so he paused his rising. "No need to stand, we're off now. Rebecca, I'd like you to come by my office later to get the teas."

McGonagall spoke sternly before she left the two of them, "I expect complete transparency Miss Potter. If the teas aren't working then you are to come straight to me, no exceptions."

"She will professor." Fred answered for her, looking at their head of house. Rebecca glanced at him, her eyes tracing the sharp line of his jaw and pausing on his lips as he continued, "I'll make sure of it."

McGonagall left them, smiling to herself once her back was turned. Madame Pomfrey spoke once the two other adults had left them. "I'm nearly finished with the paperwork, I'll stop by once I'm done for the final once over before you can go."

Alone again, Fred let his head rest against her again his arm wrapping around her middle with his hand on her upper arm. She resumed playing with his hair while he hummed a superhero-like intro theme.

"Nah nah nah nah, she dreams the future! Nah nah nah nah...what rhymes with future?"

*******************************************

After joining the others at breakfast and eating what Harry called 'a healing muffin,' they retreated to the common room to join the other studying Gryffindors who had already heard the story that last night's 'fever-induced' incident. Angelina and Katie went by to make sure she was okay, but the rest of the Gryffindor's were more preoccupied with the rapidly approaching exams.

In the late afternoon, a storm descended around the castle. Rebecca pulled her jumper tighter around her as she travelled through the halls to get to where she remembered seeing the gargoyle to Dumbledore's office. It had been a touchy-subject, her wanting to go fetch the tea herself, but once she quickly won.

Or so she thought. Going down the last flight of stairs, she turned around at the sound of slapping shoes. Harry appeared at the top of the stairs and ran down them quickly, jumping the last few and landing next to her.

"I needed a break anyway!" He defended as she gave him a look.

"Mhmmm. It's probably good you followed anyway, I'm not entirely sure where his office is actually."

Harry nodded, "And you think that I'll be able to help you why? Remember first year with McGonagall? 'One of you into a map' and all?"

They laughed and picked a hall to go down, pushing each other from side to side like siblings are wont to do.

It took them half an hour, but they eventually found the snarling gargoyle. "Did he tell you the password?"

Rebecca's eyes widened, "Yeah, back at Christmas! I should've written that down and brought it back...Give me a second." She wandered to the nearest window and looked out it as she racked her brain, "I know it was food-themed, the man has got the biggest sweet tooth."

She turned from the view and went to the gargoyle, "Luliweather's Lolly Mints?"

The gargoyle spun anticlockwise, a staircase being revealed behind it. Rebecca led the way as Harry's mouth hung open in surprise that she was able to remember it. At the top of the stairs, they found Dumbledore stroking Fawkes head softly.

"Come in! I'm glad you were able to remember the password Miss Potter. We've put together a few days worth of doses, though more will be available if this proves to be a success..." Harry looked around the room as she and Dumbledore chatted like old friends.

"Harry?" Rebecca asked from his side once more, "Ready to go?"

He tore his eyes away from the oddities around him, "If you are." She hoisted a basket up next to her, "I'm good. I've got the teas and a short refresher on the heating up charm so I'll be able to make it right upstairs."

She continued to talk on their shorter, more direct walk back while Harry thought to himself how grateful he was that she was okay.

*******************************************

"That's it, I'm dropping out." Ron sighed as he sat down to lunch on the fifth day of their exams. 

"No you're not, I'm sure you did fine!" Rebecca told him for what had to be the thousandth time that day, not taking into account the number of times she'd told him that just that week. 

"Says you! My cup still had a bloody tail!" Ron bellowed as he scooped himself a sympathy lunch. "Transfiguration's going to be a T, I'm telling you."

Hermione rolled her eyes and looked at the two of them, "I'm going to the library to study, at least it's quiet in there."

Rebecca watched her leave while Ron grumbled, "What's she even studying for? Only exams that are left are Divination, which she dropped, and Runes, which she's not even taking!"

Harry checked his watch and cursed, "We've got divination in fifteen minutes and I can't remember these bloody shapes!"

She leaned over and looked at the book he held in front of him, "Don't fret Harry, Fred and George said that she's just looking for you to make a prediction."

"I don't even care at this point, I just want to get it over with and get to Hagrid's."

George reminded them from down the table, "Don't forget that our exam runs later than yours, we'll be down there as soon as we can."

Fred squeezed Rebecca's hand once as he gathered the Weasley twins gathered their things, garnering a look from Harry and a light blush across her face. "Good luck, though I'm not really sure you need it."

When he and George were out of ear shot, Harry rolled his eyes again and put his book away, "Let's just go, I'm just going to wing it."

*******************************************

The line for her exam stretched down the stairs, with Harry, Ron, and Rebecca the last three to get in queue. The students talked amongst each other quietly. Rebecca was sitting quietly with a chatting Harry and Ron, wanting to get to Hagrid's to hear the results of the appeal.

The line began to move quicker and quicker, the students who had already taken the exam telling the others to "predict something dark" and she would give high marks.

Ron smiled grimly at them as he went into the classroom, Professor Trelawney's greeting of him as "magnificent seer" causing Harry and Rebecca to stifle laughs. "You go on first." Harry said after Ron had been in the room a few minutes.

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I need a few more minutes."

Ron opened the classroom door too fast, the bang echoing. "Sorry professor!"

"That's alright child, I knew you were going to do that." 

Rebecca and Ron passed each other, Ron snickering to Harry about the craziness he said he predicted. 

"Hello Miss Potter, are you ready?"

"Yes professor, quite."

Professor Trelawney's glasses-magnified eyes narrowed as she closed her eyes and took Rebecca's hands into her own, "Yes, I feel that you are prepared. Let's begin, place your hands on the crystal ball and tell me what you see."

Rebecca did as she was told and looked into the strangely warped images of the surrounding room, seeing nothing resembling the future. "Ummm, I see Harry and I. We're older though, much older."

"Yes, is anyone else there?"

Rebecca opened one eye and saw that Trelawney had her own eyes scrunched shut. "Ron's there, Ginny...all the Weasley's."

"I see, what about the background dear, anything moving?"

Rebecca pulled her hand off the ball quickly, "No, nothing else. No grim, nothing at all."

Trelawney narrowed her eyes, "I see. That will be all, I had higher hopes for you child."

Rebecca left quickly, wishing Harry luck one more time and evading his questions about how it went. She hurried down the stairs, needing fresh air badly. She burst out the door to Hagrid's walkway and breathed deeply, closing her eyes as she tried to get rid of the dark feeling clinging over her; the dark feeling that had only grown stronger since she put her hands on the crystal ball.

As refreshing as the cool air felt and as much as she wanted to stay a moment, she opened her eyes as Hermione and Ron joined her. They both looked much more relaxed with their final exam done with.

Hermione noticed her flushed appearance. "Rebecca, are you feeling well?"

She shook her head, "I think it was just too warm up there, I'll be fine. Harry said to go on ahead."

Ron walked on the other side of Hermione and chatted lightly with the two of them, trying to lighten the mood.

"Come to watch the show?" Draco asked as they walked past him.

"Excuse me?" Hermione asked.

"The show? The beasts been sentenced." Goyle said like it was obvious.

Rebecca's heart plunged. All their work and the appeal was denied, again. Draco muttered something under his breath as the three walked past, something unintelligible.

"What?" Hermione asked menacingly.

"Mudbloods have to care about animals, they're so much closer to them than we are." Draco spat.

Hermione lunged forward, Draco backtracking until his back was against one of the stones. Her wand was out and held against his throat as he whimpered.

"You foul, loathsome, evil little cockroach!"

"Hermione!" Rebecca shouted, stepping forward once before she turned back to look at them.

"He's not worth it." Ron said plainly, not entirely concerned. "If she kills him, she kills him. No loss." He thought.

Hermione let her wand fall to her side, breathing deeply and taking one step back. Draco relaxed and stepped away from the stone. In a split-second decision, Hermione turned back around a punched him in the face.

"What the hell!" He shouted as he held his now bleeding nose. Harry joined them as they continued their trek to Hagrid's, congratulating Hermione. Hermione shook her clenched fist out, wincing. "That felt good."

With the group of four gone, Goyle turned to Draco. "That's not what you said before, the animal thing. You said you were sorry. What would you have to be sorry for Draco?"

Draco wiped his nose as he looked down towards Hagrid's hut, "Too much."

Much farther down the walkway, nearly to Hagrid's, Rebecca shook her head and turned away from the man sharpening his long axe under a tree. "I can't believe this." Harry said. "That appeal was fool-proof."

Hermione shook her head, "I know. Hagrid doesn't need that though, he needs support."

Ron nodded, "Got it, ignore the injustice." And knocked on his large door.

"That's not what I'm saying and you know it Ronald!" Hermione's scolding was cut short as a sniffling Hagrid opened the door.

"What're you lot doing here?!" He asked as he looked around outside to make sure none of the other students saw them and pulled them in. "You're not suppose' to be leavin' the castle unaccompanied!"

They offered their condolences and hugs inside, ignoring his scoldings. Hagrid wiped his tears as he told them, "He's eaten mor' treats than he could'a imagined today and he's had his favorite song sung to 'im. He couldn't be happier."

"I'm certain he couldn't Hagrid, you take the best care of your creatures." Rebecca offered as comfort.

"The trial was a sham from th' very start! Lucius Malfoy sitting up ther' all mighty. I'm glad you lot had yer' exams--I wouldn't 'a wanted you to go an' see that bull-"

There was a knock at the door. "Oh blimey, you lot go out the back and don't you stick around, this isn't somethin' for you to see. Make your way around as we sign the papers and all."

Harry grabbed the back of his head and hissed in pain, examining the area outside the window for what could have hit him. "Go!" Hagrid whispered sharply. Hermione pointed to a jar by the back door, "Scabbers!" Ron scooped him up and held him against his chest while Hermione cracked the back door and held it open until they were all outside. Ron was quietly scolding Scabbers.

"Hello Professor Dumbledore, Cornelius..." Hagrid let in Dumbledore, Cornelius Fudge, a representative of the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures and the executioner they'd seen on the walk down. His name was Walden Macnair.

Ron was the first to run crouched down to the space behind the pumpkins. Harry and Hermione were next. Rebecca was the last to get there and found that Ron had already gone ahead to the next spot. Buckbeak was tied up in front of the pumpkins Rebecca was now crouched behind alone.

"Buckbeak, I'm so sorry." The tears fell down her face freely, "I tried my hardest- We all did." He let out a knowing hoot before she had to leave him.

As they climbed the walkway, they paused a quarter up at a small clearing that overlooked the Forbidden Forest and the Whomping Willow. Harry wiped his eyes and surveyed the view. Even at their distance, they all heard the thump of the axe into the ground and the screeching of the startled birds as Buckbeak was executed.

*******************************************

Author's Note: 

:( A sad ending. Next chapter's already in the works. Enjoy!

<3


	47. Chapter 47

The group of four tried to pull themselves together, but the resounding thud that marked the end of Buckbeak's life made it incredibly difficult. Hermione turned and buried her face into Rebecca's shoulder, the one that wasn't holding onto Harry. Ron was sitting on a bench in the overlook they were in when he shouted and stood up quickly, holding Scabbers away from his body.

"He bloody bit me!" Ron shouted again, "Scabbers stop!" Scabbers bit him one final time before Ron dropped him and Scabbers tore off in the direction opposite of Hagrid's hut. Ron ran after him, the rest of them following as well. Scabbers turned left sharply, the reason to which Harry saw was the large, shaggy black dog that ran out of the Forbidden Forest and began pursuing the brown rat.

"Look, it's Crookshanks!" Rebecca panted as she and Harry fell into an all-out sprint. Hermione kept pace with them at first, but slowly began to fall back in slight increments. Ron finally got close enough to Scabbers to dive and scoop him up near the Whomping Willow, the dog and Crookshanks circled around Ron slowly, growling and hissing respectively.

"Hermione, get your demon cat and let's-AHHH!" Ron's smart-arsery was cut short as the dog sank its teeth into his arm and began to drag him behind him as it backed up underneath the awakening Whomping Willow and down into a hole hidden by its massive roots.

"LOOK OUT!" Hermione screamed as a spiny arm whooshed over the ducking Potters' heads with only centimetres to spare. They dodged back and forth as they tried to get closer to the roots, failing each time.

A scream echoed out from the hole Ron was taken through, a scream filled with pain. Rebecca dropped to the floor and crawled with her stomach against the ground, abandoning all pretenses of caution.

"REBECCA!" Harry shouted as the Whomping Willow's largest branch went for her. "Arresto Incantatum!" Hermione shouted with her wand swinging above her head and ending pointing straight at the base of the tree. It's branches slowed to a stop while Harry and Hermione caught up with Rebecca.

Harry began a scolding about not being careful, but didn't even get the chance with another scream pouring out of the hole under the tree. Rebecca cast lumos so the velvet darkness in front of them was lightened, however slightly, and ran into the shadows.

*******************************************

The passage remained dark and compact for most of their journey, though it curved to and fro gradually. When a light emerged in the distance, Harry grabbed the back of Rebecca's jumper and pulled her back.

"We need to have a plan, we can't just go barging in!" He whispered.

Rebecca bounced from foot to foot. "We don't know what that was or what's happened to Ron, the plan is to get to him!"

She pulled her jumper out of his hand and continued towards the light, looking up as they found that it was a trapdoor of sorts opening up into a house. "I think we're under the Shrieking Shack..." Hermione whispered.

Harry was wondering why the dog would have dragged Ron all this way, but was unable to finish. Rebecca pulled herself up into the house and quenched her wand's light. Ron's whimpering echoed through the shack, emanating from upstairs. Her hand tightened dangerously around her wand.

A sharper cry came from above them, causing Rebecca to creep up the stairs as fast as she could while remaining quiet. At the top of the stairs, they saw Ron sitting on a bed with Scabbers in his lap, tears streaked down his now dirty cheeks.

Rebecca ran to him, Harry and Hermione right behind her. "Ron! How badly are you hurt?" She tried to roll his pant leg up to see how badly the bite was that was still oozing. "Where's the dog?" Harry asked as he watched Rebecca hold her wand between her teeth so she could take her belt off.

"It's a trap, he's the dog! He's an animagus!" Ron pointed to the corner. Harry stepped in front of Rebecca, blocking her from the man in the corner. His eyes followed the large muddy dog prints as they morphed into a man's, all leading to the familiar face.

Familiar because it had been plastered on posters throughout the wizarding world since the early summer, the face always accompanied with "Wizard mass-murderer." The face belonging to Sirius Black. The pictures had to have been old because the man in front of them looked a fraction of the monster pictured: His cheeks sunk in deeply and his collarbones protruded far too obviously to be of good health. 

Hermione pushed Harry back a step, putting her body in front of his and further shielding Rebecca as she tightened her belt above the gaping bite in Ron's leg. "If you want to kill Harry and Rebecca, you'll have to kill us to."

"Only one will die tonight." Sirius Black said ominously. Harry shouted, "And it'll be you!" As he lunged across the room and grappled with Sirius. Rebecca pulled the belt as far as she could before giving Ron the other end, "Hold this tightly!" She ordered.

Hermione was pushed to the side as Harry forced Sirius Black to the floor, his wand held to his face. "Are you going to kill me, Harry?" He asked as he laughed.

Just as Harry went to answer, Professor Lupin burst in through the door and shouted, "Expelliarmus!" Harry's wand went flying. Remus jerked his head to the side, telling Harry to move away from the ex-convict.

"Well, well Sirius...Looking rather ragged, aren't we? Finally the flesh matches the madness within."

"Well you'd know all about the madness within, wouldn't you Remus?"

A smile spread across Remus' face as he let his wand fall to his side and offered Sirius a hand up. The men embraced like long-lost brothers, Sirius remarking, "I found him Remus! Let's kill him!"

Hermione watched as Rebecca grabbed her wand from the bed where it had fallen into her hand sneakily, "No! I trusted you! And all this time, you've been his friend. He's a werewolf!" She turned back to the other three, "That's why he's been missing classes!"

"How long have you known?" Remus asked as he walked closer to her, slowly. 

"Since Professor Snape set the essay."

"Well, well Hermione! You really are the brightest witch of your age I've ever met-" Remus began before he was interrupted by Sirius shouting, "Enough talk Remus, let's kill him!"

"Wait!" Remus commanded.

"I did my waiting! Twelve years of it...in Azkaban! In hell!"

Remus looked at Harry and Rebecca slowly before handing Sirius his wand, "Very well then." Remus turned to Sirius and held one finger up, "But just one more minute, Harry and Rebecca have the right to know why."

"I know why!" Harry started, "You betrayed our parents!" Rebecca's wand twitched involuntarily, her nerves filled with adrenaline, a protection spell waiting on the tip of her tongue for when Sirius Black tried to kill him.

"You're the reason their dead." She finished softly for him, her voice just loud enough for the two men to hear it.

"No, it wasn't him. Somebody did betray your parents but it was somebody who, until quite recently, I believe to be dead!"

"Who was it then?" Harry's words were laced with venom, the own betrayal he felt clear in his tone.

"Peter. Pettigrew." Sirius Black enunciated. "And he's in this room, right now! Come out, comeo out!" He shouted madly. "Come out and play!" Professor Snape was only in their vision a moment before he'd cast Remus' wand in Sirius' hand away. 

"Vengeance is sweet," Snape intoned, "How I hoped I'd be the one to catch you."

"Severus-" Remus tried to speak.

"I told Dumbledore you were helping an old friend into the castle and now here's the proof!" 

Harry and Rebecca watched the exchange between the three adults carefully, though it was evident that they knew each other before. 

"Brilliant Snape. Once again you've put your keen and penetrating mind to the task and, as usual, come to the wrong conclusion! Now if you'll excuse us, Remus and I have some unfinished business to attend to!"

Snape jabbed his wand forward so that it was held against Sirius' neck harshly, Remus winced and reached for his old friend. "Give me a reason." Snape told Sirius.

"Severus, don't be a fool." Sirius goaded him to do it. 

"Quiet Sirius." 

"Quiet yourself Remus!" He snapped.

"Oh look at you two, quarrelling like an old married couple."

"Why don't you run along and play with your chemistry set?" Sirius said rudely. Snape pushed the wand against him harder.

"I could do it, you know, but why deprive the dementors?" Snape pointed to the door, "After you!" He demanded of Remus. 

Rebecca jumped forward, "Expelliarmus!" Casting the spell so forcefully that Snape was thrown backwards through the old bed that was in the room.

"Rebecca, what did you just do!" Harry bellowed.

"You just attacked a teacher." Hermione said not to anyone in particular. 

"Tell me about Peter Pettigrew." She demanded as she inched closer to Remus, her wand bouncing between Sirius and the man who was once her Defence Against the Dark Arts professor. 

"He was at school with us, we thought he was our friend." Remus began.

"No, Pettigrew's dead, he killed him." She pointed at Sirius as she said he, causing him to flinch as he looked back at Severus' unconscious body.

"No, I thought that until Harry mentioned seeing Peter Pettigrew on the map."

Harry spoke as he joined her side, "The map was lying then." He had his wand focused on the little bit of Sirius that he could see from behind how Remus was shielding him while her wand was leveled directly with Remus.

"The map never lies." Sirius said. "Pettigrew's alive and he's right there!" Sirius pointed at Ron.

"Me? That's mental!"

"No!" Sirius scoffed exasperatedly, "Not you! Your rat!"

"Scabbers has been in my family for-"

"Twelve years! Curiously long life for a garden rat!" Sirius walked closer to Ron. "He's missing a toe, too, isn't he?"

Harry and Rebecca didn't notice that while Sirius approached Ron, Remus approached Harry. "So what?" Ron asked.

"All they could find of Pettigrew was his-"

"Finger!" Sirius finished Harry's sentence while it occured to the Potter twins that Sirius Black may in fact be innocent.

"The dirty coward cut it off so everyone would think he was dead! And then, then he transformed into a rat!"

"Show me." Harry demanded, ignoring the look Rebecca gave him. "Give it to him, Ron." 

Ron tried to keep a hold of his squeaking rat, looking to Rebecca and Hermione for help. "Give it to him." Rebecca said at last.

Ron let go, crying out, "Scabbers! Leave him alone!" Sirius set the rat on the edge of the piano, it darted to the other side before being redirected by Remus. Sirius waved the wand repeatedly, missing each time. Finally, just as the rat was sneaking away through a hole in the wall, Sirius's spell made its mark.

A short, fat, and balding man took its place, sniffing and scurrying on the ground like he was still a rat. Sirius and Remus hoisted him up as Ron looked on in disbelief, his mind starting to go fuzzy from blood loss and confusion.

"Remus? Sirius? My old friends!" He dove back towards the door, trying to leave again. Remus and Sirius pushed him back into the middle of the room where he turned towards Harry first.

"Harry? You look so much like your father." He then turned to Rebecca. "Oh my, you've grown so much. You're as beautiful as you mother-"

"DON'T YOU DARE SPEAK ABOUT HER!" Remus' shout reverberated the floor of the room. 

Sirius closed the distance between himself and Peter as he spat, "How dare you speak to them! How dare you talk about James and Lily in front of them!"

Peter ran back and put the piano between him and the other men. "You sold James and Lily to Voldemort." Remus said, "Didn't you?"

"I didn't mean to!" Peter tried to explain. "The Dark Lord...you have no idea the weapons he possesses! Sirius, what would you have done?"

Sirius shook as he responded, "I would have died! I would have died rather than betray my friends!" Peter ducked under the piano and tried to leave the room once more.

Harry jumped into the doorway. "Harry! Surely you don't want me killed, your dad would've spared me. He would show me mercy!" Remus and Sirius pulled him back, holding him by and arm and at the shoulder on each side.

"You should've realised Peter--if Voldemort didn't kill you then we would!" Sirius shouted as he held Severus' wand up while Remus did the same with his own.

"No!" Harry shouted. 

"Harry, this man-" Remus was annoyed at the interruption.

"We know what he is." Rebecca answered. "But we'll take him to the castle."

Peter fell to his knees, kissing his shoes and repeating, "Bless you, bless you merciful children."

"Get off me!" Harry said as he pulled his feet away.

"We said we'd take you to the castle..." Rebecca began ominously.

"...after that, the dementors can have you." Harry finished.

*******************************************

The walk back to the castle went slowly. Peter alternated between whimpering and begging which only further aggravated Harry and Rebecca on either side of Ron, helping him limp along.

"Sorry about the bite, I reckon that twinges a bit."

"A bit?" Ron asked.

"A bit? He's got my bloody belt on as a tourniquet!"

Sirius smiled sheepishly, "At least your trousers haven't fallen? I was going for the rat. I normally have quite a sweet disposition as a dog. In fact, James recommended more than once that I make the change permanent."

The end of the passageway couldn't have come quick enough. Rebecca's arms burned from holding Ron up and Harry's legs ached from having to crouch ever so slightly to be at Rebecca's shoulder. Upon exiting, Ron exclaimed, "It's night! We're so dead when we get to the castle."

The set Ron on a rock near the exit and took a break, Harry and Rebecca making sure Hermione and Ron were okay before looking to where Sirius was gazing up at the castle at Hermione's insistence. "You two go on, I'll stay with the invalid."

"I'm not an invalid!"

Rebecca and Harry smiled at each other as they walked to where Sirius stood. "It's beautiful, isn't it? I'll never forget the first time I walked through those doors."

"And you'll do it again as a free man." Rebecca said surely.

Sirius smiled at the two, "That was a noble thing, back there. He doesn't deserve it."

"I didn't think that our dad would want his two best friends to become killers. Besides, he dies and the truth dies too. Alive, you're free."

Sirius glanced back at where Peter's wails grew in pitch before being silenced by Remus. "I don't know if you two are aware, but when you were born, James and Lily made me your Godfather."

"I know." Harry answered. Rebecca gazed on into the distance. 

"Well, I can understand if you want to stay with your aunt and uncle, but if you ever wanted a different home."

Harry realised what the man was saying, "What? I can live with you."

"You both can. I have a house through my family. It's dusty and dark now, but it can be made into a home."

Rebecca looked at Harry's face, "Rebecca, we can live together!"

Sirius looked at them confused, "You don't both live with your aunt and uncle?"

Rebecca shook her head, "It's a long story, but I was...adopted in a sort. I live with the Weasleys."

"Molly and Arthur?" She nodded while Sirius continued, "This is certainly a conversation to be continued another time, but I would never take you away from a home where you're happy and safe." He made sure she caught his eyes, "Never, ever would I do that. I know what it's like to live in a love-less home..." His eyes zoned out as he remembered the toxicity of his own childhood home, the summers spent at the Potters.

Hermione looked away from the three of them to where Remus had Peter under the hold of his wand. "Look!" Hermione shouted. The moon was rising above the ridgeline of the mountains, revealing its full shape.

Remus felt the changes begin to take place, the burning, the stretching. "Remus, have you taken your potion tonight?" Sirius asked as he went to his old friend's side. Remus was grunting as his body jerked madly, "You know the man you are Remus, it's in this heart right here!" Sirius placed a cupped hand over where Remus' heart was beating erratically.

Remus' now-gnarled hands dropped his wand, a detail not missed by Peter. The rat-man picked it up and held it like he was going to cast a spell on Sirius' turned-back. "Expelliarmus!" Harry cast, leaving Rebecca to hold Ron up on her own. 

Peter waved smugly before transforming back into a rat and running into towards the Forbidden Forest. Sirius was shouting Remus' name as he held onto him tighter, Remus' body grew taller, his fingers lengthening. 

"RUN! RUN!" Sirius shouted as Remus' transformation entered its final stages, "RUN!" Hermione took the other side of Ron, running as quickly as she could with Rebecca still on the other side of him. Remus threw Sirius away from him before crouching and whimpering.

"Wait," Hermione said, watching the werewolf that was once their professor. "Hermione! What are you doing?" Ron whispered, leaning back onto Rebecca fully. She groaned as his bigger body was once more fully dependant on hers.

"Professor? Professor Lupin?" Hermione took another step closer to him when he jerked up and turned his head to the moon, howling. He took a menacing step towards the four children, then another. Snape exited the passageway, growling. "There you are Potter!"

Remus roared behind the Potions professor, causing him to whirl around and put his body in front of theirs. Remus raised himself so he was on his hind legs and swiped Snape to the side, sending him flying an unconscious once more that night. Just as Remus was about to snap his snarling maw around Hermione's arm, Sirius launched out of the brush in dog form, knocking he and Remus off to the side and giving them a small window to start running back to the castle again.

Harry had his wand in hand and kept an eye on their surroundings while Hermione resumed the other half of Ron's supports. Sirius and Remus faced off in a whirl of growls and snapping jaws, spinning wildly until they split apart. Rebecca peaked around and saw Remus aiming to run after them again, but Sirius planted his feet and growled, acting as a protector.

"Careful!" Hermione pulled Ron up as she started climbing the stairs to the castle with him, the belt having loosened in the madness and his leg leaving a trail of blood behind them that was rapidly thickening.

Harry stopped, "He's hurt Sirius!"

"Harry, don't you dare!" Rebecca warned. 

"I have to, just get Ron to the infirmary!" Harry shouted as he ran off into the direction Remus and Sirius had gone in. Hermione and Rebecca had just helped Ron up the last stair when Hermione pulled Ron farther onto her, "Go!"

Rebecca went to say that she wouldn't leave her when Hermione pulled Ron's arm off of her completely, "Before he gets himself killed!" Rebecca nodded, squeezing Ron's shoulder tightly before running off after her idiot brother.

*******************************************

Harry had left his friends to help Sirius and found that once he'd left them behind and made his way to the brawling canines, he was sorely out matched. He did the only thing a mostly-sensible thirteen year old boy would do--He threw a rock.

Granted it wasn't the largest rock and Harry had had a tiring day, his aim was good and his throw true: The rock collided with Remus' head. The werewolf left the whimpering Sirius and bounded towards him, his large paw raised to whack him aside as he had Snape.

"Ahooooo!"

A strange howling came out of the forest to the right. Remus looked in that direction, but continued towards Harry.

"AHOOOOOO!" 

The howl came once more, louder than before. Remus turned in the direction it had come from and bounded into the forest. Harry saw Sirius turn back into a man, a man who was staggering farther down the hill. He ran after his godfather, fearing the worst.

Harry found himself weaving in and out of different rows of gigantic trees, some of the oldest in the forest. Footsteps crashed around him, he whirled around with his wand out in case it was Remus.

"Get that thing out of my face!" Rebecca hissed, smacking his hand. "What the hell's the matter with you? Running off without me." 

Harry rubbed the back of his hand, "What did you want me to do?"

"I would have liked you to have told me what you were going to do so I could know."

"What, like you did in the passageway when we were going after Ron?"

Rebecca fell silent, her hypocrisy made more than clear. "Well that's different, Harry." Her voice dripped with tone. Harry grabbed her arm and led her on, the two of them descending faster and faster. She quickly learned it was better to let Harry run in front, he ended up hitting all the loose branches so she knew when to duck farther.

Harry stopped quickly, his feet sliding in the now-stony ground. She slid into the back of him, knocking him a step farther. In front of them lie a lake with a crumpled Sirius at the bottom of the bank.

"Sirius, no!" Harry cried out as he saw the tears through his coat and the torn flesh underneath. Rebecca jumped on the other side of him and pressed her fingers around his neck, "He's still alive, Harry!"

Rebecca felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up as she tore off her jumper to hold against Sirius' wounds. A chill blew and Harry watched as the lake slowly froze over. Sirius' eyes shot open as he let out a blood-curdling scream. The dementors had found them; hundreds circled in the sky above them.

One veiled ghoul broke away from the group and dove down, its face lingering near Sirius as it drank from him. Harry stood up while Rebecca continued to hold the pressure steady, her jumper quickly growing more and more wet.

"Expecto patronum!" Harry tried to cast the spell. The light that did come out of his wand was weak and mostly transparent. "Expecto patronum!" His second try wasn't any better. Rebecca pulled herself up a little and held the makeshift bandage with the bottom of her knee, taking her wand out to join Harry's efforts.

Another dementor descended and took another attempt a Sirius. "Ready Harry?" Rebecca asked as she held her wand out to the sky. She filled her mind with happiness: Not just one memory, but the things that made her happy. She thought of Harry, Ron, and Hermione when they 'studied,' but mostly ended up playing around. She thought of the hours she'd spent with Fred and George as they brainstormed and worked on their pranking ideas. She found herself thinking more and more of Fred as she and Harry cast the charm once more, pooling all of their strength together.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" Their voices shouted in unison.

The effect was immediate and blinding. A shield spread out from their two wands and joined above them, stopping each and every dementor that tried to attack Sirius. Their energy only lasted so long though. As the shield faded, a dementor rushed at Harry instead of Sirius, causing him to fall to his knees.

"No!" Rebecca shouted, trying to allocate enough strength from the rest of her body to cast the charm again. "Fred...Fred...FRED!" She thought as she grasped at any memory she had with him. "The rendering from Christmas, Wizard's Mistletoe, the party after the Quidditch final..."

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" Her voice was hoarse as she gave the last bit of herself into the spell, draining herself completely. A shield spread over the unconscious Sirius and stunned Harry, a shield that lasted far past it should have. When the spell finally ended, she fell forward over Sirius.

Unconscious before she even hit the ground. Harry looked up weakly, watching the dementors alternate between Sirius and Rebecca. A dementor settled above Sirius, holding itself there. A light rose out of Sirius' mouth, a small, iridescent light. 

"That's his soul." Harry was able to think through the fog that muddled his mind. "It's the dementor's kiss."

Harry looked across the lake, a stag had appeared. A glowing stag. The stag cocked its head at Harry before waves of light began emanating off of it: The same quality of light that was created with the patronus charm. Harry watched the light recede back into Sirius' mouth as the pulses of light scared the dementors away from them.

Harry's vision began to dim, the stag growing more and more distant. He heard Sirius' gasping breath as the darkness overtook him, his hand reaching for Rebecca but his mind gone before he made contact. 

*******************************************

Cliff hanger? I guess so...

<3


	48. End of Prisoner of Azkaban

"I saw our dad." Harry said as soon as he felt the ability to speak, noting that he was in the infirmary.

"What?" Hermione asked confused. "Sleep talking must be hereditary." She thought.

"He sent the dementors away, I saw him across the lake."

Hermione ignored him, "Listen Harry, they've captured Sirius. Any minute the dementors are going to perform the kiss."

Harry pushed himself out of bed, stammering, "Wh-what? He's innocent!" Hermione turned to the door as it was thrown open. Dumbledore sauntered in, looking at the teenagers carefully as he approached them. Ron lie in a bed across the aisle, Rebecca in the one next to him. 

"Headmaster, you've got to do something!" Hermione cried as she and Harry ran in front of him.

"He's innocent!" Harry added.

"It's Scabbers, sir!" Ron added.

"Scabbers?" Dumbledore asked curiously.

"It's my rat sir, only he's not really rat. Though he was a rat! My brother Percy's rat first, then-"

"We know the truth." Hermione said. "Please believe us."

"I do, Miss Granger. But I'm sorry to say that the word of three thirteen year old wizards will not do." He walked over to Rebecca's bed, "A child's voice, however powerful, is meaningless as time." He leaned over her bed and watched her lips move slowly, quiet whispering coming out of her mouth. "Swing. Double. Rat. Dog. Dark. Friend."

Dumbledore patted Ron's heavily bandaged leg, making the boy wince. "Curious thing time," He began as he made his way back out of the infirmary. "Powerful and when meddled with, dangerous."

He paused at the door, "Sirius Black is in the topmost cell of the Dark Tower. You know the laws Miss Granger, you must not be seen. And I feel you would do well to return before this time, if not, the consequences are too ghastly to discuss."

At the exit, he turned back. "If you succeed, more than one life may be saved tonight. Three turns should do it, I think." He closed the door behind him, leaving Harry burning with questions.

"What's he talking about Hermione? Time? Laws? Turns?" Harry asked as he went to Rebecca's side, brushing the hair off her face gingerly, his hand tracing the end of her own lightning bolt scar before looking back to Hermione.

"Yeah, what the blood hell was that all about?" Ron piped up from his bed. 

"Sorry Ron, but seeing as you can't walk." Hermione went to Harry at Rebecca's bedside. She looked at her friend's pale form and squeezed her hand. "She pushed herself too far, tried to use more magic than she had. Madame Pomfrey said she's lucky to be alive."

Hermione pulled Harry back to the center of the room and put his head under the necklace chain she'd pulled out of her shirt. "Hermion-"

"Quiet Harry! I'll explain later. Or earlier? Ju-I'll explain okay. Do you trust me?" 

Harry nodded, "With my life."

"Then here we go." She turned the knob on the side three times, a chime sounding out with each revolution. When she was done, she pushed the pin back in, the entire thing now spinning rapidly.

Their surroundings began to change, people zipped around them, the sun rose from where it had long since set and settled in the early morning portion of the sky. When everything stopped moving, Hermione quickly removed the necklace from around Harry's head and started to talk quickly.

"It's 5:30. Where were we at 5:30?"

"I don't know, where'd Ron go?"

"Harry! We have to know!" Hermione pulled his arm and started to run out of the infirmary.

"I was on my way to meet you on the way to Hagrid's, Rebecca had already finished her Divination exam."

"Come on then, we can't be seen."

Hermione stopped suddenly at the end of the tunnel to Hagrid's walkway, pulling Harry back behind the cover of the wall. "What are we doing!" Harry demanded.

"...foul, loathsome little cockroach!" Harry heard and watched as Hermione thrust her wand against Malfoy's neck...

"That's us."

He watched their exchange, "This is not normal!" Hermione pulled him back and slammed him against the wall, "This is a time-turner Harry. McGonagall gave it to me first term, it's how I've been going to my lessons all year."

"We've gone back in time?" Hermione rolled her eyes. "Yes, clearly there's something in this moment that Dumbledore wants us to change."

They turned back and watched as Hermione let her wand fall to her side and step away from Draco, turning back and socking him in the face. "Oh damn, that hurts." Both Hermiones held their hands.

The two time-travellers watched themselves and their friends continue on their way to Hagrid's making their own way down once their past selves were inside his hut. Hermione pulled Harry off to the side, crouching behind the pumpkins near the tree line. 

"Here they come," Harry said as he saw the descending execution crew, "We'd better hurry."

Hermione grabbed his arm and pulled him back down, "We have to wait for Fudge to see that Buckbeak's here. If not,"

"Hagrid will go back to Azkaban." Harry finished, remembering their conversation from earlier in the school year.

Hermione pulled Harry back as he had lunged to go get Scabbers, explaining that he couldn't go attack Pettigrew. "We can't be seen, awful things happen to wizards who meddle with time."

"We aren't leaving." Hermione said confused, "Why haven't we noticed them coming yet?"

Hermione looked on top of the pumpkin they were crouched behind and grabbed the small stone off of it, winding her arm back and throwing it directly at the back of Harry's head in the window.

"Ow, that hurt!" 

It was exactly what their past selves needed to notice the approaching adults and start their exiting. Harry and Hermione jumped back, hiding in the trees as their past selves crouched down behind the pumpkins they'd just been at.

Harry and Hermione watched from only a few meters away as Rebecca held her hand against the pumpkin directly behind Buckbeak, apologising. Harry took a step forward, wanting to comfort her. His foot landed on a branch and snapped it. Hermione grabbed him so he didn't take another step, Rebecca looked back into the trees, but was called forward by Ron from the next set of pumpkins. 

Harry and Hermione ran back to in front of Buckbeak, Buckbeak's large eyes looking them over sadly. Harry lifted the chain and bowed to Buckbeak while Hermione grabbed a one of the dead ferrets to entice him with. The adults left Hagrid's hut, Dumbledore directing Fudge and Macnair's attention to the shrubbery around the castle's borders of historical value.

Buckbeak followed Hermione into the woods, her dangling another ferret behind her. "Where is it? I saw the beast just now!" They heard Fudge's voice shout. Harry laughed, looking to Buckbeak who was nodding his head up and down quickly. Hermione ducked behind a tree and watched as Dumbledore told the executioner that his services were no longer required.

Macnair lifted his axe and swung it into one of Hagrid's gourds, the thump echoing out.

*******************************************

Harry and Hermione ran with Buckbeak, struggling to keep him quiet as they moved over towards where the Whomping Willow, and the hidden pathway way to the Shrieking Shack were. The sun had set by this point, their past selves had already gotten to the Sirius and were on their way back by their estimates.

Hermione left Buckbeak in a divot surrounded by trees, giving him the last ferret. "What do we do now?" Harry asked as she turned and ran.

"Now we save Sirius."

"How?" Harry followed closely behind her. 

"I have no idea."

They watched from the trees as Snape passed under the Whomping Willow. "Look, it's Snape. That must mean that Professor Lupin has already entered."

Harry chuckled, "You know this means I knocked him out twice, right?"

Hermione looked at him entirely unenthused, "That's what you're thinking about? And it makes you laugh?"

Harry continued to laugh as he sat against a tree. "Yes, it is."

Hermione sat as well, "Now we wait."

They sat mostly in silence, enjoying the calm before the storm and listening to the sounds of Buckbeak snapping small creatures out of the air. "Rebecca's going to be fine. She always is." Hermione said after a long while.

Harry looked at her, "Are you telling me that? Or yourself?"

"Both of us, maybe." Hermione's head jerked up and she smacked the ground. "That's it! Harry, her dreams are the future!"

Harry looked at her like she'd spoken in another language, "Yes...and?"

"Swing, double, rat, dog, dark, friend! The words she's been saying for weeks! It all lines up: Swing was the axe. Double, well that's us, we doubled ourselves. Rat-"

"Peter. Dog would be Sirius."

"Or Professor Lupin, both ended up true in a way. Dark..."

"Well that could be that this all happened at night or...you know..." Harry trailed off.

"Know what?" Hermione asked, not understanding what he was implying.

"She ended up 'in the dark.' Perhaps she saw that she'd end up hurt."

Hermione nodded, "Maybe. All that leaves is friend."

"Friend must be our dad! I know what I saw while we were at the lake, someone was there and they cast their corporeal patronus."

"Harry, your dad is-"

"Dead. I know. I'm only telling you what I saw."

They pondered over the many different meanings 'friend' that could have had, falling silent once more when they watched themselves leave the passageway. 

"Look, you and Rebecca go to talk to Sirius." Hermione pointed out.

"He's asked us to come and live with him."

"Oh?" Hermione said in an odd tone.

"What's 'oh?' What do you mean by that?" Harry demanded.

Hermione shrugged, "I was just wondering how Rebecca felt about that, that's all."

Harry rolled his eyes, "She'll come live with us, it'll mean we get to live together at last."

Hermione made the decision to say something that could have been crossing a line, "I wouldn't be so sure Harry. You're her brother, her twin. You'll always, always matter to her."

"Of course!" Harry interrupted surely.

"But she's not in a home like yours. She's in a real home and we only know how she lived before by what she's told us, we have no idea how bad it truly was. All I'm saying is don't pressure her to leave what she's grown to know. The Weasley's are her family, too." Hermione thought for a moment, "Though not Fred, he's not looped in with the rest of them."

Harry looked at her as she continued to watch Sirius as he talked with past Harry and Rebecca. "Why?"

Hermione looked away and raised her eyebrows at him, "You know exactly why."

Harry nodded, "Yeah, I do. They really care about each other." Harry's voice took on an edge, an edge sharp enough that Hermione turned and made him look at her. 

"Harry, that's not fair and you know it."

He sighed, "I know, I'm sorry. I just worry."

Hermione shook her head, "About what? Fred would die before he ever did anything to hurt her, let alone let anything hurt her. You missed it while you were out. Fred and George both went on a rampage in the Hospital Wing, that's why they weren't there. McGonagall took them to her office to calm down."

"What'd they do?"

"Let's just say this, do not ever tell Fred to calm down when it comes to her. Still can't believe that he flipped that bed..." Hermione let her voice trail away.

Harry smiled, though his smile left when he continued. "I'm not worried about that, I know he'd never hurt her. I...I sometimes think she likes him more than she does me."

Hermione scoffed, "Harry, that is the dumbest thing I've ever heard and I've heard Ron try to make up his own jokes. She doesn't like Fred more than you, it's just a different kind of like. You don't see me crying when you oogle Cho Chang."

"Who?" Harry's voice cracked as he asked.

Hermine cut their conversation short, "Look! The moon is coming out."

Remus' first howl washed over them, giving them goosebumps. "Let's go." Harry said as he took off to the right, running towards the lake where Sirius ended up. Hermione stopped in between two bushes, watching as Remus walked closer and closer to Harry. "Get down!" Hermione hissed as she crouched underneath the bushes as Harry did the same. Footsteps grew closer and closer until Rebecca was between them, close enough that if Harry reached out from his hiding spot, he would have grabbed her legs.

"Oh bloody hell." She said to herself as she watched the same scene they were: Remus getting closer and closer to past Harry. "Ahooo!" She cupped her hands around her mouth and howled, trying to distract the werewolf.

Remus turned for a second, but still moved on Harry. "AHOOOOO!" She howled even louder, loud enough for Remus to turn and run towards them.

"Damn!" She cursed as she took off to the right once more. Hermione held her hand up at Harry for him to wait until Rebecca had gone far enough that she wouldn't hear or see them. "Now!" Hermione whispered. They were standing and running in seconds, going deeper into the forest to circle around where Harry saw their dad save them.

They ran until their lungs burned and their sides ached, stopping only when they saw that Remus had gotten ahead of them, stopping in a wide clearing. Harry ducked behind a thick tree, pulling Hermione next to him. As Remus moved closer to the exit of the clearing, Hermione went the opposite way around the tree, backpedalling them to safety.

Or, at least what she thought was safety. Remus had stopped in the clearing and growled as they fell into his sight. Remus bounded towards them, Harry pushing Hermione behind his body and shielding her. Luckily, his heroism was unneeded. Buckbeak ran in front of them and unfurled his wings, scaring Remus back a few steps.

Buckbeak looked back at them, nodding his head. A frigid wind blew past them. They turned to the skies, watching as the first of the dementors swarmed towards the lake. "We've got to go!" Harry urged her to keep running in the direction they had been going in.

On the other side of the lake, they saw that Rebecca had already joined him and had her jumper off and onto Sirius. Hermione noticed her bare arms, "So that's what happened to it!"

Harry questioned her as to what she meant. "That was one thing Fred was so irate about, you're lucky you didn't see how she was brought in Harry. Her fingertips were blue, her lips blue. Her skin like ice."

Harry shivered just thinking about it, turning his attention back to the issue at hand: The dementors were only growing in number and strength and there was no sign of James. Past Harry attempted the patronus charm for the first time and failed, another dementor going down at him.

"Harry?" Hermione asked.

"Just watch, he'll be here." Past Harry and Rebecca joined forces, their successful patronus charm warding off enough of the dementors for Sirius' soul to reenter his body. Past Harry fell to the side unconscious. The two from the future watched in horror as Rebecca shakily raised herself up once more.

Hermione's hand shot to her mouth as they heard her shout the charm again, the shield only lasting a short time. She slumped forward. "Harry, no one's coming! You have to do it now before you all die!"

Harry shoved his devastation to the bottom of his being, focusing on the happiest memory he could think of: It was the summer, he was sitting on a picnic table outside a misshapen house. A girl was brought out, a thin, black-haired, green-eyed, bespectacled girl. A girl who looked just like him.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" Harry cast the charm the best he ever had, his corporeal patronus forming. A stag bounded out of his wand and began warding off the dementors in waves. Hermione's hand clasped against her mouth as Harry saved all three of them.

*******************************************

Harry and Hermione stumbled away from the lake in the dark, Harry wiping his eyes all the while. "I waited too long. I waited too long for someone who is dead and hadn't even been there." Hermione didn't know what to say.

"I waited too long and I may have just killed Rebecca."

Buckbeak stomped his foot from where he had waited in the clearing. Harry looked at the magnificent creature who stomped his foot once more. Hermione looked at Buckbeak carefully, "He's right. He's going to have to fly us out of here, we still have to get to the Dark Tower to save Sirius from the kiss."

They climbed on, the cool night's air wiping away the rest of Harry's tears. Hermione leaned forward, "Harry, I can't tell you that you didn't see your father earlier because if we hadn't already gone back in time, how could you have seen yourself save you? Maybe you did, maybe you didn't. But we're not done yet."

"I know."

Hermione held him tighter as Buckbeak dropped suddenly. "Oh I hate flying!" Hermione groaned. Buckbeak turned his head around and gave Harry a wink before dropping into a dive to land outside of Sirius' cell.

Hermione hopped off of Buckbeak as quickly as she could once he'd landed, her legs shaking underneath her. She went to Sirius' cell door and told him to look away. "Bombarda!" She blew the door into the cell, dust rising as the rocks crumbled.

Climbing back on to Buckbeak with Sirius joining them, they landed in an empty courtyard near the Hospital Wing. "I'll be forever grateful for this." Sirius told them.

"What do you mean? I want to go with you!" Harry asked confused as to why Sirius was speaking like they wouldn't see him for a while.

"Harry, these are going to be strange, uncertain times whereas I'm involved until I'm officially cleared. Besides," He looked to Hermione, "You both belong here."

Sirius knelt down in front of Harry, "I suspect you're tired of hearing this, but you look so much like your father. Rebecca too, just-"

"Not the eyes." Harry finished for him.

"It's cruel that I got to spend so much time with James and Lily and you two so little. But know this, the ones that love us never really leave us. We can always find them in here." Sirius placed a hand over Harry's heart before going back to Buckbeak.

"You really are the brightest witch of your age." Sirius told Hermione as he readied for takeoff once more. 

Harry and Hermione ran to the end of the courtyard to watch him fly off into the distance, the clock beginning to chime. "We have to go!" Hermione warned as they began to run to the Hospital Wing.

They reached the Hospital Wing doors just as Dumbledore closed them behind him. "Well?"

"He's free, we did it." Harry told the headmaster. 

"Did what?" Dumbledore asked as he continued on his way. "Good night!"

Harry and Hermione opened the doors just in time to see themselves disappear. "How'd you get there? I was just talking to you here and now you're there?!" Ron asked with a growing hysteria.

"What's he talking about Harry?" Hermione asked.

"I don't know. Honestly Ron, how could someone be in two places at once."

Harry went to Rebecca's side, "She's okay? Nothing's changed?" He asked Ron. Ron looked over, "No, nothing much."

"What does much mean? What's changed?" Harry demanded.

Ron shrugged, "Well she stopped muttering for one. That gets really bloody old, bravo to you and Ginny, sleeping with that every night." He told Hermione.

"No, not every night." Hermione said, Harry and Hermione both bursting into laughter at the absurdity of their night. Harry wove his hand through Rebecca's, squeezing it as he kissed her forehead.

"I need anothe rblanket." Harry said as he and Hermione began to cover her up.

*******************************************

Harry and Hermione were woken up the next morning from their comfortable arrangements in chairs between Ron and Rebecca but the Hospital Wing doors being slammed open once more. Fred stormed in, George behind him talking loudly.

"Fred! We were expressly forbidden from returning to the Hospital Wing without invitation after yesterday!"

"Oh yeah?" Fred asked dryly. "Watch this. Harry, are you inviting me in?" Fred didn't wait for a response. "Excellent!"

Madame Pomfrey came away from her desk at the sound of the Weasley twins. "You two, out! I will not be righting tipped beds today!"

Rebecca stirred in her bed, "Fred? Is that you?" Fred was at her side in a blink. 

"I'm right here." He grabbed her hand and held it against his forehead. "You've really got to stop this...this life threatening-stuff."

Rebecca smiled, her eyes still closed, "I'll take that into consideration."

Harry leaned over her and hugged, telling her quietly that Sirius was okay and that he would explain everything later. Harry went to pull away when Rebecca reached up and grabbed the other side of his face, making him stay there while she pecked his cheek.

"Ron, where's Ron?"

Ron raised his hand from his adjacent bed, "Present and fine, thank you for asking." Ron said pointedly at Fred and George. Fred sighed and let his head fall to the bed, his hand still wrapped around hers. "I nearly lost it there."

Madame Pomfrey looked at him, "I'll say. Miss Potter, as soon as you feel well enough to rise, we will do a once over but, I suspect no need for a lasting stay. A bit of exhaustion builds character, though I must express the severity of over-casting like you had. You may have lived this time, you may not the next."

Rebecca nodded, "Yes Madame Pomfrey, thank you."

She let her head fall back to the pillow for a moment. Those around her bed heard a strange noise, a noise to which looked around sheepishly. "Was that your stomach?" Hermione asked concerned.

"Hey! Lunch was a really, really long time ago and I was over-magicked. That's bound to build an appetite."

Fred shook his head and laughed with them, handing her her glasses and offering her his hand as she swung her legs off the bed and stood. "Fred, really, I'm-whoa!"

She went to take a step and found that her legs were still mostly asleep. He held her up by the hand he'd had and the arm he'd caught her with. "What were you saying?" He asked cheekily. Harry watched the way Fred watched her as they made their way out of the Hospital Wing, the attention he paid her.

Harry led the group on a slight detour on their way to the Great Hall, Rebecca asking where her jumper had ended up. He turned left and went up a staircase, the rest of the close behind. They ended up at the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom. Harry raised his hand to knock, but was greeted before he had the chance too.

"Hello Harry and company."

Harry looked at him confused until he saw the map on the desk. "I saw you coming." Remus explained.

"I've looked worse, believe me." Remus said as he saw how Rebecca looked at him. "I'm quite happy to hear you're feeling better Miss Potter, I heard every bed in the castle shook in fear last night." Fred burnt a dark shade of crimson as he realised just how far his little 'incident' had spread.

"You've been sacked." Ron stated as he crutched in and sat in a chair.

"No, no. I've resigned."

"Resigned, why?" Harry demanded.

"It seems somebody let slip the nature of my condition. This time tomorrow the owls will start to arriving and parents will not want a, well someone like me, teaching their children."

"But Dumbledore-" Hermione tried to speak before Remus continued over her. "Dumbledore has already risked enough on my behalf. Besides, let's just say I'm used to it by now."

Rebecca watched him sadly as he waved his wand at another chest around the room to close by itself. 

"Why do you look so miserable?" Remus asked Harry specifically.

"It didn't make any difference, Pettigrew escaped."

"Didn't make any difference?" Remus asked astonished, "Harry, it made all the difference in the world! You helped uncover the truth, you helped save an innocent man from a terrible fate. It made a great deal of difference."

Rebecca spoke in the silence that followed Remus' statement. "But we're still losing the best Defence Against the Dark Arts professor we've ever had."

"I doubt that you will still say that at the end of your schooling, though I appreciate the sentiment. If I am proud of anything this year, it is of how much you have all learned."

Fred smiled at Rebecca, watching her continue to converse with Professor Lupin. "Now, since I am no longer your teacher, I feel no guilt whatsoever giving this back to you." 

Remus continued, "I feel certain that we will meet again. Until then, it is safe to say 'Mischief managed'." Before giving the map back to Harry.

Harry turned to Fred and George. "This really goes back to you two."

George looked to Fred who shook his head. George handed it back to Harry, "We're alright, we know every hidden way now. Besides, it's not like its going far."

Remus shooed them out of his ex-classroom and told them to go get some breakfast, "Whomever's stomach was making that much noise needs to eat before they digest themselves!" He joked as he closed the door behind him.

Rebecca walked at the back of the group, making sure Ron wasn't being left behind. "I haven't had the chance to thank you for yesterday." Ron said once they had a modicum of privacy. "I already caught Hermione, but I wanted to thank you for the belt and the help back to the castle."

Rebecca shook her head, "I was only doing what you would've done for me, what I would do for any of you." She watched their friends from where they were behind them, the way they were laughing with each other.

Fred turned back to make sure she wasn't too far behind, smiling with his twinkling eyes as she smiled back. 

*******************************************

They all spent the rest of the afternoon, after an incredibly filling breakfast, packing their trunks and helping Hermione bring her due library books down to the library. Even with all of them helping, Harry, Fred, George, Rebecca, Ginny, and Hermione, they all had tall stacks.

"Hermione, you're forbidden from checking anything more than a 1,000 pages out next year." Rebecca warned as she looked at the sheer number of books they had. "This is ridiculous."

Hermione smiled, "I've decided to go a little easier on myself next year." 

Harry returned her smile, though it quickly dropped at Rebecca's next comment.

"Good, I don't think you had enough time this year."

Hermione raised an eyebrow, "What are you talking about, I had plenty of time."

Rebecca shook her head, "Really, I'm pretty sure you had some extra this year."

Ron looked between all of them before looking to Fred and George, "What are they talking about?" George shrugged, "Beats me, let's just finish this up so we can get to dinner! They're announcing the House Cup winners and awarding us the Quidditch Cup!"

Madame Pince was relieved to see all of her precious books returned in the timely and organised fashion that Hermione always did. "Rebecca, you have the A-books so you put yours on the counter first. Harry, you have b to f, you're next..."

George groaned with the last letters of the alphabet and let the drop on the counter with a bang. "There! All the books are returned! Let's go to dinner now!"

Fred leaned closer to Rebecca's ear, "What's got his wand in a knot? We've already won the Quidditch Cup!"

Rebecca laughed and whispered back, "I think he's just ready to go home."

Fred responded, "I am too." With his relief evident. It was hard work going to school and balancing case-making, prank-preparing, oh yeah, and the whole 'murderer-who-isn't-actually-a-murderer-but-has-been-after-Harry-and-Rebecca-all-year' thing.

Sitting at the benches of the Great Hall for the last time as third and fourth years, Rebecca looked from each of her friends before exploring the room. Her friends looked older, both in age and in wisdom. She and Harry had both learned a lot about forgiveness and their pasts that year, as well as lessons on trusting their friends with their worries.

The Great Hall was decked from ceiling to floor in red and gold, Gryffindor having had enough points to secure both the House and the Quidditch cups that year. Professor McGonagall simply glowed with pride at the staff table, her joy contagious within her house.

"Oh Harry! I forgot to tell you! Dad's gotten tickets to the QUidditch World Cup and he's told you to come!" Ron said excitedly at dinner.

Fred and George looked up from their plates, as did Ginny and Rebecca. "What?!" They all shouted in unison.

"Oh, perhaps I forgot to tell all of you."

Ron continued to tell the rest of them everything that had been in the letter from Molly and Arthur weeks before, including the fact that they now had a telephone. The celebration at dinner turned into a celebration in the common room, though this time Rebecca and Fred sat with their friends instead of sleeping in the window seat.

As secretive as they thought they were being, everyone saw their hands resting on one another's between them.

*******************************************

Boarding the train was even easier than the years before since all three girls had actually finished their packing the night before instead of their annual scrambling to finish that morning. They ate a quick breakfast and boarded the train with the other students.

A few hours into their long ride, a small dark owl pecked at their window as it struggled to keep up with the speeding train. Rebecca reached up and opened the window so that it could hop in, which it did gratefully. A letter was attached to his leg, a letter from Sirius.

"Harry and Rebecca,

I'm doing some travelling right now as things get dealt with regarding the Ministry and all that boring stuff, away from Hogwarts to avoid causing anymore trouble. Hedwig will know how to find me--I am always available for you two. 

Harry, I forgot to mention with everything going on that I am glad you found the Firebolt to be an adequate replacement for you trusty Nimbus 2000. I also wanted to mention to Rebecca that it's quite coincidental that she ended up a chaser. James was as well, always said he had children to continue 'his legacy.' (Yes, he would actually say that. Yes, we did smack him each time.)

I have attached a signed permission slip for Hogsmeade next year Harry, no need to sneak about. Give it to Dumbledore, he'll accept it.

Ron, this little guy is for you, as an apology about the loss of your rat. I hope he is a suitable companion, though be warned he does not like sunflower seeds. If you offer them, expect a swift and painful reminder.

Always here if you need me,

Sirius/Padfoot

The letter gave them something to talk about for the last remaining portion of their trip, Harry and Rebecca realising that the worst part of their year was swiftly approaching.

The owl took a quick liking to Ginny, sitting atop her head. "What about Pigwidgeon Ron? He seem like a Pigwidgeon to you?"

Ron nodded, "Yeah, he does." The little black owl, now named, went over to Ron and nestled himself into his elbow.

*******************************************

King's Cross was the bustling travel-centre it always was, especially at the end of the school year. Harry and Rebecca walked next to each other, Harry making sure she remembered the Dursleys' phone number correctly.

"Yes Harry! I wrote it on the train!" She sighed as he went over it once more.

"Now these telephones, they take you to him?" Fred asked confused.

"Not quite, I'll show you when we get back, okay?" Rebecca answered before turning to back to Harry, seeing how he looked over to their aunt and uncle. "We should go say hello, don't you think?"

Harry tried to tell her to be nice, but his warnings fell on deaf ears. "Hello!" Rebecca pulled Petunia and then Vernon into hugs like they were the best of friends. She blatantly ignored Dudley, looking right over him.

"I just wanted to let you know that we've recently gotten a telephone. I'll be in contact with Harry all summer!"

Harry wanted to smile at the way Vernon's face paled and Petunia's eyes widened, even more so with her next sentence.

"We recently learned about a family member of ours, great man. He just escaped Wizards' Prison after being incarcerated for twelve years for mass murder! He'll be keeping in touch with Harry as well, making sure there aren't any barring circumstances."

A strange squeak left Petunia's mouth as Rebecca turned to Harry, realising that she was referencing the barring of his windows from two years earlier. "Harry..." She didn't know what to say. It was easy to threaten their aunt and uncle, it was hard to tell him how much she would miss him. It was hard to tell him how much she loved him.

"I know. I love you, too." Harry let his trolley stand up and walked her back in the direction of the Weasley's. "There was actually something that occured to me, something I wanted to clarify with you. Once Sirius has himself all sorted and everything...I don't expect you to leave your home for me."

Rebecca nodded, "It's just really hard, thinking about having the opportunity to live with you but,"

"But having to give up a family. We're already family, you and I," Harry pulled her into a tight hug, "I don't need to live with you to know that. Besides, we already live with each other most of the year!"

Rebecca laughed, hugging back just as tightly. "You like that bit about Sirius back there?"

Harry pulled himself away from her, grinning. "Loved it, I expect a nice quiet summer."

"Until the World Cup."

"Yes, until the World Cup."

*******************************************

Molly waited next to Arthur as Rebecca finished her goodbyes with Harry and then Hermione, bouncing from foot to foot impatiently. "Darling please, could you stand still?" Arthur asked cheekily, greeting his other children.

"Don't you 'darling' me, you should be just as furious!"

"Fine then, love. You're going to scare her."

Molly rolled her eyes and crossed her arms as Rebecca walked to them, her eyes glistening at the annual leaving of Harry. She noticed how Molly was looking at her. "What's wrong?"

George put his face in his hand, knowing how his mother reacted to that question.

"WHAT'S WRONG? WHAT'S WRONG!" Molly lowered her volume only slightly before continuing. "We will speak about this in the car." Molly turned and left the children and Arthur to scramble after her.

"I didn't even get a hug." Rebecca said to no one in particular, Arthur wrapping his arm around her. "Molly will calm down eventually...probably."

Once back in the carpark, Arthur and the boys spent a long time reorganising the trunks in the boot of the car. Molly went straight to the passenger seat, pointing for Rebecca to get in too.

"I got a parcel of sleep-aiding teas this morning with a letter from Madame Pomfrey and a letter from Professor McGonagall. Subconscious premonitions? Over usage of magic? These are letter-worthy topics if you ask me!"

Rebecca flinched at her tone, a flinch Molly noticed. "I didn't mean to shout, I..." They sat in silence until Molly continued, "When I read the letter and realised how much was going on that I had no idea about...I was scared, terrified! McGonagall briefly explained what happened with Sirius Black--over-magick? You could've killed yourself!"

"I know," Rebecca took a deep breath, "But I didn't. I could've died thirteen years ago too, but I didn't. I could've died last year, but I didn't."

Molly sighed, "Yes, I do see a pattern." She turned back in her chair and made eye-contact with her. "Don't let your good luck turn into disregard, past events never guarantee the future's layouts. And for Merlin's sake--Write to me! Keep me in the loop on these monumental events!"

Rebecca swore up and down that she would, "Does this mean I can have a hug when we get home?"

"No love, you can have one right now." They got out of the car and embraced, the others relieved that Molly's fury was quenched quickly. 

"Oh that could've been so much worse." Ginny sighed as she squeezed in next to Rebecca who watched as they reversed away from the spot. 

Fred had taken his customary spot against the window on the other side of Rebecca. "All's well?"

She smiled up at him, "All's well."

*******************************************

And just like that, we're done with the Prisoner of Azkaban. It's been nearly twenty chapters of dementor-fueled craziness, but now we're onto the summer and the the Quidditch World Cup!

I'm really happy with how everything came together because the PoA isn't really my favorite book or movie, but I think I created a new-found appreciation for it with all the research I did while writing this.

<3


	49. Summer at The Burrow

Ginny quickly found herself quite angry with Rebecca as the beginning of summer passed, particularly regarding her schedule. Rebecca woke up early, went downstairs and grabbed any letters for her, and then did any job Molly had asked of her before breakfast was done. Once her own responsibility was out of the way, Fred and George were awake and they scarfed breakfast and did their own tasks before all three ascended the stairs and stayed in Fred and George's room until late afternoon, the sound of explosions became a new and frequent addition to the soundtrack that made of the Burrow's activities. Thus, her schedule left only a few minutes before bed to converse with Ginny.

Molly set her tea down that morning near the end of the first month of summer, knowing exactly who was bounding down the stairs before half past seven again.

"Rebecca, you do know you don't have to wake up so early, right?" Molly asked again.

"Yes!" Molly smiled, not a stranger to cheek, "I figured as much, I just want to make sure you're getting enough rest."

Rebecca left the kitchen, leaving Molly flipping the last of the pancakes behind her. Rebecca was pouring the juice when it was time for the first daily beckoning.

"BREAKFAST IS READY!" Molly shouted up the stairs, the house coming to life as they raced around, throwing on clothes and brushing their teeth. Molly insisted that they not sleep all day and found the perfect solution to doing so: Breakfast was served at eight o'clock and that was it until dinner. If they didn't wake up, they made their own and, as she knew her children very well, their laziness fueled them down the stairs each and every morning. Fred and George came down the stairs dressed already as they'd also taken to waking up earlier this summer.

Rebecca had just finished setting out the now-filled cups when she realised she'd miscounted and needed once more. Fred watched from the hall as she counted around the table one more time.

"Need another?" She jumped, not realising he was there.

"Yeah, I think just one more. I could've sworn I'd had enough though..." Fred grabbed one out of the cupboard and tossed it to her across the table. He picked his cup up and drank it as she poured the other one. 

"This one's empty too." He smiled and handed it to her for more.

Rebecca went to quip back but didn't as Molly shooed Ron out of the walkway, carrying the large plate of pancakes in front of her with magic. "Get them while they're hot!" She called behind her, the other kids going and taking their spots.

Rebecca sat and picked at a pancake absently.

"Everything alright dearie?" Molly asked as she sipped from her teacup.

"I feel like I've forgotten something. I don't know what it is though."

The phone rang from the kitchen, "Bloody hell, I said I'd call Harry last night. That's got to be it." Rebecca looked to Molly for permission to leave the table.

"Your mouth cancels out your manners, but go on. If not he'll just call back again."

Rebecca ran out of the kitchen and picked the phone up off of it's cradle, "Harry, I cannot believe I forgot about last nig-" They heard Rebecca's explanation stop abruptly, "No Harry, I've not been dreaming. Yes, I drink my tea. Why're you worrying?" Her voice lowered, the Weasley's around the table found themselves lowering their voices even further to hear what she was saying.

"No, no not at all. Your scar? Yes, I do remember how it hurt...No, I've been peachy. Have you asked Sirius? Yes, I would. Want me to? Alright, alright, alright. I won't offer again wise Master Potter." Fred smiled as she used her posh butler's accent.

"Now is there anything else I can help you with this fine morning? No? Then I wish Master Potter a splendid day." Her voice reverted to her normal cadence, "You know you love it. Keep me updated, okay? Okay. I love you, too. Harry, my pancakes are getting cold, can it wait for your letter?"

Rebecca's voice rose to a shout, "A diet!?" There was a clatter as she dropped the phone. "Sorry!" She called to them, realising how loud she had been.

"Spends all day making explosions and apologises for shouting!" Ron laughed

Rebecca's conversation continued in the kitchen, "How the hell are you on a diet? Oinkers needs a lot more than a diet, a psychiatrist I would think. Harry, I'm warning you right this second: If we come get you for the match and you look even one ounce lighter, I will commit triple homicide."

There was a pause, "I'm not kidding Harry! Take care of yourself. Yes, I want to know all the details, okay, thank you!"

The phone trilled lightly as soon as they'd heard it was set down, she picked it up, "Yes Harry? I already said that I love you! Fine, I love you too!" The phone was hung up once more. When she turned back into the dining room, she found six pairs of eyes staring at her. "Everyone good on juice?"

Molly ignored her as she took her spot and resumed eating her breakfast, "Harry well?"

Rebecca shrugged, "Harry said his scar has been bothering him, but I think it's probably just something totally explainable?"

"Are you telling me or asking me?" Molly asked before answering reassuringly. "I'm sure it's nothing."

*******************************************

Ginny's anger overflowed the next night. Rebecca had spent even longer in Fred and George's room that day, the three of them only leaving that night for supper covered in soot. Molly shook her head, curious as to what they were going to say they were up there doing now.

"Do I even need to ask anymore?" She said as they sat at the table.

"We decided on curing cancer today."

"Oh really!" Arthur guaffed from his spot at the table. "How'd that turn out for you?"

They exchanged glances, "Probably take tomorrow too."

Ginny's face soured further, much to the notice of Molly. "What about you Percy, you've been upstairs quite a lot these days." Molly turned the conversation from the topic of Fred, George, and Rebecca's activities.

Percy spent the rest of dinner talking about the chart he had been making tracking the Ministry of Magic's expenditures over the month.

"Is that for school love?" Molly asked when he had finished and they were about to clear the table.

"No, just for fun." Percy said like it was obvious.

"I see." Molly waved her wand and cleared the table, the kids cheering. "You're dismissed!"

"Wait, wait! This was an early supper and it's still light out. How many of you stepped outside the house today?"

There was no response, "That's what I thought. Get your bums outside! Fresh air is necessary people!" Arthur clapped his hands rhythmically as he held the door open. Ginny grabbed her broom from where Fred and George had collected them quickly, leaving in a hurry.

"What's her problem?" Ron asked as he sat on his broom in the house. Molly walked by and smacked him up the head. "Feet on the floor in the house." Ron settled back on the ground with a groan and made his way out the door, Fred and George smacking his head as they went.

"Rebecca, stay a moment, will you?" Molly called from the kitchen. Rebecca leaned her broom against the wall and went to Molly.

"I noticed that Ginny was upset at supper tonight."

Rebecca looked at her confused, "She was?"

Molly nodded, "Seems so. I can't even begin to fathom what you three are doing up there, but perhaps you could make sure you're not ignoring everything else. Just a suggestion, might make for a happier room between you two."

Rebecca nodded, "I understand. Thank you!" Rebecca grabbed her broom as she bounded out of the house noisily. Arthur sighed into Molly's neck, wrapping his arms around her middle from behind. "Always know what's going on." 

"Just not what those beasties do up in their room all day."

"Maybe their just blowing things up." Arthur did not want to listen to his wife's many theories again. "I wanted to run something by you about the World Cup, I was thinking that we should write to the aunt and uncle with muggle mail. Purely for their own comfort."

"Mhmmm, I'm sure it has nothing to do with going to a muggle post office?"

"Nothing at all, what an excellent idea though!"

*******************************************

Arthur and Molly let the children stay out long after the last vestiges of the setting sun had disappeared, only insisting that they come in when Ron flew into the side of the house. The children showered quickly, all ending up in bed within the hour.

Molly climbed the stairs to tuck them all in, kissing their foreheads and wishing them good nights. Inside the girls' room, she walked into discussions about everything Ginny wanted to do the next day and smiled.

Molly normally asked if Rebecca drank her tea, though she forgot to that night. Perhaps it was because she was thinking about other things. Perhaps it was because Rebecca was praying for her not to.

"I'm just going to not drink it for one night and see if I dream anything like Harry did. One night won't hurt anybody."

Little did she know.

Hours later, the house asleep around her, her mind was pulled into the middle realm. She noticed right away that she was looking at an old house like Harry had said, a large, old house. Her vision faded to darkness before coming back in it's crystal clear quality inside the entrance of the house. There was a raspy voice speaking with one she remembered angrily: Peter Pettigrew's voice.

"Master, you are growing stronger everyday but you are not ready for that."

"You dare tell your master what he is capable of?" The threatening tone of voice was overruled by the fit of coughing that followed. "Blast, you may be right." Something moved by her feet, though when she looked down she saw legs that weren't her own. Rebecca moved away from the slithering creature, looking into a dirty mirror hanging on the wall and finding a withered old man's face staring back at her own.

"Nagini whispers of a muggle outside, eavesdropping."

The body that Rebecca was watching through moved on its own accord, moving to go back down the stairs behind her. "I'll ring the police and tell 'em that you're here! This is private property!" The old man's voice spoke.

The door was thrown open, Peter grabbing the man by his shoulders and forcing him back into the room. Rebecca's heart felt like it was beating through her chest. The thing speaking from the chair was the size of a small child, though it's body was free of hair, it's eyes a striking red and it's nose non-existent. It was Voldemort, alive again.

"It seems we are not entirely alone again this evening Wormtail. I do hate being watched you know. It simply drives me mad."

Voldemort's misshapen body hissed at the snake. Nagini coiled her body before pouncing at the old man's face, her fangs sinking into his flesh being the last thing Rebecca saw before she shot up in her own bed with her scar burning like it was on fire.

She was coated in a sheen of sweat, though she shivered. Nausea coursed through her body. Ginny sat up in her bed, woken up by her. "You didn't drink your tea, did you?"

Rebecca said nothing, her mind still going over everything she had seen. "If that wasn't the future, what was it?"

Ginny watched the way she held her hand to her forehead, "Your scar too?"

Rebecca nodded, hoping Ginny could see it through the darkness because she didn't feel well enough to speak. She felt the contents of her stomach churn furiously and knew she was going to be sick. She pushed herself out of bed and ran down the hall, making it to the toilet just in time.

When she had finished, she pulled herself up with the bathroom counter and brushed her teeth. Dampening a towel, she held it to her face as she went over her dream once more.

"Old house, Voldemort, snake, Wormtail...anything else?" Her scar twinged once more, Rebecca's hand shooting to the damn thing.

"Rebecca?" Molly's voice sounded out as she knocked on the door and entered the bathroom, "Ginny grabbed me, said you're ill?"

Rebecca shook her head, "I'm feeling better already, actually. Think that might have done the trick."

Molly tutted and fawned over her, making sure she was tucked back in bed and comfortable before going back downstairs.

"I didn't say anything about the dream." Ginny said across the dark room.

"I appreciate it, I was just testing a theory."

"And?" Ginny questioned.

"And what?" Rebecca yawned.

"Your theory! Did it prove anything?"

"I'm not entirely sure."

*******************************************

Rebecca woke up uncharacteristically late. "Noon!?" She thought as she shot out of bed and threw on some clothes, running down the stairs at breakneck speed.

"Rebecca!" Molly scolded from the front room. "Slow down!"

Rebecca continued running, ignoring the admonishment, and sliding slightly in the doorway to the room where Molly sat responding to owls, her reading glasses pushed to the bottom of her nose.

"I can't believe it's so late! Why didn't anyone wake me?" Rebecca asked breathlessly.

"I told them not to, that's why!" Molly put her letter down and shook her head, "You were up ill last night and needed some rest, there's still plenty of time for whatever it is you three do before the day is done." Molly put her letter down and sighed as Rebecca left as quickly as she'd come.

"Ginny's waiting for you out back once you've eaten!" She called after her, turning back to her letter and smiling as she read the words once more.

"Hogwarts will be apart of a monumental, historic event this year..."

In the kitchen, Rebecca poked around for something to eat. Two sets of footsteps thundered down the stairs, shouting at each other all the while.

"You can be so dense!" George's voice lowered its tone slightly as they peeked around to make sure Molly wasn't within hearing range.

"Oh really? Come back when you've solved the issue without me and call me dense again." Fred hissed. "There's a plate in the oven." George grumbled to Rebecca as he hoisted himself up onto the counter.

"Mum said you were ill last night, are you feeling better?" Fred asked as he plucked a piece of bacon off of her plate. George leaned over and grabbed the other, leaving her cold eggs, potatoes, and a half of a sausage.

"Really? Yeah, I feel fine. Probably just a one-time thing." Fred nodded his head, though something felt off about her answer to him. Rebecca pulled her plate away from the two of them as they eyes the sausage. "What are you two bickering about?"

George sighed, "We can't get the damn ton-tongues to stop growing before they've been eaten."

"The delayed-reaction ingredients didn't change anything?" 

Fred shook his head, "Nope, the batch from yesterday just started growing sometime in the night."

Rebecca mulled over the dilemma over her breakfast, the three of them falling into a complimentative silence. "What if..." She had an inkling of an idea.

"What?" George demanded. "I swear if you answer this..."

"How do the wafers work?" She asked, ignoring his last remark. "Heat. They dim hearing once they've met the heat of the person's mouth. All we need to do is add the heat sensitivity to the already made candies, so it doesn't activate while it cooks!"

Fred nodded, "That's what I said! The problem is that the potion for the heat sensing is horrid and only tastes better when it's mixed in with the sweet's mixture."

Rebecca looked at them, "So make it cold."

George smacked Fred's head, "Why didn't you think of that? Let's go upstairs and try it now!"

Rebecca ate the last bits of food off of her plate, "I can't."

"You can't! You just bloody woke up after sleeping in all morning, what do you mean you can't?" George asked as he held the bridge of his nose like she was giving him a headache.

"I told Ginny I'd do whatever she wanted today since I've been spending so much time with you two."

George groaned loudly, jumping off of the counter and going back to the bottom of the stairs, "I will remember this."

"Remember what? You having to brew your own potion? Good." George clumped up the stairs as he saw that there was no way she was going to change her mind. Fred lingered around the kitchen a moment longer, grabbing the tea cup she had set out the night before for her sleeping tea and picking up the tea bag still in it.

"Were you careful?" He asked quietly.

"Of course." Rebecca said defensively.

"Are you going to drink it tonight?" Fred's tone had no edge, no anger. Only concern.

"I was-"

"You don't have to tell me, I know you had to have had a good reason."

Rebecca leaned against the counter, crossing her arms. "Yes, I'm going to drink it tonight."

Fred set the tea cup back in the cupboard and went to the stairs, looking back at her a moment before going up without saying another word. She ran her hands through her hair quickly, trying to push it out of her face as she hopped out the door to the garden.

"NO!" She shouted as she saw the chess board in front of Ginny.

Ginny smiled deviously, "You said anything I wanted to do."

Rebecca sat down with a sigh, "But you know I don't understand chess, muggle or wizard's."

"I know, that just makes you easy to beat."

Ginny quickly regretted her choice of activity as Rebecca asked, yet again, "Which way does this piece move again?"

"One and then two or two and then one."

"I just want to move it three spaces, can I do that?"

Ginny sighed, "Do you want to go for a broom ride?"

Rebecca was on her feet instantly, "If we're done with chess."

"Yes, you're absolutely hopeless."

They ran in and grabbed their brooms, speeding off towards their homemade pitch with the quaffle. 

*******************************************

Upstairs, George sighed and shouted Fred's name.

"FRED!"

"What?" Fred turned around from where he had been staring outside the opened window.

"Could you, for Merlin's sake, give me some help me here?!" George gestured at the cauldron. "Been staring out the window while I'm over here slaving away!"

Fred sighed and watched as Rebecca and Ginny faded into the distance. "Sure, what do you want me to do."

"First, I'd like you to pull your head out of your arse. Then..."

*******************************************

The girls returned just as supper was being put on the table, Arthur congratulating them on their timing. Dinner was eaten quickly, Arthur spending most of the time talking about how excited he was to go to the muggle post office the next morning.

"Speaking of, Rebecca. I was wondering if you'd like to accompany me. I grabbed stamps, the muggle form of paying for postage, on my way home from work and drafted the letter while on a break. All that's left is packing it up."

Rebecca loved the idea, "Sure!"

Arthur sat back in his chair, quite pleased with himself. "Excellent, we'll do that once supper's finished. Molly and Arthur started speculating about when Hogwarts letters would arrive that year.

"We're passing the half-Summer mark this weekend, should be any day now." Percy said from the end of the table matter-of-factly. 

Fred turned to George, "Hear that George, any day now!"

George followed his twin's mock excitement, "Wow! Any day now?"

Percy sighed and stood up, clearing his spot and leaving without another word. Molly glared at the two of them, "I see him a few minutes everyday, and you can't even give me that. Congratulations boys--you're now on clean up duty." 

Ginny stood up from her spot, telling Rebecca she was going to go play chess with Ron. "What, you don't want to play with me?" Rebecca asked as Ginny bent over laughing hysterically. "Ouch, Ginny. I'm hurt."

Ron and Ginny went upstairs while Arthur grabbed his briefcase from the table by the door. "So, I looked it up to make sure today, but they do label their envelopes like we do."

He placed an envelope in front of her that said in the middle,

Harry Potter, The Dursleys, Surrey.

Rebecca pursed her lips. "What?" Arthur asked as he saw her face. "Something wrong? I've got another in here somewhere."

She grabbed the quill and ink and wrote Harry's address onto the center. "The muggles have to put the address of who it's going to. The numbers of the building or house and then the street it's on. Not just the location of the receiver."

Arthur nodded, placing the letter into the envelope and giving it to her to seal and asking, "Now for the stamps: How many do we need?" 

Rebecca looked at the sheet of stamps. "I'm not sure, I've never sent a letter without an owl before. Do you want me to write Hermione? We'd have to wait for a few days, but she'd know for certain."

"No, muggle mail can take upwards of a week, sometimes more! We've got to get this posted if their to receive it before we're supposed to go get Harry."

"We're going to the Dursleys?" Rebecca asked with a face.

Arthur smiled, "I know, but we're going to go and behave because we don't want to create hassle for Harry, do we?"

"No, we don't." She sighed and looked back at the stamps, "Are we supposed to put them all?"

Arthur peeled the first off the page, "We must. Why else would they sell them in sheets of 15?"

After she and Arthur had finished sticking all of the stamps and coordinating a time to leave the next morning, Rebecca left to go upstairs. Fred and George were washing the last of the dishes in the kitchen and complaining a storm.

Rebecca looked on the counter and found that her tea had already been poured. "Thanks Fred." She called over her shoulder as she carried it upstairs and sipped at it lightly, burning her tongue on the hot beverage.

"How'd she know I didn't make it, huh?" A scowling George asked Fred.

Fred shook his head, "It's not like that, we had already talked about it today. That's how she knew it was me."

"Mhmmm, sure." 

*******************************************

Upstairs, she set her cup by her bed and sat at the desk, realising that she'd drank a bit more of it than she'd thought. She stifled a yawn and grabbed parchment to write to Sirius about her dream.

Sirius,

Don't tell Harry! I don't know if he's written to you yet, but he rang me yesterday to know if I'd been drinking my tea, if I'd had any weird dreams. I have been drinking it every night...though his asking left me curious as to if he'd just had a bad dream or something more. I just felt like it was something more so I decided to see if I was right. I was.

It was pretty much exactly what Harry had described: Old house, old man, giant snake. There was one difference though...he never mentioned seeing Voldemort, I don't know if he kept it from me because he didn't think I would be able to see it or if he didn't see him, but no matter it was terrifying. It felt like he was actually seeing me, not just the man I was watching through. I woke up with my scar hurting too, ended up sick.

Anyway, I'm just letting you know what's been going on like you asked. If you ever get sick of my prattling, please tell me. I have a tendency to write too much, though Fred says I'm 'very descriptive,' I can see how it can grow tiring. 

Speaking of Fred and George, the works coming along great! The ingredients you sent us last time have been perfect: I think we'll have another idea done before summer's out and then we'll be able to get anything else we need from Hogsmeade.

Her writing hand paused as she yawned.

I've already started tonight's tea (which I will not be forgoing tonight) and am going to fall asleep on this letter if I don't get it sealed up. I hope you're well and have found a nice place to relax as things settle down.

Love,

Rebecca

She yawned yet again and looked down at herself, knowing she was too dirty to forgo a shower. She packed up her letter and put it on her night table so that she would bring it down in the morning. Down the hall, George had just finished in the bathroom and had opened the door so Fred could go in. 

Rebecca grabbed pajamas from her drawer and stood outside the bathroom, her eyes growing heavier with each passing minute. "I'll just sit down while he's in, rest my eyes."

She was asleep within minutes, a fact made clear to Fred as he opened the door and found her deeply asleep, not waking when he shook her shoulder. He let his dirty clothes drop to the floor and grabbed a sheet from the closet in the hall. He went down to the her and Ginny's room and knocked on the door as he opened it.

"What?" Ginny asked from her bed. 

"RJ's gone and fallen asleep in the hall, I'm just going to put this over her bed so it doesn't have to be washed tomorrow."

Ginny rolled her eyes as Fred smoothed the sheet out and made sure it was even. "She's out cold Fred, I don't think she's going to notice that the corners are perfect."

Fred shot her a look, warning her to not say anything else. He made sure the door was open all the way before going back to where Rebecca had slumped over slightly, still completely asleep. Fred put one arm under her legs and the other around her shoulders, lifting her easily.

Her head leaned against his chest as he tilted her back, trying to keep her head from flopping around. Nearing her bed, he laid her down gently. He slid her glasses off and put them next to the letter he eyed curiously before taking her house slippers off and putting them next to her bed like she always did.

Before leaving, he grabbed a few of her blankets and draped them over her. "You done now?" Ginny quipped, "Or you gonna kiss her good night too?"

Fred turned around and put his hands on his hips, "Tell anyone and I'll make sure everyone in Gryffindor Tower knows about how much you loved playing quidditch as a toddler. Naked."

Ginny stuck her tongue out at him, "Plain rude, that is. Absolutely, positively rude."

He brushed the hair off her forehead as he pulled the blankets to her chin. Reaching up to turn off her lamp, he looked over his shoulder to make sure Ginny wasn't looking. Finding her lying the other direction, he pressed his lips to her forehead--his thumb grazing her scar lightly.

Standing up and going to leave the room, he noticed that Ginny was grinning madly at him. "You. Naked. Quidditch." It was enough to lessen the smile on her, but nothing could have taken it away completely.

*******************************************

Rebecca woke up at her normal time the next morning, before the others in yesterday's clothes--confused as to how she'd ended up in bed. She sat up and slipped on her shoes and glasses, grabbing clothes for the day and going to the bathroom to shower at last.

The water warming, she looked at herself in the mirror. Her hair was crazy like it was every morning, her toothbrush sticking out of her mouth as she brushed them. Once she was done, she pushed the shower curtain over and hopped in.

She was always a fast shower-er, years of the bathroom door being banged wildly if the water was on for more than two minutes. Rinsing her legs, she was surprised to see that the scar that had always caused her so much embarrassment...really wasn't that bad. Sure, it did stretch the length of her leg. Sure it's red-colour made it stand out a little. But when she wasn't constantly being told everything wrong with her, she was able to look at the bigger picture. That scar just proved that she'd lived through hell.

She pulled on her under clothes, reaching behind her to hook her bra and grabbing her shorts and t-shirt.

"What the hell!" Rebecca shouted as she jumped a mile.

"OhmygodI'msosorry!" Fred said as one word as he turned around and covered his eyes before he saw anything. "I had no idea anyone was up!"

Rebecca's smile grew larger as her heart settled, "Fred, I'm dressed."

Fred turned back around and peeked through cracked fingers. He cleared his throat and looked anywhere but at her, his cheeks a bright red. She hung her towel up on her hook and passed him in the doorway. "I nearly forgot to thank you--for putting me in bed last night. I drank the tea too early I guess."

Fred shook his head, "It was no problem, I didn't mind."

She went back to her room and closed the door behind her, leaving Fred to get dressed for the day in the bathroom privately. She leaned against the door after it was closed, still smiling to herself.

*******************************************

Despite the morning's jolting beginning, the day passed like any other. Arthur apparated Rebecca and himself to a muggle postal bin and back. She, Fred, and George worked on pranks for a few hours. They'd moved past the prototype phases and were finalizing designs and starting production the best they could with the meager ingredients they had. Then she and Ginny would do something, normally with Ron tagging along. By then it was time for dinner and socialisation before bed.

The days went by quicker and quicker until it was finally the day to go get Harry to go to the World Cup at the end of the week. "Use the bathroom now!" Arthur called up the stairs to where Ron, Fred, and George were still getting dressed.

Rebecca hopped around impatiently, "What's taking them so long?" She groaned as she took another sip from yet another cup of tea she'd had that morning. Molly pulled Rebecca's cup towards her, "That's probably enough for now."

Arthur put his arm around Rebecca and pulled her into him, laughing. "Rebecca, they'll be down in just a few minutes. I know you're excited."

Ginny hopped from the last few stairs, landing in front of Rebecca. "I still don't know why I can't come." The youngest Weasley looked to Molly pointedly.

"I've already told you; If you wanted to go then you shouldn't have shoved that chess piece up Ron's nose!"

The two of them launched into the argument they'd been having ever since Molly forbade Ginny from going, prompting Arthur and Rebecca to migrate to the front room and wait by the fireplace for the boys. Within a few minutes, they'd joined them and were ready to go too, the arguing pouring out of the kitchen and spilling down the hall.

"Shall we?" Arthur asked as he held the pot of Floo powder out to them all quickly.

Rebecca was still hopping around, scooting closer and closer to the fireplace. "Alright, you go on first before you combust." Arthur shooed her in.

"The Dursleys at 4 Privet Drive!" She said as she threw the powder at her feet and felt the warmth of the fire enveloping her.

BANG!

CRASH!

She looked around the room and stepped out of the fireplace, confused as to why there was so much destruction happening. "Oh damn..." A fire started from where a lamp had been knocked over and shattered on the ground, igniting a curtain.

Arthur was the next to floo in, his mouth dropping at the sight of the room. "How..." He couldn't even phrase a question. Rebecca grabbed a blanket from their couch and tried beating at the fire, hoping it would extinguish before more caught on fire. Ron came through next, just as his father took his wand out and waved it at the flames.

By the time the fire was fully extinguished, Fred had come through. When George finally entered the living room, the only trace of the damage was the faint smell of smoke in the air. George looked at how Fred was hugging Rebecca while Arthur tried to calm a raging Vernon.

"Mr Dursley!" Arthur finally raised his voice above his clamour, "I apologise for such an entrance. However, we were entirely unaware you're fireplace was...well whatever this is."

Petunia's thin neck jutted out from behind her robust husband, "It's electric. Newest model."

Harry had had his trunk packed for days and watched from beside Rebecca as the madness calmed down slightly. "Really, you can't even tell anything happened now." He told her once more as he gestured around the room. "Look, even the hole from where Dudley punched the wall is gone."

Petunia grabbed a plate of biscuits from the unscathed kitchen and brought them into the living room where Vernon had them squeeze onto the couch. Petunia slapped Dudley's hands away from the plate, his pudgy fingers shooting back treat-less.

He scowled, watching as the Weasleys all took one and Harry ate his slowly, knowing that Dudley was watching his every bite. Arthur went over their itinerary once more, though Vernon just nodded through it.

"Yes, yes. World Cup and all that. I only have one question." He leaned forward and put something on the table, "That's our letter!" Rebecca realised.

"What's the meaning of this?" Vernon sat back in his recliner, the metal frame squeaking as its integrity was pushed to its limits.

"We thought you might appreciate a letter through muggle mail, to show that we respect your ways." Arthur answered proudly.

"The stamps." Vernon spat, his face turning an ugly shade of purple. "Why are there so many stamps?"

Rebecca looked across at him, "What with them?"

Vernon shook his head and said that he had no further questions, that Harry was free to go. "Don't come back for Christmas, boy. We'll be in Barbados with Marge."

Harry nodded, grabbing his trunk and pulling it to the fireplace. Arthur steered him away from it, "We've seen what happens with that. I'll have to apparate individually. Ready Harry?" Arthur was gone with a pop. Petunia yelped, looking around the room like he was going to fly at her.

Rebecca cleared her throat, "Newest model, eh?" This launched Vernon into a long-winded discussion on the technical parameters of their electric fireplace, including its ability to produce a smoky smell.

"So it warms you like fire, lights the room, and smells like it's burning. Where does the electrical come in?" Ron asked confused.

They sat in a tense silence before Petunia answered. "Well, it plugs in."

Arthur reappeared and called for Ron, another jump and yelp from Petunia as he appeared and then left once more. George ate the last bite of his cookie, his pocket crinkling as he leaned forward for a napkin. Dudley's head jerked around at the sound.

Fred noticed how he was looking around, looking for the source of a wrapper-like crinkle. "Are you sure?" He whispered to his brother.

"Positive, take notes."

Arthur reappeared in the living room, calling for whoever was next. Rebecca went to stand next to him when George stood up and let the sweet fall out of his pocket. "I'll go next, need to use the toilet." 

Arthur squeezed George's arm as the two of them walked to the empty area he had been using as a leaving place. Dudley had scooped up the candy in seconds and had it unwrapped and in his mouth only seconds after that. The results were instantaneos.

First, he felt his tongue tingle lightly, the end sticking out of his mouth unwillingly. His mouth felt smaller and smaller as his tongue grew and filled it up. His tongue now hung below his chin. Arthur turned to where the boy was trying to scream and tried to run back to him with his wand already out.

"NO!" Vernon roared as he hoisted himself out of his chair, "NO MAGIC!" 

"Please Mr Dursley, I can have this fixed in a moment."

"Oh my boy! My big Duddy-Wuddy cursed!" Petunia wailed as she held the panicking Dudley to her chest.

Arthur shot a look at the three of them and tried to explain, "It's not a curse. I'm afraid it's a prank, a joke. Please allow me to remedy this so we can get out of your hair."

The three adults went back and forth while Fred, George, and Rebecca went over the results. "How long's it been George?" Rebecca asked quietly.

"Minute, minute and a half."

Fred looked between them astonished, "His tongues got to be nearly three feet long!"

Rebecca continued, "That was the goal, 'a foot a minute,' remember?"

Fred nodded, remembering the finer details about their product. "You brought the antidote piece, right George?"

George patted his pockets, his face growing more pale. "It's probably good dad's here..."

Vernon finally stepped to the side and let Arthur look at Dudley head on. His tongue was so heavy that Petunia's thin frame trembled with effort as she tried to hold him up. With a single wave of his wand, Arthur had reverted Dudley's tongue to normal and gone to George's side.

He was gone with a pop. Vernon and Petunia eyed Fred and Rebecca warily, wondering what other lunacies would occur with these people in their home. Arthur popped back and grabbed Fred, leaving with an apologetic grimace.

Rebecca, alone with the Dursleys, smiled. Dudley visibly flinched, leading Petunia to guide him out of the room. "Shouldn't have expected anything less." Vernon crossed his arms. "Invited freaks into my home and got a freakshow." Arthur apparated in just as the work' freakshow' left Vernon's wobbly mouth.

"A what?" Arthur's voice took on a dark tone. "What were you just saying?"

Vernon tried make something up, failing horribly. "I see. So you weren't calling us a freakshow?"

Vernon nodded, paling as Arthur shook his head in response. "I don't think so. I think you're lying. Rebecca?"

Vernon looked at his niece with a pleading fear in his eyes. "No, it's okay. We don't need to do anything." She held her arm out to Arthur, saying one more thing before they left. 

"I will be letting our godfather know, however. I think you'll find...well, you'll see."

As she and Arthur were sucked into the tube of space and time that was apparating, they heard the start of Vernon bellowing, "NOOO!" They both opened their eyes when had their feet back on solid ground in the hall of the Burrow, looking at a scowling Molly and a smiling Harry.

Harry threw his arms around her as Molly began to shout. "That's what you three have been up there all summer doing? Planning PRANKS!? It's done, you're done. Closed. Shut down. I will not have three hooligans with a reputation that's been ruined before you're even out of school!"

Molly looked to Arthur for support. "Children, that was very, very naughty of you. I'm very disappointed in you." Arthur looked back at Molly to see if he had scolded them enough, causing her to roll her eyes and turn back to where Fred and George were on either side of Rebecca, Harry having gone to where Ron and Ginny were stifling laughter at the other end of the hall, their faces going blank when Molly turned to see what Rebecca was looking at. 

"Really? Fred and George, it's one thing to do this to yourselves, but it's another when you're dragging one who's younger than you down too."

"Ton-Tongue Toffees were her idea!" George whined.

"They're not dragging me down at all!" Rebecca was surprised that she'd said anything, let alone nearly shouted it. No matter how much she was thinking it was out of her character to say anything when someone was yelling. "It was my idea to try the candy on Dudley anyway! He's already been a pig, now he's a guinea pig!"

Fred and George looked at each other confused, she hadn't even known they were going to try the toffee on him. She was going to take the blame. Molly lowered her voice. "I thought you had more sense than that."

You could have heard a pin drop with how silent the hall got as Molly left and went to her and Arthur's room. Arthur sighed, "Make yourself at home Harry. I'd make some distance if I were you three, go outside or upstairs...something." He left to go sit with Molly.

On the stairs, Ron and Ginny were still laughing. Rebecca walked past them without a word while Fred and George whacked each of them on the head. "Quidditch Harry?" Ron asked.

"Sure." Harry watched the three of them turn the corner while Ginny grabbed three brooms. 

"You'll have to use this one. The Firebolt would lap around these." Ron explained. "Just leave your trunk there, we'll bring it up later." The back door opened with a squeak as the three trouble-free kids left the house.

Rebecca turned right at the top of the stairs and went straight to the twins room, grabbing a pencil and scratching some notes and recalculations on the toffee's page in their book of ideas. George flopped on his bed and put his hands behind his head, crossing his feet and closing his eyes. Fred leaned over her as he stood behind her, watching what she was writing out.

"If we add more of this then I think the reaction would be more gradual." He said as tapped on an ingredient before she wrote it down and put the pencil down. Fred laid on his bed like George was, though he scooted over enough so that she could lay on it too and tapped the space next to him.

She spread out next to him, the arm closest to him going down against his side and putting her other hand behind her head like he was. "That could've been worse, I guess."

George agreed, "We haven't been told to clean anything yet."

"Why'd you say it was your idea?" Fred asked after a moment. 

She shrugged. "I'm not sure. If I'd known that we'd had one, I would have suggested we give it to him anyway and I think I just...I want Molly to see that you two aren't these corrupting deviants she seems to think you are."

"'Corrupting deviant' is right." Molly said from where she'd appeared in the doorway. "Though, I do see your point. You're clearly as bad as they are." Molly came in the room and sat on the end of George's bed, explaining their punishment. "Prank making is done. There will not be another prank made while under this roof, do you all hear me?"

They nodded begrudgingly. "Good. That's all then."

"Nothing to clean?" Rebecca asked as Molly left, George throwing a pillow at her.

Molly shook her head at the door, "No, nothing to clean. I want you all to think carefully about what happened today. That should be punishment enough."

The three teenagers sat up in the room for a while, thinking more about what had happened that morning. Not in the way that Molly was expecting however, they were almost done finalising the revised recipe when they were called for dinner.

There was a familiar face waiting for them downstairs: Hermione. She'd arrived a little before and wanted to surprise them. Molly hugged each of the three of them as they exited the stairway and directed them to the table out back.

"Not enough room in here, especially not with-"

"Charlie!?" Fred and George shouted as the three of them swarmed the second-eldest Weasley. The conversations picked up around the table quickly, dinner lasting a long, happy time.

*******************************************

They all went to bed excited the next night, they were leaving for the Quidditch World Cup in the morning. Hermione and Rebecca both slept in her bed, Hermione making sure that Rebecca drank her tea.

"I've seen you sleep without it, you fight like a samurai!" This shot Ginny into a spat of contagious laughter, leaving all of the girls hysterical.

"What's going on in here?" Ron jested from the door. "Yeah, don't you know some of us are trying to sleep?" Harry added with a grin.

Fred and George appeared behind them, their hair seeming even longer than it was compared to Harry and Ron's shaggy heads. "Night ladies!" They said in unison, Fred's eyes settling on Rebecca's tea cup before meeting hers. She smiled and rolled her eyes at him.

The boys closed the door and talked on their way back to their rooms, the house went silent shortly after.

*******************************************

Author's Note:

So that's it for these little moments throughout the bulk of the summer. Next chapter will be the Quidditch World Cup and probably the week or so between the match and the start of school. This one was a big one: 7500 words pre-note! 

<3


	50. Chapter 50

**Woohoo! Fiftieth chapter!**

Arthur climbed the stairs the next morning to wake the children nearly two hours before the sun would breach the horizon. They would be hiking to Stoatshead Hill in Devon, nearly 3 miles east, after Cedric and Amos Diggory's arrival at the Burrow. The children reacted with nearly identical actions: Shoving their heads under their pillows and groaning loudly.

When Rebecca finally dragged herself out of bed, it was largely because Hermione stolen the blankets and she was getting cold. She and Hermione had pulled out the clothes they were going to wear the next day before they'd gotten into bed so that they could put their backpacks downstairs, a fact Rebecca appreciated even more as she walked down the hall after changing, yawning.

She left the bathroom door open in case anyone wanted to brush their teeth while she was, yet another thing she grew to privately appreciate that morning. Rebecca had her toothbrush in her mouth and was trying to reorganise her curls so that they'd lie reasonably when Fred and George entered the bathroom shirtless.

Rebecca felt her face warm as they went on either side of her and reached for their brushes and toothpaste. "Please don't blush. Please don't blush." She repeated over and over in her mind as she glanced at Fred while rinsing her mouth and toothbrush. 

After Rebecca had left without a word, George nudged Fred grinning. Fred shook his head, "Why exactly couldn't we brush our teeth fully dressed?"

George's smile dropped and his face grew serious, "Fred, fifth year starts in a week and a half--It's time to step up your game."

Fred grabbed his shirt off the bathroom counted and pulled it on as he left, "I'll worry about my 'game' while you worry about the fact that you've drooled toothpaste down your shorts."

George looked down, "Damn!"

*******************************************

Ginny and Hermione were sitting up in bed when Rebecca went back into the room. She slipped on her socks and told the two girls that she was going downstairs, "But the bathrooms empty now if you hurry."

Ginny and Hermione grabbed their clothes and got to the bathroom just as Ron walked out of his doorway. "Never mind Harry, there's a line now."

Rebecca passed the two boys, "Morning. Ready for a good hike?"

"No. Ready for the match though!" Ron said as he and Harry started to talk about who they thought would win again. The stairs creaked the same way that they always did as Rebecca walked down them to the sight of a bustling kitchen with Molly in the center. She had her wand out and had mass quantities of food going out to the tables outside from dinner as they finished.

"Good morning, love." Molly said as she saw Rebecca put her teacup by the sink. "Muffins are outside." 

Rebecca laughed, "I'm not that predictable, am I?"

Molly laughed, but didn't answer. Stepping out the back door, the first thing Rebecca noticed was that Fred was already out there, fully clothed. She felt almost...disappointed at the sight, but shook her head to clear any remaining thoughts on the topic.

"I heard a little bird say something about muffins out here." She said song songily. 

Fred raised his eyebrows at her chipper tone and pointed towards the end of the table. "Blueberry."

She grabbed two and sat next to him, peeling the paper off the first muffin. "Sleep well?" He asked.

"Fred, you saw that I drank the tea." She took a big bite off of the top of the muffin as he clarified.

"I know. I didn't know if you still dreamed." She didn't answer at first, not until he looked at her expectantly

"It's kind of weird I guess...They're not dreams persay, just little snippets that never feel like they last very long. If you were to dream a movie, I'd say I was only dreaming photos."

Fred nodded and changed the subject. "George and I were talking last night. We want to start selling the Skiving Snackboxes first term."

She set her muffin down so he had her full attention. "You think we can be ready?"

He grinned, "We'd better be, Lee's already reserved our first box."

*******************************************

Molly stood on the front porch with Amos, talking. Amos' boisterous laugh echoed as Arthur joined them. Fred grabbed a paper bag from the kitchen drawer and packed up the last of the muffins before carefully sticking it on the top of his pack. 

Arthur called back into the house for the lingering kids, introducing Harry and Rebecca to Amos.

"My son's around here somewhere, probably up a tree." Rebecca thought to herself, "What an strange expression, must be a wizarding saying."

"You must remember him though, he's the Hufflepuff captain. Beat you last year." Harry and Rebecca looked at each other, trying not to laugh.

"Yes, sir. We remember." Hermione looked up from behind, thinking about the match. "Was that the match that Harry fell off his broom because of the dementor attack?"

Rebecca tried to keep the smile off her face, but failed as she responded while looking at Amos' starting-to-frown face, "Yes, that's the one."

Cedric dropped out of the tree in front of the Burrow, shaking his head. "I told him that, he just didn't believe me."

Amos shook his head, "No, a win is still a win."

Cedric rolled his eyes and stuck his hand out to Harry and Rebecca to shake it before Ron, Fred, George, and the rest of their travelling party. "I asked Dumbledore a rematch, if you didn't know."

Rebecca smiled kindly at the seventh year Hufflepuff, "We know. Didn't matter anyway, did it? We got the cup in the end."

Cedric smiled, "That you did." He and Rebecca walked off the porch as they started talking about the plays and passes the Gryffindor chasers had used in the final match for the cup. "The Spillinski Split...what made you choose it?"

Rebecca launched into a lengthy discussion, only pausing when Molly called her back to the porch for a final hug and resuming when Cedric asked her to as they walked next to each other for the first leg of their long hike.

*******************************************

"Look at them. Makes me sick." Hermione grumbled next to George.

George laughed and quietly so that Fred and Rebecca couldn't hear them. "What, not a Diggory fan?"

Hermione shrugged, "I can see the appeal, he is handsome in a..." She struggled to think of the right words to describe her thoughts, "victorian way. But just look at Fred! He's been walking by himself for the past mile!"

George smirked, "Feeling the heat, starting to worry about that little wager?"

Hermione shook her head, "Nope. Though you probably should...especially with the extra requirement on the letter this year."

"What extra requirement? We haven't gotten ours yet, mum expects they'll arrive while we're gone."

Hermione smirked while George's face fell, "Dress robes for boys and a gown for the girls. Sounds like a dance if you ask me." She left to walk with Ginny a while as George realised that he very well could lose his own wager.

*******************************************

"Still, you chose that feint in the last few minutes of the match?" Cedric asked incredulously.

Rebecca shrugged, enjoying the revering tone that coated his voice. "It was actually Angelina's call. She normally led point but she'd caught a bludger to the wrist early in the match and told me to take her spot. We'd never actually practised not being in those specific positions."

"No." Cedric clasped his hand to his mouth. "You'd never even done it before?"

Rebecca looked around and saw that Fred was off on the other side by himself. Cedric saw how she looked over at him. "You can go over if you want, I've talked you're ear off."

She smiled, "I think I've done more talking than you have but if you want to take the blame." They laughed as Cedric gravitated over to where his father and Arthur were talking while she wove around the clusters of walking children that had formed and bumped into Fred's side.

"Hey," He said as his foot stepped onto the edge of another rabbit hole. "If you're not careful you'll end up carrying me to the portkey."

"Is that what we're walking to?" 

Fred revelled in the ability to explain what a portkey was to her, loving the way that she asked clarifying questions when he was finished. She reached back for her bottle of water and tilted it up, emptying it. She reached back without taking her bag off and tried to get it back into the holder, struggling.

"Here, I'll get it." Fred said as he took it from her and slipped it in. "Hungry?"

Rebecca nodded, "Yeah, a little. You brought a snack?"

Fred swung his backpack around so that it was in front of him and pulled out the paper bag, "I most certainly did." He pulled out a muffin, her smile only growing larger.

"You know, I thought about grabbing them like I do at school but I didn't want to take them before everyone else had eaten and they I-"

"Forgot as you talked with you number one fan?" Fred offered.

"Ha. Ha. No. I forgot because I..."

Fred laughed as she failed to come up with an answer.

"Okay, so it might have been because Cedric started talking about the final." She joined his laughter as she split the muffin down the middle and offered half to him.

He took it as the began to chat lightly, Hermione and Ginny noticing. Hermione looked over to George and smiled sweetly, to which he stuck his tongue out at her in response.

"Alright, it should be around here somewhere. Start looking!" Arthur called from the top of the hill.

Harry rushed up to Arthur's side. "What sort of objects are Portkeys anyway?"

"Well, they can be anything. Unobtrusive things, obviously, so Muggles won't go picking them up and playing with them." They scored the area surrounding the hill, finding nothing.

Ron poked his head from the backside of the hill, "I think this might be it!" He called.

Arthur was among the first to meet Ron, "Good job, son!" He congratulated as he smacked Ron on the back. "This is a portkey everyone." He gestured to the muddy, heavily worn boot.

Harry took a spot next to Rebecca, Fred on the side past her as Amos instructed them to form a circle around the key. "On the count of three we're all going to grab on and we'll let go when it's time, alright? One, two, three!"

Rebecca grabbed on, Hermione shouting over the wind that picked up around them as they were lifted off the ground and began spinning. "How will we know when it's time?"

Rebecca could feel her hand start to slip as they spun faster. Fred's second hand reached forward, battling their momentum and pushed her wrist back towards the boot. "Now!" Amos shouted as they all let go of the boot.

Harry went flying off into the grass, sliding into an already crashed Hermione. Rebecca lifted her scrunched closed eyes as she landed on something warm and moving, her head still spinning. Fred lifted his head from the ground and eyed her, letting his head fall back to the ground with a thump.

She put her forehead to his chest, willing the dizziness to go away quickly and regretting her third muffin. Fred reached up the arm that was at his side and tilted her head up so she was looking at him once more as he sat up, her now sitting directly in front of him. "Here, sip some water." He handed her his own bottle, remembering that she'd finished hers.

She closed her eyes to block their wobbling surroundings in an effort to reduce her vertigo. The water helped and she found that when she opened her eyes a few moments later the Earth was done spinning.

Fred stood up and held his hand out to her, hoisting her to her feet in one motion. "Thirsty?" She asked as she went to put his water back on the side of his bag. Fred nodded and drank the last bit of his water before handing it back to her.

Cedric, Amos, and Arthur came out of the vortex that had become the portkey walking on air and landing gently. "Well come on now, we'll lay down once we get to the tent!" Arthur called to Harry and Ron who were still lying at Hermione's feet.

Cedric offered Rebecca a warm smile before following his father off to where their tent was located, calling after them that he'd see them at the match. Rebecca, Harry, and Hermione looked around in awe at the largest collection of magical people that they'd ever seen. Those who were still arriving were gravitating towards an entry point where a withered old man checked their tickets.

"People from all over. Loads of foreigners. And not just foreigners. Weirdos, you know? There's a bloke walking 'round in a kilt and a poncho."

Arthur joked with the man, "Shouldn't he?" The man only grunted in response and handed back their punched tickets. "Section 45, to your left."

The group weaved in and out of different rows of tents and groups of people, distracted by the seemingly unlimited amount of things to look at. They came across one with a picket in front of it stating "WEASLEY and company" when Arthur turned around and took a brief headcount.

Harry walked to the next tent and found that it had a different name on it. "Mr Weasley, are we all fitting in one or..." He let his question end openly, not really seeing how a group as large as theirs would fit in such a small tent. Arthur winked and held the door open, "Head on in."

Harry's question was sufficiently answered as he crouched under the door and found a living room with doorways branching into other rooms of the 'tent.' Arthur chuckled at the looks of those who had never seen a wizard's tent. "I am well aware of muggle camping equipment, hardly satisfactory." He shook his head as Harry looked around amazed.

"Pick a bunk and get unpacked!" Arthur called as he went to the room off to the right. To the left, Rebecca found, a room with bunk beds around the walls. She tossed her duffel up to the top of one of them and left it at that. Hermione took the one under her and had her bag unzipped while Ginny threw her bag up to the bed at the foot of Rebecca's.

The girls left the bunks and found Arthur making a large circle around the tent, scolding as he went. "Get out of the kitchen Ron, we're all hungry." Ron ate one more of whatever he'd found and put it back in the cupboard. 

"Yeah, get out of the kitchen!" Fred and George shouted in unison from where they'd made themselves at home at the table, leaning back on two legs of each of their chairs and their feet up. "Feet off the table!" Arthur called as he passed through. 

"Feet off the table!" They said together as they swung their legs down like they were doing what they were told, only to put them back up a second later. Harry joined Ron in the room of beds, shaking his head. "I love magic."

*******************************************

After they'd settled in a little, Arthur went into the kitchen and started laying out all of the makings that were needed for sandwiches. "Harry? Ron?"

The two boys poked their heads out of the bunk room. "Actually, utilising my authority vested in me by age, we need all of our waters filled. Turn right outside of the tent, go to the end of the row and turn right again. They'll be signs."

All of the children split off to collect theirs and Arthur's water bottles. Arthur told them not to dilly-dally, "Sandwiches will be done before you know it!" He called as they poured out of the tent, sighing in the silence that followed their departure. "How does Molly do this everyday?" He laughed to himself as he continued to put out the obscene amount of food required to feed so many teenagers.

The crowds outside of the tent had only grown larger and louder, Rebecca noticed. You could easily tell who represented which side at first look: The painted faces were immediately noticed, if the waving of the Irish or Bulgarian flag wasn't enough. Rebecca found her gaze torn from those around them to settle on the mass that was the arena. It had been erected just for the event and would be disassembled afterwards, a temporary monument to quidditch.

"What do you think they do with those sheets?" She asked no one in particular.

"What?" Harry leaned closer so he could hear her over the clamour. 

"Look!" She pointed to the large white tarpaulin-like things suspended over the arena, most likely to hide their activities from nearby muggle communities.

"You're thinking about the linens involved?!" Harry shook his head and went forward to Ron, laughing as he forwarded her question on. The water station had come into sight ahead, a fast moving line having formed.

Fred and George took either of her sides as they normally did. "What's this we hear about you wanting sheets?" George asked confused.

"No!" She laughed and shook her head, "That wasn't it. I was just wondering where they stored such large coverings." Rebecca had an idea, "That could actually be pretty interesting, the never folding blanket?"

Fred hopped on to the idea, "Like it had a tie or something around it and once it was removed, it sprung out?"

Rebecca nodded her head, "Exactly! That's probably what happens with those, they're massive."

A man's voice spoke out from behind them, "Not as large as you'd thing, young lady."

The three of them turned and looked at the stranger speaking to them, finding him not to be an entire stranger. "Ludo Bagman, Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports and, luckily for your sakes', match commentator." He smiled sleazily as they shook his outstretched hand. "So, are you Irish or Bulgarian this evening?"

They spoke in thrice-multiplied unison, "Irish, the only way to be!" and looked at each other with wide eyes. 

Ludo looked at them uneasily, "Such surety, care to wager?" Bagman knew the children were his co-worker's children, but he also knew where he could make some easy coin.

"We're up in the box this evening, can we talk amongst ourselves and answer this evening?" Rebecca asked innocently.

"Of course, take all the time you need." Ludo pointed ahead of them to where Ron, Harry, Hermione, and Ginny were already filling the bottles they had. "Better hurry on, don't want to cause a line."

Fred and George started to brainstorm the perfect bet while they filled the bottles, Rebecca thinking on the subject as well. Harry and Hermione were talking animatedly as they walked back, trying to explain why Ireland was the team she had to support with Ron and Ginny backing him up.

"Any ideas?" She asked her two red-haired companions.

"We've come to a decision...Though you're not apt to like it." George said ominously. Rebecca nodded for him to go on, but he made Fred say it.

"Our life savings."

"Molly's going to kill you." Rebecca said before he was even finished with the word 'savings.'

They shrugged, "When we win, we'll have made it all back and have doubled it."

"But what's your wager? How're Ireland going to win?"

Fred looked away, refusing to look her in the eyes. George scratched the back of his neck. "It sure would be helpful if one of us could see the future."

Her first reaction was pride; pride in that they thought so highly of her. But her pride was quickly washed away with insecurity. "It's not like that, I've never chosen what I see!"

Fred looked at George, "That's exactly what I said."

George raised his hands, "All we can do is try! If we don't make this money, there's no way we can get our feet off the ground with Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. There's just no way."

Rebecca put her hand up, "We could always go back to the idea of a loa-"

"NO!" Fred and George said loudly, too loudly. Harry looked back to the three of them and saw their faces. He watched as Rebecca crossed her arms and he read her lips as she said one last sentence before walking slightly ahead of them.

"I can try, but I can't promise anything."

*******************************************

Author's Note:

Oop- A slightly unresolved ending? Yes. I figured that was a nice enough place to pause the action and it's already past 3,400 words. Next chapter is already being started and should be posted by Christmas.

Enjoy! 

<3


	51. Chapter 51

Arthur was conflicted. He was glad that they returned because he had started to worry after half an hour had passed. At the same time, food only kept the quiet for so long.

"Alright," He checked his watch and found that they were four short hours away from when they needed to leave for the match. "Four hours until it's go time. The World Cup can last many, many hours if we're lucky. I want everyone to at least provide me with the illusion that you're resting." 

Watching the children as they filed into the room with their bunks, Arthur sat on the couch and pushed his hat over his eyes. In their room, Harry and Ron had snuck a chess board in with them from the living room without Arthur noticing while Ginny and Hermione were sitting on Hermione's bed flipping through a book Hermione had in her bag.

Rebecca hoisted herself up to her bed and smoothed out her pillow. She kicked her shoes off, the dusty trainers clattering on the floor with muffled noise. Slipping under the covers, Fred and George climbed up onto Fred's bed so that they were head to head with Rebecca. "This is stupid, we shouldn't be doing this." Fred said as he watched her get comfortable, lying on her side so that she faced the wall.

"Too late, now I'm looking forward to a nap anyway." Rebecca responded, keeping her eyes closed until the weight of Fred's gaze grew too heavy for her to ignore any longer. She looked up, meeting his stare. "Fred, this may not even work."

George bumped Fred, "Yeah Fred, it may not even work."

Rebecca rolled her eyes and let her head go back to its previous position, handing George her glasses. George was looking down at the old, tattered copy of Quidditch Weekly he'd brought, only looking up when Rebecca spoke once more.

"Fred, stop looking at me."

Fred looked around, "How could you even tell?"

She looked up and grinned, "I just do!"

He looked down and tried to occupy himself with George's pointing out of various beater-related news, still taking small glances at her intermittently. Rebecca let her eyes drift closed, trying to think only of the World Cup as she fell asleep, hoping it would guide her.

*******************************************

There were flashes of green and red robes flying about, coming mere inches from Rebecca's face. She looked around and found that her surroundings were clouded and dark. "I must be on the pitch." She thought as she looked around and saw glimpses of a set of rings across the way, a red player floating around them tensely.

Everything went dark before her vision returned, now finding herself floating in the air as the players and the cheers from the audience froze in time. She was standing on nothing suspended in the air, two things evident in this frozen image:

One, Ireland had 170 points and Bulgaria had 160.

And two, Viktor Krum held the snitch in his hand.

*******************************************

Fred gave up the pretense of preoccupation when Rebecca fell asleep, watching her carefully for any signs of danger. "You look any harder, you'll hurt your eyes." George chastised quietly from his brother's side without looking away from his magazine.

Fred scoffed and responded angrily, "Aren't you even worried?"

George shushed him, looking around him to make sure he hadn't woken up the others who had fallen asleep shortly after Rebecca had. "Be quiet!" George only saw Ron stir slightly and continued after he had stilled. "I understand that you're worried Fred, but don't even dare, not for a single second, assume that I'm not. I don't understand this any better than you do; why she sees. But the truth of the matter is you're the one who was so dead-set against taking her loan."

Fred turned away from his truth-speaking brother as George continued. "This is the other option. I have faith in her and her abilities, don't you?"

"Of course I do!"

"Then act it." George looked back at his magazine sassily.

Fred's eyes drifted back to Rebecca's now-wrinkled brow, watching as her eyes flitted under her eyelids. George saw an opportunity and seized it, "Did you hear Hermione earlier?"

"About what?"

"Apparently she's already gotten her Hogwarts letter. We need dress robes this year! How absurd!"

"Why would we need dress robes?" Fred asked curiously, taking the welcome distraction.

George shrugged, "Dunno."

Fred had just opened his mouth to speculate when Rebecca opened her eyes and sat up, holding the side of her head.

"Oh bloody fucking hell." She hissed as her head thumped ferociously. Fred jumped off his bed and went so that he was standing next to her, his head level with her shoulders. "Are you okay?"

Her eyes were closed as her head continued to thump, the pain slightly abating from the Earth-shattering level it had been at. "It's my head, it feels like my brain-" She couldn't finish her sentence as the pain rebounded, a wave of it hurting so badly she went silent as she laid back.

Fred stood up on the bottom bunk, lifting himself high enough to look down at her. The two Weasley's watched in horror as she clutched at the sides of her head, tears welling in her eyes. Fred reached over and cupped the sides of her head, enveloping her hands in his own. The three sat in silence the next few minutes, Fred rubbing circles onto the back of her hand with his thumbs as the fiery beast in her head settled to a manageable ache.

"That was new." She said as she cracked open her eyes, wiping at the remaining tears.

"I'll say." George remarked and handed her her glasses. Fred removed his hand from hers as she sat up and asked George for her glasses. She looked around the room and saw that their friends were all sleeping. Rebecca turned so that her back was against the wall and looked between Fred and George, a small smile peeking at the corners of her mouth.

"You know?" George asked gingerly.

"I think so, I've never looked for an answer like this before-"

"Whatever you saw is good enough for us." Fred said confidently, "We have full and complete faith in you."

"That's a lot of pressure." She thought as she told them what had happened. "It was like other times in that I was watching frames and moments, but not like a movie. If that makes sense." They nodded, excited to hear what their bet was going to be. "I think the match will end with Ireland winning, but Krum catching the snitch."

George sucked in a quick breath, "Really? Bulgaria's done so well the rest of the season."

Fred listened as George asked questions about any other details she had seen as Fred willed his heart to slow. "She's okay. She's said she's okay and all is well."

Rebecca moved to slide of the bed, patting Fred's knee. "All's well Fred, all's well."

*******************************************

Fred, Rebecca, and George took it upon themselves to set tea up while the others began waking from their rests, boiling the water and laying out crackers and the random assortment of biscuits they brought with them.

There was a series of cracks outside of the tent as Bill and Charlie apparated in time to prepare for the match, green and white paints in hand. The tent sprang into motion as everyone rushed to do something to get ready for the match. Rebecca leaned against the stove and held her tea between both of her hands, sipping slowly.

Entering the kitchen, Fred grabbed his leftover tea and leaned next to her, "Head still hurt?"

She shrugged, "It's mostly gone. It's like a headache hangover: it's just the residual discomfort." She shook her head, "That was horrible...but at the same time I can't wait to see if it was correct."

Fred took a long sip from his tea before asking sofly, "You're not going to do it again, are you?"

She looked at him a long moment as she carefully formed a response, "I don't know, I guess it'll depend if I'm right. In the span of my life I'll probably end up doing it again, willingly or not though."

He sighed heavily, "Look, this is going to come out wrong and I promise I don't mean it that way. Okay?"

She nodded and he continued, "Don't. Not for silly things like wagers and quidditch. No one knows what it costs you when you do that and..." He took his own moment for thought recollection. "And I don't want to see you in unnecessary pain."

Rebecca knew that he was right, that everything he said was only said out of a place of caring and love, but she still felt a little hurt. "I think I know my limits."

Fred looked into the bottom of his teacup swirling the last few drops as they moved the dregs, a sloppy R forming in the leaves. "I know, I know that you don't need me to say any of this. But when you woke up this morning and your head hurt so badly and I couldn't do anything...And that was just for something happening in a few hours! We don't know what will happen if you look further in the future, ask more of the future, we don't know anything!"

"No! You don't know anything!" She snapped, "I'm the one that has to be drugged asleep each night, not you! I'm the one that hurt this afternoon, not you." She put her teacup behind her on the counter, "You say all this like you're doing it because you care about me, but it really just seems like you don't trust me or that you think I'm too stupid to make a wise decision. And both of those are pretty poor options, Fred."

She left him in the kitchen, going to finish getting ready for the match and bumping into Charlie and Bill in the hallway. Fred looked at his R once more and then rinsed it and put it with the others, sitting down and drowning his sorrows with biscuits. "Knock knock." Charlie and Bill said at the entryway to the kitchen, not waiting for an answer before sitting on the other side of the table.

"So..." Charlie started, wanting Fred to start the conversation.

"So I'm a bloody idiot." Fred grumbled between bites of biscuit.

"Well we already knew that, but why specifically in this situation?" Bill asked, causing Charlie to punch him in the shoulder. "What, he was!" Bill hissed as Fred put the rest of a biscuit in his mouth and let his head fall forward to the table with a thump.

"I'm an idiot because George already told me that I had to have faith in her and I didn't." 

Charlie and Bill nodded at each other, "Yeah, that's why. Now what're you going to do about it?" Bill asked wincing away from Charlie as he reached for a biscuit, expecting another hit.

"I'm not sure. Do you two have any ideas?" Fred looked to his older brothers for guidance and got...nothing.

"Nope."

"Not a one. Good luck though!" They left as quickly as they'd entered, leaving a confused Fred. "Now's your chance though!" Charlie whispered as he leaned back through the doorway and tossed him a tin of green face paint.

Fred looked at it blankly a moment until the purpose of it dawned on him. "This would be a start."

*******************************************

Finding her proved a harder task than he had imagined as everyone moved about the main room of the tent like headless chickens. He dodged George who was being chased by Ginny and a tub of white, half his face already green. "GET BACK HERE!" Ginny shouted, jumping clear over the couch and landing in front of him, moving forward for the kill.

He evaded that mess to where Harry and Ron were lecturing Hermione, "You can't wear that. Where'd you even get a Bulgaria scarf anyway?!" 

Peeking his head into the bunk room, he found her pulling a jumper out of her bag and putting it behind her, seeing him in the doorway. "I don't have anything else to say."

Fred pulled his hand out from behind his back and showed her the paint, "No talking necessary, just good ol' fashioned 'I'm-sorry-I-was-so-stupid' face painting."

She smiled a moment before wiping her face clear of emotion, moving her jumper so he could sit on the bunk. As he sat down, she took the paint and unscrewed the lid, standing in front of him. Rebecca took a fingerful and put it on his cheek, rubbing it in and around until it had spread as far as it would and then grabbing more. He watched her until she nodded that she was done and went to pull her hand away from him. 

He caught her hand and held it against his face, staring into her eyes. "I never, never meant to cross any lines or say that I thought you couldn't make a smart decision, let alone that I don't trust you. Never in a million years. I just care...about you...and seeing you hurting is really hard to watch and if it's avoidable, I'd prefer avoid it."

She sighed and put her other hand on the clean half his face, holding him in her hands. "Trust me, it's certainly not something I enjoyed. I wouldn't choose to do it again for fun, but if the need arises, I'll do it. That's all. I know you only said something because you care." She leaned forward and pecked his forehead, brushing his long hair out of his face before standing up and stepping back. "And it's because I care about you and don't want you uneven that I'm doing this."

His eyes widened as he realised what she was doing, "No!"

"Ginny? Fred needs his other half done!"

*******************************************

Arthur stood at the door of the tent, watching as Amos and Cedric walked down to their tent. "IT'S TIME TO GO!" He shouted as the kids sprung out from where they were meandering about and lined up at the door. Arthur shook his heads as he saw how vividly painted Fred and George at the back of the line, laughing with Rebecca and Harry.

"Ron, Ginny, Percy, Charlie, Bill, Harry, Rebecca, Fred, George. Is that everyone?" He called back through the tent. Hearing no answer, he turned back to the exit and laughed, "Only me then!"

"Arthur!" A familiar voice called from the back of the kids. "Ludo!" Arthur called back. The two men shook hands, Arthur thanking him for the tickets once more and going to introduce him to the kids.

"No need, we met at the water station earlier. In face, I have some business to attend to." Ludo weaved between Harry and Ron, stepping around Ginny and stopping in front of the three blank-faced wager-makers.

"Have you decided on the stakes?" Ludo asked with a sly grin. "Love an easy win, yes I do."

George looked to Rebecca who nodded and then turned to Fred who turned to Ludo, "Yes, Ireland will win, but Krum will catch the snitch. Final score? 170-160."

Ludo shook his head and tried to give them an out, "All pre-match predictions show Ireland having minimal chance-"

Fred interrupted the man, sticking his hand out for a shake, "That's our wager, take it or leave it."

Ludo was impressed by the gall and complete confidence of the young adults, though he still was excited at the prospect of such a win. "Alright, can't say I didn't warn you."

Arthur listened to their exchange and cornered them after he'd gone, hoping that Amos and Cedric were occupied by Bill and Charlie. "Why did I hear the word 'wager?' What have you gotten yourselves into?"

George tried to play it off, "Wager? Did you say wager Rebecca?"

"I did not George. How strange..."

Fred looked into the stare of his father and answered as vaguely as he could, "Don't worry, we have intuition telling us that we made a wise wager."

Arthur's eyes widened, his eyes jumping to Rebecca. "Intuition? Oh tell me you didn't risk health over some gold!" His voice raised higher, Cedric looking over.

Rebecca shook her head and twirled, doing a comical jig, "Nope, no health risk here. Shall we start going?"

Arthur put his hand to his brow and rubbed it slowly, "You're mother better not hear about this, do you understand me?"

They all nodded, "Perfectly!" They responded.

Cedric excused himself from the conversation and moved to walk next to Rebecca. George jumped forward and started talking about the match and how excited he was with it, holding Cedric hostage in his neverending talking.

Fred took the opportunity to tut at Rebecca as the group started to follow the masses moving towards the arena. "You can't go in like that, no team pride!" He reached up and took a swipe of green and a swipe of right from his heavily painted face and having her stop and face him. He made two thick lines under her closed eyes, smiling when he was finished.

"Much better."

At this point they'd reached the bottom of the stairs, the stairs that seemed to stretch as far as they could see up. "I'd like to level with you Fred." She said jokingly, pointing at the stairs that were disappearing under their marching pace.

"Really? I feel like we're climbing to new understandings." They laughed and continued to exchange height and stair related puns, George still talking to Cedric incessantly.

"So, there we are and I'm like 'oh hell, we better hit this bludger towards this guy' when this other guy swings in--or maybe it was a girl--I don't know...anyway, we hit it so hard..."

Cedric nodded and answered when he was supposed to, really listening to how Fred and Rebecca were making each other laugh with more and more ridiculous plays on words. 

*******************************************

Author's Note:

Happy Holidays! So much is happening between Fred and Rebecca that this chapter ended up being long enough to post pre-match: It would have been too long afterwards anyway. I may get another one written tomorrow, I may not. It depends on how long it takes me to clean some cages in the morning and I think I'll sit down and paint tomorrow afternoon.

Anyway, enough about me. How're you?

Enjoy! 

<3


	52. Chapter 52

The seemingly never-ending stairs to the top box ended, Fred and Rebecca found, much quicker than they had thought. Inside, they saw that the box was lined up perfectly on the mid-pitch line and the chairs were a bright purple colour. Arthur went to thank Ludo once more for the tickets and chat as the rest of the stands were slowly filled in. The kids situated themselves into their two rows: Ron, Harry, Rebecca, Hermione, Ginny, and Bill taking the front row while Charlie, Arthur, Fred, George, and Percy took the row right behind them. 

"Hello Arthur." A tight voice spoke from behind the Weasley patriarch as he went to join his group, Lucius' cane tapping the floor annoyingly.

"Hello Lucius." The men exchanged an uncomfortable handshake in front of Cornelius Fudge, hiding their extreme distaste for each other for the minister's sake. Draco had his head turned out, looking over the pitch with a blank expression from in front of the Weasley's seats. 

"Say hello to your friends, Draco." Narcissa demanded as she grabbed his shoulder and turned him towards Rebecca. He winced, her long fingernails digging into him.

"Hello." Narcissa didn't like his lack of enthusiasm, leaning down and hissing in his ear, "If you do not use your manners, I will beat them into you." Her long, dual-coloured hair hiding her words from the other children. She pushed him forward a step and released him from her grasp, joining the smalltalk happening between Arthur, Lucius, and Fudge.

"How are you? Good summer?" Rebecca asked chipperly.

Draco shrugged, "Haven't really done anything." Rebecca started talking about anything, trying to draw him out of his gloom.

"Last year, the-" He turned and looked out of the corner of his eye to make sure his parents weren't listening. "The hippogriff. You didn't have anything to do with its escape, did you?"

Rebecca's smile faltered a moment before returning, a falter Draco noticed. "I don't know what you're talking about. Anyway, like I was sayi-"

"Never pictured you a liar, Potter." Draco interrupted her. Fred stood in his chair and took a step forward as Harry did the same.

"What was that, Malfoy?" Harry asked menacingly.

Draco looked Harry up and down, not answering. "You should find your seat." Charlie had risen next to Fred and had his arms crossed, asserting not only his dominance but the strength he'd acquired after working with the dragons for so long. "Now."

Draco left them and walked past the adults, going to his seat where he sat down and stared straight ahead at the pitch once more. Lucius' eyes flitted between Harry and Rebecca, watching as they spoke to each other quickly.

"He's just a prat, don't pay it any mind." Harry said as they sat back in their chairs and Arthur joined them. Hermione leaned over, "Remember last year..." Hermione broke into giggles before she could continue, "When I punched him!"

Rebecca and Hermione laughed madly, stopping only when a giant leprechaun took to the sky, wearing a green robe embroidered with gold lettering like the Irish uniform. Fred sat back in his chair, his heart still beating in his ears as he tried to calm himself down. "Who does that little shit even think he is?" He kept thinking. George reached over and rubbed his shoulders, "Fred, relax before you blow something." Fredt took a deep breath and nodded his head, watching the pitch as Ludo's voice rang out over the stadium.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to the 422 Quidditch World Cup Final! Coming from the Emerald Isle, the land of luck, Ireland!" The Irish team flew in, going straight through the leprechaun and doing a lap around the stadium before returning to their half of the pitch. "And, coming from the land of...well I'm not really sure, but we have Bulgaria!" The Bulgarian team flew out and did a lap in their scarlet robes, the crowd (especially Ron) cheering as Krum flew past.

Rebecca realised something, "Ron, why exactly aren't you for Bulgaria?"

Ron grinned and pulled down the neck of his jumper, revealing a red Bulgaria shirt. Hermione saw and scoffed, "So you can wear a Bulgaria shirt and I got buggered over a scarf."

Harry shook his head, "Hermione, you said a stranger gave it to you." Rebecca raised her eyebrows and looked at the now blushing Hermione, anticipating a gossipy discussion as soon as they had a modicum of privacy.

Pale, light haired women took center pitch. Their hips revolved seductively as the men in the crowd fell silent and stared at them. Rebecca waved a hand slowly in front of Harry's face, trying to get his attention. Arthur leaned forward chuckling, "Veelas Rebecca, I'm afraid he's a little preoccupied right now."

Rebecca turned around and saw how those in the back were entranced, "Do they not affect married wizards?"

He shook his head, "No, it takes great amounts of will power to escape a veela. Some say that true love does the trick, but nothing concrete has ever been proven." Rebecca looked away from Arthur and looked down the line of Weasley men, Bill and George staring ahead slack-jawed while Fred tore his eyes away from the dancing women and looked into her eyes as her gaze moved to him.

Rebecca turned back to the front as he smiled at her, her cheeks hot for a reason she couldn't quite pin down. Arthur shook his head as he smiled at the two of them, his smile dimming when he thought of that blasted wager they'd been tricked into. Hermione pointed towards the pitch as the bludgers and the snitch were released, the quaffle ready to be thrown up between the Irish and Bulgarian chasers. 

"And just like that, the match has begun!" Ludo narrated happily.

*******************************************

The match started off in lunacy and continued on that same breakneck pace. Both Ireland and Bulgaria were defence-strong team, though Ireland's offence bested Bulgaria's shot after shot. Twenty-five minutes after the start of the match, the score was 130-10 with Ireland in a far, far lead. 

"Irish Chaser Mullet forcibly fouled by Bulgarian Keeper Zograf, penalty shot awarded." Ludo announced. The Bulgaria fans in the crowd booed madly, the hysteria at Ireland making another goal fueling their anger. The Bulgarian Veelas stormed the pitch, their trance only making the men of the crowd rowdier.

Harry and Ron stood with some of the other men in the Top Box, angry and moving like they were going to leave their seats to go join the veelas. Arthur grabbed Ron by the arm while Fred grabbed Harry, pulling him back into his chair. The ref forced the veelas off the pitch after a brawl opened up between the leprechaun of the Irish and the hissing veelas, their faces morphing from the angelic women they had been to bird-like, fireball throwing creatures.

George shook his head, clearing himself from the residual fogginess the veelas left those who fell under their spell and watching as the Irish Beater Quigley sent a bludger at Viktor Krum, breaking his nose. Hermione's breath catched at first impact, her hands grabbing her Bulgaria scarf tightly. The crowd quieted, leaning forward in their seats as the mediwizards surrounded Krum entirely.

Hermione let out one, loud laugh of relief when the mediwizards stepped away from Krum, giving the ref and the Bulgarian coach a thumbs up. Krum would continue.

Rebecca found her head's fading ache coming back at a frightening pace, the twinges turned from an annoyance to whole-mind encompassing. "I'll be right back." She said as she stood up in her chair, telling Arthur she had to go to the bathroom.

Once outside the Top Box, she secured one hand to the railing and the other to the side of her head. Her brain throbbed with each step and she felt herself starting to grow dizzy. "RJ?" Fred called her from the top of the stairs. "Your head again?" He jogged down the stairs and walked next to her as she went to the level below, the level where the nearest toilets were.

"It's fine, not too bad." Her head twinged sharply, her involuntary wince confirming with Fred that she was lying. He said nothing, but the doubt came off him in waves. "Okay, it hurts a little. You didn't have to come."

Fred shrugged, "I already know what's going to happen." He smiled at her as she went into the bathroom, his smile dropping as soon as the door had swung shut behind her. Rebecca was relieved to find the bathroom empty. She went to the sink and turned the faucet to cold, cupping her hands and bringing them to her mouth. 

When she was done drinking, she pushed her glasses up to the top of her head and held the water to her face. She patted her face dry and looked at herself in the mirror. Rebecca put her glasses back on her face and turned to leave the bathroom. She was almost at the door when it happened: Her head screamed in a pain previously unmatched, she dropped to the floor as the air left her lungs in a silent scream.

Fred heard a thump and went to the girl's door, knocking on it. "Rebecca?" He cracked the door and saw her on the ground, throwing the door open the rest of the way and sliding next to her. "Rebecca!" She rocked back and forth slowly, her eyes open but not seeing. Flashes were going off behind her eyes, flashes of fires. Flashes of screaming, bleeding people being tortured by people in black capes and silver masks. Flashes of a skull with a snake crawling out of its mouth made out of smoke in the sky.

Unlike earlier, when the pain lingered, this time when the images left and she blinked, her vision having been returned, her head was clear. Fred has her held against his chest, one hand pressed against the side of her head and the other wrapped around her shoulders. She tried to pull away from him, causing him to look down at her. 

"Can you walk? A mediwizard has got to be around here." Fred pulled her to her feet and grabbed onto her hand, dragging her towards the exit.

"No! A mediwizard? Fred, it's gone." He stopped and turned back at her, "What's gone?"

She gestured to her head, "My head, that last batch seemed to be the end of it."

"Batch?"

She took the lead and started leading him back to the Top Box. "I don't really know what it was about...It looked like here, the tents and all, but it wasn't. There were fires and masked people. And this smoke shape--a snake and a skull." She shrugged and squeezed his hand, "Fred, I don't think there's anything to worry about, okay? I really would rather not give everyone something to worry about."

He stopped, her turning to see why he wasn't moving from a stair below her and stopping as her hand was grabbed by his other hand. They looked at each other, Fred looking directly into her eyes when he asked if she was sure. "Are you certain you're okay?"

"Positive, come on! I don't think the match has finished yet!" She pulled him up the last few stairs and let go of his hand at the door, though not before Hermione and Ginny saw. Rebecca was right, the match was only at 160-10. 

George stood and screamed madly as Ireland got possession of the quaffle once more, their best chaster tearing down the pitch towards the goals. "Ireland scores again! 170 in the first hour of the game, more than any other team against Bulgaria this year. Look at that! Krum races away, the snitch in sight." Krum was a blur across the field as he dodged the other players and evaded Ireland's seeker who was right on his tail.

The crowd stood and screamed, Rebecca, Fred, and George's voices straining with sheer power. Fred and George ran around the aisle and wrapped their arms around themselves and Rebecca, their voices chanting, "We won! We won! We won!"

Harry and Ron looked at them strangely, Ron telling Harry, "They didn't win anything, Ireland won."

Hermione rolled her eyes and told them about the wager that had already been spoken about in front of them, "If you two weren't so busy telling off my scarf, you would have heard!" Ginny was being hugged by Bill, the two of them laughing at how Fred, George, and Rebecca had linked arms and started dancing madly.

Arthur shook his head, "Alright, alright. That's plenty enough now. Go collect while we're here. The Irish will be in full celebration tonight and I don't want to separate on our return." He shooed them off towards Ludo, their joy contagious.

"How much did they wager anyway?" He mused to himself.

Ginny answered from the end, his smile fading instantly at her response. "Their life's savings."

Bill added in helpfully, "And a fake wand." 

Across the room, Ludo sat at his announcer's chair, cross as they approached him. "So, you've come to collect. Can't interest you in double-or-nothing until next year's match?"

They declined. He sighed and reached under his desk and pulled out two buckets overflowing with gold. "That's the agree upon amount. Take it and go, no need to gloat longer than you have to."

Fred and George grabbed the gold that would fall and filled their pockets with it, picking up the buckets and turning to leave. "Wait!" Ludo called after them, standing and walking to them with his arms crossed.

"How'd you know?" He asked, looking between the three of them expectantly.

Fred shrugged, pulling Rebecca closer to him. "Good intuition."

George smiled and turned with Fred and Rebecca as they went back to their friends and family, gold-laden.

*******************************************

Arthur stoked the fireplace in the middle of the clearing outside of their tent, watching as Fred and George jigged at Rebecca's maestro-ing with Irish flags draped over their shoulders. "He's like a bird the way he flies!" Ron shouted from atop his chair.

"He's an athlete." Harry said plainly, appreciating Krum's techniques for future reference but not participating in Ron's idolisation of the Bulgarian.

"He's more than a bird, he's an artist." Ron growled.

Ginny walked past and patted him on the arm. "I think you're in love Ron."

George grabbed one of Ron's arms, "Viktor I love you,"

Fred grabbed the other, "Viktor I dooo!"

"When we're apart, my heart beats only for you!" Harry joined in the ribbing of his best friend as Rebecca looked in the distance and wrapped her arms around herself, the chill of the night creeping in despite the fire.

George followed her gaze and remarked, "Looks like the Irish have got their pride on, as they should."

Arthur grabbed Rebecca roughly, pulling her and George away from where they stood and brought them closer to their fire where he lowered his voice. "That's not the Irish. We've got to get out of here."

Ginny looked at her father fearfully. "What do you mean?"

Arthur looked over his shoulder as an explosion rang out closer to their tent than before. "There's no time. Get back to the portkey and stick together!" He pushed the children away from the destruction, "Charles, Bill, Percy, with me!"

The four oldest Weasleys turned and left, though Arthur turned back around and looked between Fred and George, "They're your responsibility now." George grabbed Ginny and held her closer as they turned and ran, Fred sticking his arms out and directing Hermione and Harry onward.

"Harry!" Rebecca shouted, moving her brother out of his stupor. When Harry was even with her, Rebecca grabbed him and pushed him ahead of her, forcing him next to Hermione and herself next to Fred.

"This is it, isn't it." Fred asked as they continued to run. "What you saw."

The group turned the corner, George and Ginny at the front, and were face to face with a group of wizards in black capes and silver masks. Fred's grip on Rebecca's arm tightened. The masked group turned towards them, a wave of other match-attendees rushing them. The terror and panic fueling those rushing Fred and Rebecca tore them apart, Harry and Rebecca being forced away from the others. 

Ron grabbed Hermione's hand that was holding onto his arm in a death-grip and placed it on Fred's arm, tearing himself away and shoving himself roughly against a stranger--putting himself on course to get back to Harry and Rebecca. "RON!" Hermione screamed as she started to fight against Fred to get to them.

"Stop!" Fred said roughly, "He's going to be fine, they all will." Hermione stopped struggling and followed Fred as he fought to where George and Ginny were ducked behind an overturned tent.

"Where would they go?" George asked Fred as Hermione and Ginny embraced.

Fred looked around and saw the trees about hundred meters away, "There. She'd go to the trees to hide."

George looked at Fred, making sure he was sure. Fred noticed and stood up, grabbing his wand and holding it in front of him. "I know she would." George grabbed Ginny's hand once more while Fred put the back of his shirt into Hermione's hand. "Don't let go, no matter what." He instructed. Hermione nodded, worrying about the other three. Fred peeked around the corner and found that there was a way to get to the trees, a way not in the path of the masked torturers.

Fred began to run, the others following his every step.

*******************************************

Rebecca was stuck between the shoulders of two men who's Irish supporting facepaint was speckled with blood. Her ears were filled with the sounds of screams and the crackling of the fires that were spreading quickly. 

"HARRY!" She shouted, looking around and not seeing him. 

"REBECCA?" Her name was shouted once by Harry and then again in a closer direction by Ron. She fought her way out from between the men and tried to angle herself so that she was moving closer to where she thought Ron's voice had come from.

A hand grabbed her shoulder, scaring her deeply. She shut her eyes and punched at the grabber. "Bloody hell!" Ron shouted as he let go and grabbed his eye. "What in the bloody hell?!" He repeated.

"Ron, where's Harry?" 

He opened his right eye, the left already swelling. "I thought he was with you." Ron stood up and grabbed Rebecca's hand, unfurling her fingers. "Put that thing away before you kill someone!"

Under normal circumstances Rebecca would have apologised, would have offered assistance. But these were not normal circumstances and Harry was no longer responding to their calls. They were running with a mass of people know, looking down every row of tents they passed.

"There!" Rebecca pointed and moved towards the direction she saw a familiar black head lying faceup on the ground. They sprinted to his side, Ron looking in all directions frantically. He crouched down beside her and whispered, "Rebecca, they're coming!"

Harry's eyes were closed and his glasses lay on the ground next to him. She grabbed his arm and put it around her shoulder, struggling to stand as she supported his larger weight. Ron lead the way, his wand out as they snuck down the aisle they were in towards a cropping of trees in the near distance. Ron dropped to the ground and motioned for Rebecca to do the same. Directly on the other side of the tent they were behind were the masked people. 

Ron had his hand pressed to his mouth, trying to lessen any sound made as he breathed. Rebecca took Harry's wand out of his pocket and stuck in her jumper sleeve, her own wand in hand already. The mask-wearers continued on their march, stopping a few tents down from them.

"Muggle-born or pure blood?" A growling voice asked as a woman screamed. 

"Pure blood! I'm a pure blood!" She sobbed in response.

Another voice called out, a different voice. "I can smell the muggle on this one." The woman's screams filled the air, muffling the dragging noise from Harry's limp feet.

*******************************************

Fred and George had the two girls between them, hiding them all behind a large tree. All four of them scanned the trees extensively from their hiding spot.

"They're not here." Ginny whispered, "We need to go find them!"

George shook his head, "No. Not with those people out there. We aren't going anywhere." George looked to Fred, "Fred is."

Fred nodded, not taking any extra time. He squeezed Ginny and Hermione's hands before turning and leaving them under his twins protection, hoping they didn't need it. The first thing Fred did was creep his way to the outermost hidden ring of the trees. From there, he made his way in a full circle and looked down the aisles the trees looked into, looking for any sign of them. The fires had mostly gone out, the smoke heavy over the campground.

Fred froze as he saw a group of the masked down an aisle, a woman hanging in the air between them. He continued his circular reconnaissance, seeing his brother and Rebecca down the aisle to the right of the men. Rebecca's foot caught on something next to a tent, she and Harry went sprawling noisily.

Fred looked at the ground and saw a large stone. He picked it up and threw it in the opposite direction of them, hoping it hit something loud. A clang rang out as it his something metal, Ron helping Rebecca back up and taking the other half of Harry's body.

Fred watched the men turn towards the other noise and ignore the others. Fred left the safety of the trees as they got closer, putting Harry's arm over his neck and lifting him up off the ground entirely. Ron listened to the directions Fred was telling him as he used his free hand to grab Rebecca's face and turn it towards him, looking her over for any injuries. Her eyes saw a glimpse of something in the sky behind them: A skull with a snake slithering out of its mouth.

She hissed as her scar burnt, a different pain that before. Fred looked over his shoulder and saw the sign. He grabbed Rebecca and pushed her so that she would follow Ron, "We've got to get to the others." He whispered.

She nodded, following Ron's crashing footsteps through their small patch of woods. As soon as George, Ginny, and Hermione came into sight, they were surrounded by a series of cracks and shouts of "Stupefy!"

Fred pulled Rebecca to the ground, dropping Harry off his shoulder and putting his body over hers as Ron ducked in front of them. "Stop, they're mine!" Arthur shouted, running from the other adults and grabbing them all in turn. 

A man with a thin mustache and a bowler hat ran at Rebecca with his wand in hand, holding it to her neck as he shouted, "Which of you conjured it?"

"What?" Fred demanded as he put himself between the man and Rebecca, glaring down at him.

"You've been discovered at the scene of the crime, which of you did it?!" The man demanded again hysterically.

"Crouch, you can't be serious. They're just children!"

Rebecca peeked around Fred's arm, "Crime? What crime?"

Hermione spoke from where she was next to George, answering her. "It's the mark, isn't it? That's his mark."

"Voldemort? Those people, here tonight, they're his followers?" The man Arthur called Crouch still held his wand, but his hand fell to his side. Fred moved aside slightly so the Rebecca was more seen.

Arthur nodded, "Death Eaters."

Crouch turned to the other adults and beckoned them away, "Follow me."

Arthur grabbed Ron's jaw and looked at his blackening eye before looking at Harry who was still on the ground where Fred had put him. "Let's go, portkeys have all been opened. We're going home."

*******************************************

Rebecca walked next to Fred, Harry still over his shoulder. Harry had stirred slightly as they began the walk back to the portkey, but he had since remained still. Through the carnage they walked in mostly silence. Charlie, Bill, or Arthur went child to child and fixed whatever they could, the best they could. George had a scrape from where he had tripped and caught himself on a tree that Charlie had mended. Ron's eye proved more difficult that Bill had expected, laughing when he heard how he had gotten it. It was less swollen when he was finished, though definitely still bruised. Fred said he was fine and steered his father to Rebecca.

"Fred's lying. His arm is cut." Rebecca turned the hand closest to her and revealed the dried blood down his arm. 

Arthur tapped his wand to it and watched as it disappeared into a small scratch. Fred adjusted Harry, turning Arthur to her. Rebecca rolled her eyes, "It's nothing like that cut, just a few scrapes." She pointed to the torn knees of her pants and the torn skin behind, "A little on my hands but it doesn't even hurt."

Arthur fixed her knees, leaving the pants for Molly. He turned and went back to walk at the front of their group with Ginny, Fred and Rebecca conversing quietly as soon as he left.

"I didn't say anything in front of everyone else, but I have to know. When you grabbed your scar, did you see anything else?"

Rebecca shook her head, "No, it wasn't like those pains. Those feel like...my brain is imploding or being scrambled with a hot poker, don't look at me like that, you asked. There's nothing that can be compared to those pains, nothing at all. When I looked up at the symbol in the sky, my scar just burnt."

"Burnt?"

She nodded, watching him adjust Harry again. "I can carry him." He gave her a look. "Well I can."

Arthur had them come to a stop at the bottom of the hill the portkey was on top of. "Good and bad news. Good, we get a break. Bad, it's because the next portkey isn't for a few hours."

Ron plopped to the ground, laying out in the grass. Rebecca grabbed Harry's arm and helped Fred lower him to the floor, laying his head down and smoothing the hair off his forehead gingerly. She bent next to him and kissed his forehead before sitting back and holding her knees against her chest.

Fred dropped to the ground next to her ungracefully, sighing as he did so. "Want to hear some real shite?" He asked as he nudged her. She nodded. "We didn't have the buckets of gold, left those at camp. But all the gold in our pockets? Disappeared. Dirty bastard gave us Irish gold."

Her hand clapped to her mouth, "No!"

He nodded, "Yes. Back to square one with that."

The distraction was just what she needed. "You know what we should do? Pre-sales. Lee's reserved for a box and we already know others who would. They just need to pay for it ahead of time so we have the money for ingredients and once we have a build up of products we could then..." Fred listened to her talk business, remembering the key points.

After she'd yawned for the third time, she laid back. "Do you mind?" She asked as she sat back up and looked at him.

"Not at all?" Fred wasn't entirely sure what she was talking about, until it was made clear by her scooting closer to him so that she was against him. "Cold?" He asked her.

Rebecca answered without removing her face from where she had it buried in his side. "A little."

He took an arm out from behind his head and put it around her, hoping it warmed her slightly. "You can close your eyes if you want, I'll stay up and wake you if anything happens."

Rebecca knew he was talking about anything happening with the state of the World Cup and also if anything happened while she was sleeping, her teas all at home or in the inaccessible tent.

She let her head relax against his side, his breathing slowing as he relaxed and stared up at the stars. "How could they be so beautiful?" He whispered, thinking she was already asleep.

Her arm left her side and wrapped around him, hugging him tightly. "I know. But we're okay."

He nodded, ignoring the fact that her twin lie next to her still unconscious. "You're right about that. All's-"

"Well. Wake me up in a little so you can sleep too." She finished for him, looking up at him with a smile.

*******************************************

An hour or so after she had finally fallen asleep, Harry sat up quickly. Arthur hurried to his side and quietly explained what had happened and who the masked men were. Harry looked around at them all sleeping on the ground, his eyes settling on Rebecca. "No one's hurt?"

Arthur nodded, "You're the one we were worried about."

Harry told them what had happened, "It was absolutely mental--the running, the screaming. When the mas-Death Eaters. When the Death Eaters showed themselves at the end, people just started going. I tripped over someone else and ended up on the ground being stepped on." He winced as he pulled the neck of his shirt down a little, the bruises evident.

Arthur murmured the incantation to lessen bruising and watched as his bruises faded from the dark purples and greens that they were to nearly healed. They three awake men turned and looked in Ginny's direction as she cried out in her sleep, Arthur leaving to comfort her. Harry laid back in the grass, unable to sleep as he confronted the fact that Voldemort was all the much closer to a return.

Rebecca moved only once while she was asleep, her head jerking once roughly and a single word coming out of her mouth. "No!" Fred lifted his hand from the middle of her back and played with her hair, coiling and uncoiling different curls to try and calm her. She settled down and stayed that way until Arthur returned and woke them all up a few hours later. 

"Portkey'll be here in any moment, we'll be home soon enough." Rebecca opened her eyes and sat up, looking for Harry. "He's awake, has been for a little less than an hour." Fred told her, knowing who she was looking for.

She shook her head, "You should have woken me up. Even if he hadn't woken up yet, you should've woken me up. I only meant to sleep a short while."

Fred sat up as she removed herself from him, "I was fine, still keyed up from this evening." He looked down at her as they stood up, realising how much shorter than him she was. "I never meant to let go when that crowd first rushed us, you know that right?"

It was her turn to give him a look, "Don't be dull Fred, of course I know." Fred chuckled at her response, the two of them joining the others and walking to the portkey. Arthur had them line up and prepare to grab it as he checked his watch.

"Now!" They all grabbed onto the boot and began spinning like they had on their arrival earlier that very day. "We're going to hold on a little longer this time!" Arthur instructed as they spun faster, "End up closer to home!"

The trip seemed nearly double the time it had taken that morning, though it was a worthwhile endeavour. When Arthur told them to let go and they looked around from where they had been thrown by the force of portkey travel, they saw that they were much, much closer to the Burrow than they would have been.

Molly had the porch light on, having heard of the events at the match, and had prepared beds around the downstairs for them all to take so they didn't have to worry about anything other than going in and going to sleep. She paced around the downstairs, making sure everything was ready and hoping they were all okay.

When Arthur swung the front door open, Molly turned and ran to him, kissing him deeply. "Beds! Beds everywhere! Couches, cots, halls on mattresses, take one and lie down!" Molly hugged and kissed each child as they entered the Burrow, Weasley or not, taking special care to look them over.

Fred and Rebecca were the last two to enter the house and took the last two beds open, two cots side by side in the front room with a smoldering fireplace. Just like in Hogwarts the year before, their hands stayed next to each other's all night in the space between them. Molly and Arthur was going room to room and making sure they were all covered and on their way asleep already, finding the two of them like that. She went to the office and grabbed the camera, justifying the sleeping photo with thoughts like "They're going to appreciate this once their older!"

She lifted the camera and held it up to her eye, making sure the picture would have the two of them lying face to face and their hands brushing against one another's. Snap! The picture was taken and the photo shot out the bottom of the camera quietly.

She put the camera back and went to join Arthur in the kitchen, him wanting to talk with another adult about what had happened.

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Authour's Note:

Next chapter will come soon, probably not tomorrow as it's Christmas day however. Enjoy! 

<3


	53. Chapter 53

The house, exhausted from the stress of the day before, slept until into the next day. They whey woke one by one, slowly throughout the late morning and early afternoon. When tea time had come and gone, Molly went to the front room to check on Fred and Rebecca--where the only two still asleep snoozed on.

They had shifted only minutely, Rebecca having pulled her legs farther up into her blankets and Fred having laid more onto his back; both of their arms still against one another's between the cots. Molly shook her head and went back to where she was opening the multitude of Hogwarts letters and compiling the ever-growing list for the year.

Hermione and Ginny came down the stairs, Harry and Ron talking with them as they descended as well. "Could we go flying mum?" Ginny asked sweetly.

"Sure, just don't go shouting by the front windows. They're still sleeping."

"You think they're alright?" Harry asked Molly worried. 

"I think they probably just needed a good long rest after yesterday, I wouldn't worry yourself love."

Ron scoffed, "Exhausted from lugging you around most likely."

Molly turned to scold her youngest son, but he had hopped out the door to escape what he knew he had coming. Hermione patted Harry's arm as she and Ginny passed him, "They'll be up any moment. You could always sit with me if you don't want to fly, Ginny's lent me a book but I can always leave it in here."

"Thanks. I'll meet you guys outside, okay?" 

Ginny watched Harry walk down the hall and look into where they slept and moved to stay inside with him, but Molly kicked her and Hermione out, telling them she would talk to him. The girls went outside with Ron who Molly heard call for Ginny to throw him a broom. Harry walked back down the hall where Molly held her arms open in offerance of a hug.

Harry took it graciously, burying himself in her love. "She's fine, I'm certain of it."

Harry nodded as he pulled himself from his arms and sat on the stool she pointed to as she sat on the adjacent one. "What does it mean, Voldemort's followers at the match?"

Molly sucked in a breath and responded, emphasizing her non-usage of His name. "You-know-who was a plague in our world--A plague that spread far and wide."

"So you're not worried about that either?" Harry asked pointedly.

"No. I have a son in Romania, a son in Egypt, one who graduates this year, (I know Percy graduated their third year, but I figured since I made the twins a year younger than he should too. So, to clarify, Percy's on his seventh year. Fred and George are in their fifth year. Trio and Rebecca are going into their fourth year.) two who want nothing more than to cause trouble, one who ends up in trouble each year, and a daughter who is feistier than them all. On top of Rebecca and you, where you both also have a special spot in my heart. And Arthur! Not to mention Arthur and his playing with muggle toys! I have enough to worry about without adding to it unnecessarily."

Harry rolled his eyes, "It's so easy to worry though, too easy."

Molly stood up and grabbed two tea cups out of the cupboard. "It is. You know the easiest way to stop worrying about things? Talk them out and rationalise why we don't have to worry about it. I'll pour, you start."

Harry took a deep breath, racking his head for the first worry to pick apart with her. "Well, for one, Rebecca. She's a walking worry herself. She falls asleep? Sees the future. Stays awake? Knows exactly what I'm thinking. It's unnerving how intune to us she is. Most of us at least."

Molly smiled, knowing exactly who she wasn't seeing the feelings of. "So you're worried about how much she loves you?"

"No, not at all. I guess..."

Molly waited while he figured out what he wanted to say. "I guess I'm worried because I love her so much. I never want to see her hurt or sad or anything." He lifted his mug and took a sip of the tea, already feeling better as he spoke.

"I want to tell you a little story. After Arthur and I had Charlie, he got sick. Had a fever, couldn't keep anything in him, had to take him to St. Mungo's in the end. He spent days there and we almost lost him. When we finally took him home, I disinfected everything. If it came in the house, it was deep-cleaned. I spent so much time cleaning that I ended up missing his first steps because I was scrubbing the door handle. It was hard, so hard, to know that I'd missed something that you can only watch once--You'll understand when you're a parent how devastating it was, but it ended up for the better: I stopped worrying so much about the germs and I spent more time enjoying things."

Harry looked at her confused, "Weren't you worried that he would get sick again?"

Molly nodded, "Of course! But you have to find the balance between worrying and worrying too much like I had to, like everyone has to with family."

Harry looked into his tea and took another sip, "So that's what I have to do with Voldemort too, isn't it."

She winced at His name again, "Exactly."

Harry stood up and hugged her again, "This family stuff is hard." Molly squeezed him harder as her heart broke hearing him say those words. He stood up and went to the back door, "Worth it though, isn't it?" He laughed and turned back to her, "Rebecca was right, you do know how to fix any problem."

Molly smiled at him as he left the house and joined his friends. She turned back to her list and continued to add up the costs. "Fred and George will need dress robes, Ron can wear Bill's, Ginny...Ginny will need a dress. Percy can wear Arthur's dress robes. Rebecca will need..."

She was still adding when Fred and Rebecca walked down the hall next to each other, stretching and yawning. "Harry will be quite pleased that you two have joined us, he's been in a conundrum for ages." Rebecca smiled sheepishly and said she was going to brush her teeth and change, then she'd go straight out to see him.

Fred poked around the kitchen, pulling out the bread and the jam and making two sandwiches. Molly put her quill down and turned to her silent son. "Fred?"

He looked at her and smiled, "I'm alright, just thinking."

Molly took her stool again, thinking to herself she should call it her 'Talking Stool.' "About anything in particular?"

Fred sighed and put the jam back in the fridge before cutting both sandwiches down the middle. "Last night was absolutely mental. I can't even wrap my head around it. Those muggles..."

Molly nodded, "Fred, I wish you all had never seen any of that: The ugliness of evil."

"But we did."

"Yes, you did."

Rebecca hopped down the stairs like she normally did. Fred slid the second plate down the counter towards her, "Raspberry."

She hopped up on the stool next to Molly and took a large bite. "My favorite!" She said before taking a huge bite. "Thank you so much!" She took another bite as Fred bit into his own sandwich and laughed at how she gushed over how delicious it was. "One of the best sandwiches in the world, you should patent this recipe!"

Molly shook her head and grabbed Rebecca's Hogwarts letter from behind her and handed it to her. "I opened it to add your supplies to the list, came this morning while you two slept."

Rebecca skimmed through the supplies, "A dress? Why do we need a dress?"

Fred became very interested in his sandwich as he thought about George's theory of a dance. Molly shrugged, "I don't know dear, I'm sure you'll find out at school. We're headed to Diagon Alley at the end of the week, all three of you girls can look there. There's also a nice shop in Hogsmeade you can all look at as well!"

Rebecca caught Fred's eye, "Joy." Her voice dripped in sarcasm. He smirked and mimed like he was laughing at her as Molly went on about colours and cuts and fabrics and lots of other dress details Rebecca wasn't overwhelmingly concerned with.

"And Fred! You and George will need dress robes. We'll have measurements taken at Madame Malkins and get a quote." She started in on their dress robes, Rebecca returning his mimed laughter as he stuck his tongue out at her.

Molly was still talking about how necessary it was for dress robes to have a little extra room when Rebecca put her plate into the sink and moved next to him. He looked down at her as she leaned her head on his arm. "Thanks for the sandwich." She mouthed up to him to not interrupt Molly before creeping back towards the door and slipping outside, Harry wrapping her in a tight hug as soon as he saw her.

*******************************************

The door to the Burrow was thrown open as the Weasleys, Harry, and Hermione poured into the house, their arms heavily laden with bags of supplies. 

"Make your piles and put them in your trunks now!" Molly shouted up the stairs as the kids climbed them, talking to each other. Hermione and Ginny followed Ron and Harry down the hall towards their two rooms while Rebecca lingered at the top of the stairs, shifting some of her books in hand to her other arm.

Fred and George waved her down towards their room and closed the door gently behind her. "Did you get them?"

Rebecca nodded and grabbed the paper bag she'd managed to keep out of Molly's sight. "Them and more, the clerk gave us an advance on the fangs, the powdered newt eggs, and the feathers of pigwellions in exchange for a snackbox."

George went to the notebook on the edge of his opened trunk and scribbled ingredients clerk onto their first shipment's list. "Those will come in handy, good job."

Fred and George gathered up every cent they had between themselves and made a list with Rebecca about everything they would need to start as soon as they had arrived at Hogwarts. "It was weird, wasn't it?"

She handed the bag to Fred as he laid it in his trunk between his newly purchased dress robes for safe traveling. "What was?" George asked, noting how her eyes lingered on his bent over body and grinning lewdly at her. She noticed his noticing and looked away, clearing her throat before explaining further.

"How no one was acting like anything happened. A week ago everything happened at the World Cup and Diagon Alley seemed like any other year."

Fred shook his head and turned back towards her, crossing his arms and sitting on the lip of his trunk. "I heard dad and Percy talking. Percy wanted to know something about some article and dad blew up: Apparently this Rita Skeeter in the Daily Prophet's been saying that the Ministry knew there'd be an attack with all of the security they had at the match."

George added, "To which Percy only made him more upset when he insisted that the Ministry knew nothing and insinuated that the attack was being blown out of proportion."

"Percy said that?" Rebecca asked angrily. "He was there!"

George raised his hands and teetered them side-to-side like they were weighing options, "He wants a job with Fudge next year, probably thinks bad mouthing the Ministry will hinder his chances. Prat."

Fred nodded at the insult. Rebecca shook her head and turned back to the door. "Hey," Fred called as she stepped into the hallway. He hopped off his trunk and leaned against the door frame.

"You're not cross with me, are you?" He asked quietly, hoping George wasn't able to hear him.

Rebecca shook her head once more, though more emphatically this time. "Of course not! Why would you think that?"

Fred shrugged, "I don't know. I haven't seen you much this week and then you and Hermione disappeared off in Diagon Alley. I just wasn't sure if I'd done anything to," He closed the door behind him and walked with her slowly back towards the top of the stairs. "upset you or anything and you were avoiding me."

She shifted her bags and books again to stand and reassure him. "I don't know if there's anything you could do for me to avoid you. I just know Harry was really freaked after the match and all, plus Hermione's here and then I've been trying to spend extra time with Ginny before term starts and Molly-"

"Lot on your plate, I see." Fred said relieved.

She shook her head and smiled at him as he reached up and pushed his long, falling hair away from his face. "What about a ride tonight? After everyone's gone to sleep?"

He pursed his lips, "Miss Potter, are you trying to corrupt me?"

"That's a yes then, I'll knock when it's clear." Rebecca turned and walked down the hall and pushed open the door to the girls' room with her foot, Hermione and Ginny's chatter pouring out into the hall where Fred stood and walked back to his room with a goofy grin plastered on his face.

Upon opening his bedroom door, George sat with their prank book in his lap. "That's it, I've got out next project. Extendable Ears."

"What, so you can eavesdrop easier?" Fred asked, his elation at the prospect of a midnight flight with Rebecca taking the forefront of his mind.

"Of course not, though it will help."

*******************************************

Molly used magic to clean up after dinner, a treat to celebrate their last supper at the Burrow for the summer. She leaned back in her chair and took out the book of their summer memories. "Harry, Hermione, do you two want to start?" Molly asked, having pulled them aside that morning and explained their little tradition.

Ron raised his hand, "I will mum. As is my own tradition, my favorite memory of the summer was...your cooking."

The table collectively rolled their eyes as Ron sat back proud of himself. They went around the table, sharing their memories. "The match...Quidditch in the back...Mum's cooking...Being with you guys..." Molly smiled and collected their scraps of paper to paste into the book that evening. "Fred?"

Rebecca had already shared her memory: The day they'd gone to pick up Harry. All eyes around the room landed on Fred who paled slightly. "I'll keep it to myself again, just for the book." Molly nodded and grabbed his paper, placing it in the pile. 

"Go on, make sure you're packed and then you're free! Early to bed, early to rise ladies and gents! Cabs will be here bright and early!"

The kids dispersed while Rebecca stayed and asked Arthur, "What's happened with the second Anglia?"

He shook his head as his face darkened. "Ministry's banned all of my work with any 'overt possibility' for muggle noticing."

Rebecca sighed and hugged him, shocking him. "I'm sorry."

"Well it's nothing you did, but I appreciate it. Someone thinks its a good idea." He jerked his thumb across the room to where Molly was pasting.

"I can hear you Arthur!" She called, not even turning.

Arthur shooed Rebecca out of the room, "10:45."

"What?" She asked confused.

"Molly's asleep at 10:45 every night like clockwork. Sound travels at the top of the stairs." Arthur winked and shooed her once more, his meaning dawning on her. 

Upstairs, Ginny was looking into Hermione's trunk. "Where's your cauldron?"

Hermione clapped her hands excitedly and went to Ginny's trunk, "Look, put your socks in it with a book on top and flip it upside down. More space and no lost socks!"

Ginny did as was recommended and did find it very useful. "Wicked!"

Hermione went to Rebecca's trunk and grabbed her cauldron to show her, "No wait!" Rebecca cried, grabbing the cauldron before it was inverted. "It's not packed well yet."

Ginny raised and eyebrow while Hermione crossed her arms as Rebecca spread out the miscellaneous potion supplies that had been tossed into the cauldron haphazardly.

"You're going to cost us so many points this year." Hermione scolded as the potion supplies were pulled endlessly. "What do you even need all of this for!"

Rebecca grinned and started to layer them in the cauldron for transport, "If I tell you, I'll have to kill you."

Hermione shook her head and went back to her own nearly-finished trunk. "You're mental."

Ginny laughed and leaned down next to Rebecca, "How many orders have you gotten?"

Hermione turned at the word 'orders.' "You're selling pranks!"

Rebecca laughed harder, "It's harmless Hermione! It's not like they're drugs!"

Hermione laid back on their bed and put her face into her hands, "Where did I go wrong with you?"

*******************************************

The shower line started early, the kids all ready for bed just as Molly and Arthur climbed the stairs to make sure everyone was settling down. Molly had cast a spell on Rebecca's bed for the time that Hermione would be with them, making it wide enough for two girls to comfortably the week Hermione had spent with them until they would leave for school. 

"Everyone snug as a bug?" Molly asked like she did every night as she pulled the blankets up to each child's chin. "Oh Rebecca, you almost forgot this!" Molly put her tea on her side table next to her glasses, the dark liquid sending steam up into the air above it.

Arthur wished them sweet dreams from the door and winked at Rebecca before pulling the door closed behind Molly. Hermione rolled so that she was face to face with Rebecca. "What are you planning?"

Rebecca pulled the blankets under her chin and widened her eyes innocently, "I'm just trying to go to bed Hermione!" 

Hermione nodded and rolled her eyes. "Mhmmm, and I'm a monkey's uncle."

"Really? Congratulations then." Rebecca laughed at the face Hermione gave her and checked her watch. She still had 45 minutes until she could take the brooms she'd hidden in their closet out with Ginny's assistance earlier that afternoon.

"Whatever you do, please drink your tea when you two are done. I really don't want to be sleep beaten."

Rebecca looked away from her watch quickly, "Two? Who ever mentioned someone else."

Hermione gave her a knowing look. "Rebecca, you don't have to say anything. You and Fred are practically conjoined."

Rebecca rolled over so that she was looking across the room at Ginny, who was looking at the two of them. "She's right." Ginny said with a laugh, "It's sad really, how he follows you around."

Hermione sat up a little so that she was talking over Rebecca, "Is he following her though? They seem to go back and forth."

Rebecca pulled the blankets over her head groaning. "You two are rotten! We're just going on a fly around. I'm hoping it will cheer him up."

"What's he got to be sad about?" Ginny asked as she lay back down on her bed. "Other than that Ludo arsehole. Better hope I never see him in a dark hallway...I won't tell what I'll do for plausible deniability, but it will be ugly."

"No, they're angry about that but they can't really do anything other than keep sending owls like they have been. No. You can't tell him I told you two. I mean it, I won't tell you anything again if you make fun of him."

Hermione nodded so that Rebecca would continue, but she wouldn't. She looked at Ginny until Ginny agreed to secrecy. "Fine, you don't let me have any fun."

Rebecca ignored her comment and finished, "He gets really, really homesick. I figured a last little adventure would make him happy."

Hermione smiled, "That's actually really sweet."

"Actually? I'll have you know I'm a very sweet person."

"For Fred." Ginny called from across the room.

"And in general!"

Hermione pounced, "And. You said and. So you're admitting that you do like Fred!"

Rebecca's mind was running on overdrive as she tried to talk her way out of the hole she'd gotten herself into. "I didn't say 'and!'"

Ginny was sitting up again and pointing at Hermione, "Yes she did! I heard it too!"

Rebecca checked her watch and decided to leave ten minutes early instead of staying with those two. "I did not say 'and' and I admit to nothing." She said as she lifted her blankets and slipped on her shoes. "You two are mental. Besides, I don't remember an explanation for the mysterious Bulgaria scarf from the match. Thine in glass houses shalt not trow stones."

Ginny and Hermione watched her storm towards the door before stopping and turning back. She looked at Hermione, then Ginny, and finally the window. She crossed the room while Hermione and Ginny stopped ragging her and asked her what she was doing.

"Rebecca?" Ginny's voice took on a concerned voice as Rebecca unlatched and popped the window open enough to jump through. 

"We get it, not funny. We're done Rebecca!" Hermione said quickly.

Rebecca grinned madly before sticking one broom under her arm and holding the other out in front of her. She ran the last few feet in the room before launching herself out of the window and thrusting the broom in hand between her legs and catching herself as she dropped to the ground.

Hermione and Ginny were out of bed in an instant, watching Rebecca's broom take flight as she turned back to the window. "There, now we've all had our fun this evening! Boy am I glad that worked!" Hermione had her hand held against her heart. 

"You are a horrid person. A horrid, horrid person." She said breathlessly.

Ginny looked out the window in awe, "I am so doing that next time."

Rebecca reached in and closed the window behind her. "Don't wait up, I'll be quiet." She turned away from the house and glided around the house to Fred and George's room, the night air not uncomfortably cool. The moon shone brightly in its mostly full position a quarter of the night's sky above the horizon.

She took the second broom out from under her air and held it across her knees, balancing herself and the broom as she levitated at their window. 

Fred was leaning against the wall next to their door going to the hallway, telling George that he was going to give him a black eye like Ron's if he didn't stop singing love songs. "I don't know why you have to get so defensive. Are you hiding something Freddie boy?"

Rebecca knocked again, tapping the glass pane as loudly as she dared. Fred cracked open the hall door. George sighed and got out of his bed, throwing open the shades and opening the window. "Really Fred? Half deaf or something?" (sorry, not sorry ;) )

Fred walked past George and stuck his hand out, grabbing his head and pushing him backwards so he fell onto his bed with a muffled oof. "Fancy seeing you here. Looking for someone in particular?" Fred joked out the window where she tapped on his broom.

She leaned forward and caught George's eye, "George? You ready?" Rebecca laughed and handed Fred his broom, "Let's get a move on so we're not thoroughly exhausted tomorrow."

Fred grabbed the broom and pushed off the window lightly, slowly gliding next to her. "Where to?" He asked once George had closed the window and they'd moved away from the house a little ways.

"I thought we'd go around the pitch and just go about from there, if you're good with that?"

"Sounds great to me. Race you!" He pushed his broom's nose farther down and sped off into the night, her doing the same only moments later. Rebecca leaned down and pushed herself against the broom's handle, minimising the wind resistance and closing the few inches between the nose of her broom and his as they passed the quidditch posts.

He pulled up and slowed to a walking pace as they went farther, going towards the lake they (save Rebecca) would swim on the rare days it was hot enough. He pulled his broom to a stop at the water's edge, letting his feet rest on the stony shore.

"I'm really going to miss this." He said at last.

"I know."

Fred set his feet firmly on the ground and put his broom up on the uprising behind him. "Can I try something with you?" He asked as he stepped closer to her and looked at her for approval. 

"Depends, what are you doing?"

"Watch." He swung his leg up over the back of her broom and sat on it behind her. He put his arms under hers and grabbed the handle over her hands. "Charlie did this with me before my first year, before we had to go for the first time. He understood while Bill couldn't. It's hard to leave."

She lifted her feet and leaned back into him as he raised them slightly higher before going off. Her hands squeezed the broom tighter, "Fred?" She asked, her voice raising its pitch and her eyes shutting as she left the safety of the ground and he propelled them over the dark, still water. 

"It's okay, I'm right here."

He tightened his grip over her hands. She opened her eyes as he put his head on her shoulder. He slowed their ride in the middle of the water, the edges of the lake visible all the way around them. "Charlie took me out here and he told me 'We are infinite. We're apart, but all that we are is always together.'"

Rebecca turned her head so that she could see her, her lips so close to his cheek. "That's beautiful."

"I still cried every night that first week, but thinking that there was still apart of me with mum and dad helped."

He took in a sharp breath and looked back into the distance. "Sometimes that's what I think about with you. We're apart, but never truly so."

She watched his cheeks darken as she studied his face, wanting so much to lean in and kiss him. "Cheesy, right?" He sensed her hesitation and took it as a sign he'd been to forward. He turned the broom back to where his broom waited for them. 

As he slowed them once more and took his hands off hers to get off, she turned her hands up and grabbed his, entiwingint her fingers with his. "That wasn't cheesy, not at all actually."

"Actually?" He asked, leaning to the side so he could look her straight in the face. 

"Actually." She let go of his hand and laughed, "I'll win back too!" 

She tore off towards the house, leaving Fred scrambling on the rocks and his heart racing. "I should have kissed her."

*******************************************

Hermione and Ginny were both asleep when Fred and Rebecca returned to the Burrow just before midnight, a fact Rebecca was incredibly grateful. "We just have to get the brooms put back into the closet tomorrow morning." She said as she landed and put the broom back into the closet.

Fred nodded and noticed the tea on her side table, unconsumed. Rebecca saw him look at it and picked it up, taking a gulp of the now-cooled liquid while Fred drifted in and closed the window behind him. "Is there a certain time you want to be up tomorrow?" He whispered.

"Half seven, with Hermione. Why?"

He gestured to the tea she was still sipping at. "It's later than you normally drink it, probably leave you more tired in the morning. I'll check in around then and make sure you're up, okay?"

"Oh, I didn't even think of that. Maybe I should only drink half of it-"

"I'll make sure you're up." Fred interrupted, not wanting her to mess with her premonitions after the World Cup incident.

She walked with him to the door as she finished the entirety of the tea, "I'll hold you to that then, this is quite" She yawned, "strong." He laughed quietly and opened the door slowly before stepping out and turning back around.

Rebecca stood in the doorway, leaning against the frame and holding the door with her hand. Fred took a step back towards her and leaned down to her. Rebecca's breath caught in her throat as his face grew closer and closer.

His lips brushed against her cheek, disappointing both of them. "Good night. Thank you for tonight, it was perfect."

"Good night to you as well," She pulled on her butler's accent and bowed, "Now off to bed Master Weasley, the sun waits for no one!" She closed the door and walked to bed quickly, the tea's effects making her dangerously tired to be standing.

Fred walked down the hall and got into bed silently, thinking over the events of the night.

*******************************************

"Oi! Knock it off up there!" Ron and Ginny were shouting at each other over who's turn it was next in the bathroom early the next morning, Hermione's alarm having gone off earlier. Harry turned back towards Ron's room, figuring he would just get dressed in there and brush his teeth when there was an opening.

Fred followed him down the hall, passing Harry and knocking on the girls' door lightly. When there was no response, he let himself in and smiled at the sight waiting for him. Rebecca's hair was sprawled around her face as she looked up to the side, snoring lightly.

"RJ?" He shook her shoulder.

"Rebecca?" He shook her a little harder. 

Harry stepped further into Ron's room but continued to watch. Fred bounced on her bed lightly, singing her name. "Oh Rebecca?" He stood and slipped his shoes off, standing on Hermione's side of the bed. 

"It's a beautiful day!" Bounce bounce bounce. "It's time to wake up!" Bounce bounce bounce. She stirred at the rapid bouncing and opened her eyes slowly.

"You should sing to me more often." She said, her voice raspy with sleep. "It's a nice way to wake up."

"Don't flatter me, my head's already too big." He shook his head so his hair bounced, the longest it had ever been. "It's nearly eight however..."

She sat up quickly, "Bugger me! We've got to go soon!" Fred hopped off her bed and put his shoes back on, stepping aside as she swung her legs off the bed and grabbed her glasses. The arm of her glasses caught on her mug and sent it right off the edge of the table. Fred's arm shot down and grabbed it before it smashed.

"You've got plenty of time, especially since you already laid out your muggle clothes." He pointed to the outfit she had out. "You already packed your robes for the train?" She nodded and pushed the locks of hair falling into her face out of it. "Then all you have to do is get dressed and eat breakfast. I'll go save you some while you get ready." He walked backwards out of the room pointing at her. "Plenty of time."

He closed the door behind her so she had the privacy to change and turned, seeing Harry standing in Ron's doorway. "She'd asked me to make sure she woke up last night."

"Really? I spent the evening with her and don't remember that." Harry said, secretly enjoying the way Fred started to squirm as Harry stared at him. 

"Strange, isn't it."

"Very." Harry turned back into Ron's room and smiled, not letting Fred see. "He makes it too easy!"

Rebecca opened the door a minute later and stopped at the stairs on her way to the bathroom. "Does anyone see my jumper down there? It's my Christmas jumper. I can't find the blasted thing for the damn train!"

"Language!" Molly called as Arthur called in response, "It's down here, next to your trunk."

"Arthur, you've got to call them on their mouths! It's like they were raised by sailors!" Rebecca heard Molly scold him as she popped in the bathroom and tried to comb her hair into order as she brushed her teeth.

"I've found it's better to stop trying." Harry said from the door as he wet his toothbrush and started brushing his teeth next to her. 

"I think I'd better keep trying, only one of us can look a perpetual mess." Harry bumped her shoulder at the jab. "Sleep well last night?" He asked after they both had rinsed their mouths. "Slept past your alarm."

Rebecca looked at him through the mirror as she fixed the last section of her hair. "Fine, took me a while to fall asleep is all."

Harry nodded and left the bathroom, saying only one more thing. "You're an awful liar."

*******************************************

Molly directed the children to the three cabs, splitting them up so that they'd fit. "Percy, Arthur, and I are in the first one. Hermione, Ginny, Rebecca in the second with the owls and Crookshanks. Ron, Harry, Fred, and George in the last one. Let's go!" She clapped her hands and sent them and their trunks to their assignments.

Arthur helped them with their trunks and made sure everyone was situated before climbing into the frontmost cab. The cab rides were uneventful for the most part, the kids chatted and gazed out the windows. Rebecca kept looking over her shoulder to make sure the third cab was still following them. After the third time, Ginny sighed, "The cab knows how to get to King's Cross you know?"

"I know, I'm just making sure we don't get too far apart." She said defensively. "Don't start any nonsense this early."

Hermione laughed into her book, but stopped when Rebecca turned to her. "Actually, I have my own little nonsense to start: The scarf. It's time Hermione. Time...to share." She said mysteriously as Hermione turned the page. 

"Nothing to share, a handsome stranger gave it to me. Keyword being stranger."

"Keyword handsome. What'd he look like?" Rebecca leaned back in her seat and fought the urge to check on the other car again.

"Well he wasn't tall, lean, and red-haired. No need to worry." Rebecca scowled.

"I know you think you're clever, but I'll get you back for that."

Ginny oohed and laughed at the two of them, "We're almost to the station!" She said as she pointed to a sign that said:

King's Cross 5 kilometers

Rebecca looked over her shoulder, telling herself it was the last time she would.

(It wasn't.)

*******************************************

Author's Note:

I hope you had a happy holiday, wherever you are. Let's remember as we approach New Year's that there is still a global pandemic and we need to continue to social distance, continue to wear masks, and continue to be safe. 

A bit of a filler, but I'm hoping that the next chapter will be the train ride and the opening feast. The feast, of course, including the introduction of Durmstrang and Beauxbatons.

Also, quick think I wanted your opinion on. I keep seeing a lot of stuff on TikTok about AO3, another writing website. Do any of you use it as well? Do you like it? I am considering uploading this to there IN ADDITION to keeping it on Wattpad. I enjoy Wattpad's layout and usability, I would never switch over completely. I just thought it would increase the audience.

Fun fact: Wattpad updated on my phone and says this book is nearly 17 hours worth of reading!

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. 

<3


	54. Chapter 54

"Oh my god." Rebecca sighed as she plopped onto an empty compartment's bench and threw the jumper in her hand over her head. "Why is it so crowded!"

Ginny threw her backpack on the bench across from her, "It's as crowded as it is every year! I'll be back before we get there, okay?" Ginny didn't wait for a response and was out the compartment a moment later.

"They grow up so fast." Rebecca joked as Hermione waved goodbye to the empty space Ginny had been in. "And with that, I take my leave as well." She nodded to where Fred and George were standing in the hall expectantly. Hermione rolled her eyes, "Last night wasn't enough?"

"Wait-what happened last night?" Harry's head jerked away from Ron and his conversation. "Rebecca?!" He repeated when she didn't answer immediately.

"Harry?" She said from the doorway, half in the hallway. "If it was any of your business, I'd tell you. But it isn't, so I'm not." She closed the door behind her, muffling his voice as he demanded Hermione to tell him what she meant.

"I thought they did something last night, but they didn't-"

"Harry!" Hermione's voice interrupted his crude speculation.

"So they didn't..." 

"No, and she's actually right. It's none of your business at all what she does or does not do."

George eyed the door as Rebecca tried to lead them away from it, "Everything good in there?" 

Rebecca grinned, "Oh yeah, expect a pleasant supper Fred, Harry's going mental." She patted Fred's chest before they turned towards Lee's cabin. Fred clapped his hands and rubbed them together. "Let's get these orders."

*******************************************

Lee had accumulated quite the list of people who had shown interest in a box and were willing to preorder for the first delivery date. "It's bonkers mates, especially the mystery snack...Every single person on that list buggered me for hints."

Fred nodded as he read through the list, "Really?" He asked only half-listening. Rebecca nudged him and nodded towards Lee. Fred put the list at his side and shook his head. "Sorry, I was just running numbers. This is quite a lot more than we anticipated."

"Which is absolutely amazing!" George interrupted.

"Yes, it is absolutely amazing. But, we didn't plan for such a mobbing." Fred looked to George, "We don't have enough ingredients for half of these and we can't sell to some and not to all. We'll have to think of something else."

"Or not..." Rebecca said with a sheepish smile growing.

"You didn't." Fred said, his arms crossing.

"You did!" George shouted, jumping and punching the air. 

"We said no loans." Fred said, his face blank. 

"Don't think of it as a loan then! Think of it as an early, early birthday present." She smiled up at him and waved the list in front of him. "Don't be cross, look at the list! There's got to be nearly thirty orders here!"

"Twenty-six, to be exact." Lee motion for them to sit in his compartment with the other fifth years. Fred and George sat and leaned forwards, their elbows on their knees and their hair falling forwards.

"I'm going to go make sure Hermione doesn't read herself to death, okay? We're all sitting together at supper, right?" Rebecca asked as she slid the door open and turned back to them.

Fred turned his head to the door, half of his mouth cocked in a sly grin, "Where else would we sit?" He turned back to the list where George was coming up with an estimate of how many batches they'd need of each treat.

She closed the door behind her, his grin engraving itself into her mind. Rebecca ended up walking right behind the candy trolley, the old woman calling out as she went past the compartments, "Anything from the trolley? Anything from the trolley?"

Two doors before where she was going, Draco opened the compartment door. "One chocolate wand." He said plainly, his eyes meeting Rebecca's before shooting away.

"Here you go, dear. That'll be-" He stuck a collection of galleons and knuts into her hand. "One for her, too." He said before closing the door behind him quickly. The old woman turned around and smiled, handing the second wand to her.

"I remember you too, you bought him the same last year. Ah," She sighed turning back to push the cart again, "The tensions of youth."

Rebecca took a bite out of the wand, wondering if Draco's aggression at the match had anything to do with his parents having been right there. The trolley stopped when Ron opened the door, looking over the sweets intensely. "Anything from the trolley dears?"

Ron nodded, fumbling in his pocket for coins, "A packet of Drooble's and a licorice wand." He pulled his hand out of his pocket and grimaced at the contents, "On second thought, just the Drooble's."

"It's all right, I'll get it. Don't worry." Harry told Ron, seeing the dilemma. 

"Just the Drooble's, thanks." He took the small packet of candy and turned away, taking his seat once more. Hermione looked up from her book, but turned back to it when she saw that Harry was still looking at the sweets.

"Two pumpkin pasties, please." A voice sang out, Harry turned at the melodic tune of it. "It's her, the Ravenclaw seeker." Harry stared at her, returning her smile when she smiled at him before turning and giggling with her friends as they went back towards their compartment.

"Anything sweet for you, dear?" The trolley lady prompted as he stared after Cho, not making a selection.

"He'll have a chocolate frog and two licorice wands. Maybe a napkin as well." Rebecca answered for him from behind the woman, wiping her chin to make fun of how deeply in stupor he'd been.

"Thanks." Harry said briskly before taking his seat with a daft smile spreading across it. Rebecca entered the compartment and plucked one of Harry's licorice wands from his hands, "This was for me, very kind of you."

Harry just nodded, not hearing her. Rebecca unwrapped the licorice wand. "Oh damn! Ron, you like licorice, don't you?"

Ron nodded, opening his mouth to argue the handout. "I forgot Draco gave me this chocolate wand and I've already opened them both. No one likes stale sweets."

"Licorice doesn't go stale, does it?" Ron asked, already eating the last of his Drooble's.

"It does, quickly might I add. Here, if you don't eat it then it'll just go to waste."

Ron smiled, "No one likes waste, I guess." He grabbed the licorice wand and bit into it happily. Harry looked at Rebecca as she sat next to Hermione, remembering how he'd behaved an hour earlier. She looked up as she felt his eyes laying on her, meeting his. "Done being a prat?" She mouthed.

"For now at least." He mouthed in return and asked, "We're alright?"

Rebecca nodded as Hermione turned her page in the issue of the Daily Prophet she'd acquired. "This is horrible!" Crookshanks turned a circle next to Rebecca and laid his flat face against her leg. She entwined her hand in the hair on top of his head and scratched him gently. "How can the Ministry not know who conjured it?" 

"Loads, according to dad. That's part of the reason he was so cross the days after the match. I'm surprised you didn't notice honestly. That's what's got the Ministry in such a fit, it happened right under their noses."

Harry reached up and scratched his forehead absent-mindedly. "It's hurting again, isn't it?" Hermione asked. Rebecca looked up from where she was sweet-talking Crookshanks concerned. "Again?"

"I'm fine. It hurt for a moment at the match, when Ireland made their second-to-last goal. I think you were already gone at that point Rebecca, but it hasn't hurt since."

Rebecca remembered what happened in the bathroom, the flashes of the violence of the evening coming out of nowhere. "You didn't see anything then, did you?"

"What, like you see? No, I've only ever had that dream I called you about. Why?" He narrowed his eyes and looked at her, "Did you see something and not tell me?"

Hermione turned so that she was looking at Rebecca, "Rebecca?" Even Ron put his licorice down and looked at the three of them, wondering what he had missed.

"It wasn't big or anything, we didn't even know where it came from."

"We?" Harry interjected, "Who else did you tell?"

"I'd simply gone to the bathroom for a moment away from the shouting because my head had started to ache, Fred went with me. I only saw a few dark flashes before it went away, the headache with it. It was probably just an anomaly!" She tried to explain calmly.

"Flashes of what?" Hermione demanded, her tone sharp. 

"I told you, they were dark flashes."

"So you didn't see anything." Ron said, giving her an out to diffuse the tension building in their small compartment.

"Hardly anything." She said, grabbing her backpack and preparing to leave the compartment once more. 

"Sirius will want to hear about this." Hermione warned, her maternal tone simply overwhelming. "What you saw at the World Cup, even if it was 'hardly anything,' which I don't believe."

Rebecca turned at the door and exploded, "Well it doesn't matter what you believe, now does it? Really," She shook her head and looked out the window at the lake speeding past them. "All of you have gotten upset with me at one time or another about how much time I spend with Fred and George and then you pull this shite! I don't have to tell you anything, not what I see, not what I've asked, and certainly not permission for anything!" She said with a final-word tone as she left with her robes to wander about the train until they arrived, not feeling very sociable.

"Did she say 'what she's asked?'" Ron asked after she closed the door behind her, "What's she mean by that?"

Harry glowered out the window, "I never said she needed permission."

Hermione turned back to the prophet a moment before looking to Ron, "She did say that, she wouldn't have, would she?"

Harry turned and glared across the bench, "Would have what?" His scowl fell as it dawned on him, "Oh no, she absolutely would have. That damn wager!" He said as he hopped to his feet, going to find her and beat the sense into her.

"Harry!" Hermione scolded, "Just sit a moment!" Ron put his legs across the benches and blocked the door, "Really mate, I think you need a breather."

Harry looked from Ron to Hermione before doing as they recommended and sitting back down a moment. "Write to Sirius first, writing everything out will make you think everything through before you do something rash."

Hermione flipped her newspaper back open and held it up, leaving Ron to munch on his remaining sweet and Harry to scribble angrily.

The line for the front toilets of the train stretched for ages, far longer than Rebecca wanted to wait. She shouldered her bag and made her way to the back of the train where the second set of toilets were. They never were quite as busy because it was a bit of a hike and no one really went down there, exactly what Rebecca wanted: Silence and solitude.

Opening the door and latching it behind her, she stripped off her muggle clothes and started putting her Hogwarts attire on piece by piece, leaving the tie loose down the front of her white dress shirt. She sat on the closed toilet and tied her black school trainers, sitting back and sighing once she was done. The train's whistle went off three times, letting the passengers know that they would be arriving shortly.

Rebecca shoved her clothes farther down into her bag, zipping it and leaving the toilet still disgruntled. She saw that there was an empty compartment right outside the entrance to the toilets and went inside, closing the door behind her. She put her bag under her head and laid across the bench, taking her glasses off and setting them on her stomach before laying her arm across her eyes.

There was a knock at the door, "Occupied." Rebecca said monotonously. The knocker persisted and knocked again. Rebecca sat up and slid her glasses back on, seeing an unfamiliar face staring back at her. She slid the door open and looked at the blonde haired girl staring back at her through iconoclastically decorated glasses.

"Hello?" Rebecca said unsure.

"The nargles said the seer sat at the back of the train." 

"The what? Who?" Rebecca stepped aside as the girl let herself into the compartment and laid down like Rebecca had been on the opposite bench.

"Nargles." The girl repeated like that answered all of her questions. Rebecca nodded and backed out of the compartment slowly, "I see. I'm going to go back to my compartment now since we're arriving soon."

The girl made no indication that she'd heard Rebecca, so Rebecca left the door open so someone else could tell her they'd arrived if they saw her lying there. "How strange." She was still upset, but the girl had provided a welcome distraction. The train's whistle went off once more, they were only ten minutes from Hogwarts. Ginny poked her head out of the compartment she had been in with her friends as Rebecca passed.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Ginny asked, closing the door behind her and jogging to catch up with Rebecca.

"If I tell you, are you going to get pissy like the others?" 

Ginny shrugged, "Maybe, maybe not." Rebecca didn't smile at her joking. "No, I won't. Finger to Merlin." Ginny held two fingers up as she swore herself to calmness.

"Harry and Hermione are flipping out because I hadn't told them somethings about-" Rebecca waited for the boy passing them to get out of ear shot. "That thing." Rebecca finished, hoping Ginny would fill in the blank.

"The seeing thing?" Ginny asked. Rebecca nodded. Ginny furrowed her brow, "Were they big things or little things?"

Rebecca shrugged, "Well, slightly larger I guess. I may have tried something new with it, which did end up working."

Ginny looked to the left and saw that the castle was quickly approaching and pulled her into the next empty compartment. "Wait, what did you try?"

Rebecca paced in the compartment as Ginny sat down. "I tried to channel what I saw when I went to sleep, looking for an answer I needed."

"You asked a question of the future?" Ginny said in awe. "And it worked?!" Rebecca smiled at her enthusiasm. 

"Yes, it did. There was only one slight mishap with it, a few very dark flashes later that day-the day of the match."

Ginny realised what she was saying, "You saw that the attack would happen, didn't you?"

Rebecca sat next to her, "It's not like that, these flashes were so dark. All I saw was fire, the masked people, and that snake in the sky. It all meant absolutely nothing to me at the time." Ginny put her arm around her shoulders and pulled her into a hug.

"The pains, did they come when you asked the question?" Ginny asked gently.

Rebecca suck in a sharp breath at the memory, "Worse than they'd ever been before. I will not be doing it again for a very long while, but that's besides the point. They're mad because I didn't tell them that had happened but Harry never told me that his scar had hurt at the same time!"

Ginny pushed Rebecca up so that they were sitting next to each other once more, "His scar hurt?"

"That's how this all started, Hermione mentioned something about how his scar hurt when I'd gone to the bathroom at the match--where I got those flashes of the attack--but only thinks I did something wrong by not telling him. He did the exact same thing!"

Ginny shook her head and sighed, "Boys."

They girls stood up and left the compartment, Rebecca asking Ginny what she thought. "I think you're both wrong, him for his reaction and you for not telling him. Don't look at me like that!" Ginny said as she saw how Rebecca frowned, "Listen, it's different. Harry's scar hurts sometimes, boohoo. Rebecca, you have seen the future, you saw what happened when you asked a specific question. That's a little different than a little pain now and then."

Rebecca sighed heavily, "So you think I should apologise."

Ginny grinned, "Well I'd make him apologise first, you do have personal autonomy. I just think you should look at this from Harry's side too. I pick on the boys a lot, but I literally can't imagine my life without them. That's all I think Harry's thinking about. And Hermione? She's a worrier by nature, she would worry if she didn't worry!"

Rebecca nodded as they stopped outside their original compartment, Harry pulling down his backpack from the racks above the benches and catching Rebecca's glance when he turned back around. Rebecca saw that they were still a few minutes from Hogwarts and closed the door behind her and Ginny as they entered the compartment once more.

"Alright, here's what happened. Fred and George were asked for a wager by Ludo, who's an utter arsehole if you weren't yet aware. If they won, we'd have all the money for prank-making we need. I took a short nap sans sleep aid and tried to steer my visions towards the match's result, seeing that Ireland would win but Krum would catch the snitch. It worked, but at a cost."

Harry looked up a from where he was staring at his hands, "The pain?" Rebecca nodded and continued, "It wasn't good, to be frank." Hermione's concern flooded her face. "I went to the toilet at the match because I could feel a headache building. I had thought it was from the shouting in the box, but it wasn't. I saw a few dark images from the attack, all images that meant nothing until after the attack had started. That's all that happened."

Harry started, "When you'd gone to the bathroom, I had one sharp pain through my scar. It felt like it went straight through my brain, blindingly painful."

Rebecca nodded, "Sounds like what happens when I come back from looking."

Harry asked confused, "That was only one pain though."

Hermione folded her paper and leaned over, tightening Rebecca's tie so that it went to the top of her buttons and straightening it. "I've see you after you come back, they last for minutes." Ginny shivered at the thought of the night in their dormitory the year before.

The train shuddered to a stop, Fred and George knocking at the door to their compartment and pressing their faces to the glass making absurd faces. Rebecca smiled over her shoulder and turned back to the others, "So that's it. I should have told you sooner, I admit that."

Harry shook his head, not letting her take sole blame, "No. I could have asked calmly and I shouldn't have been such an-"

"Wanker?" Rebecca offered, holding a hand up to Fred and George for them to pause a moment.

"Yeah, a wanker. I admit that." Harry scratched the back of his neck. "So we're good again?"

"Well you did already say you were done being a prat for the day..." Harry raised his eyebrow until she continued, "But I guess I was a bit of a prat myself. I suggest we go catch a carriage before Hermione blows up."

Hermione's foot had been tapping faster and faster as Fred and George became the last two students to stand in the hall. Harry shouldered his pack and opened the door, Fred and George sighing.

"Finally! Thought you were going to age in there!" They said in unison.

"Oh yeah?" Rebecca asked drily. "I just had to deal with Harry learning about our little experiment at the match."

George and Fred's eyes widened as they looked at Harry, "And?" Fred asked carefully.

"Rebecca is her own person who will make her own decisions as she deems so," Harry stated for them all to hear before leaning into Fred and George for a hug, "But I hope you see how she would do anything for you, and you also see how I would do anything for her. Understand where I'm going?"

Fred and George nodded as he let go of them, feeling strangely threatened by the boy they were nearly a foot taller than. Rebecca rolled her eyes and pushed her way in front of Harry, "Let's go boys, school awaits!" She called as Fred squeezed next to her in the aisle.

"He's actually quite scary when he wants to be, have you noticed that?" He whispered to her.

"Don't be afraid, Fred. He can sense fear like a chihuahua."

*******************************************

Peeves, lonely from the lack of students to prank over the summer, had a perfectly Peeves'-worthy prank prepared for the straggling students entering the castle. The straggling students mainly comprised of Rebecca and the lot.

"Hehehe! Welcome home kiddies!" Peeves shouted as the water started to fall from the well-placed buckets as he pointed to them and snapped so they would tip. The water fell in great quantities, falling faster and faster towards the kids in their uniforms. Fred had one side of his uniform in hand and was pulling Rebecca into his side, trying to shield her from the imminent soaking they were receiving while Hermione had her wand out as Peeves' snapped his ghostly fingers.

"Arresto momentum!" She shouted, waving her wand in the appropriate movement.

"Excellent work, Miss Granger." A familiar voice said from ahead of them, "I see you kept your wits about you over the summer." Professor McGonagall smiled at them and waved her wand, the water Hermione froze above them being moved to the bubbling fountain in the courtyard to their left as the kids continued on their way to where the other students were oohing and ahhing over the bridge towards the Black Lake.

"Miss Potter?" Professor McGonagall called after them.

"Yes Professor?" Rebecca asked as she stepped away from the group, waving them ahead to see what the fuss was.

"Madame Pomfrey is expecting you after supper. Anything notable over the break to report?"

Rebecca looked up at their professor, one of the women she admired most in the world, and lied through her teeth. "Not at all. May I be excused, I do believe I just heard someone shout 'flying horses?'"

McGonagall nodded and waved her away, sensing a falsehood but knowing that demanding the truth wouldn't result in anything. Rebecca hurried up the stairs and jogged next to where Hermione was craning her neck over the crowd.

"Here, come up through here!" Fred said as he made a space in front of him for her to see. She moved to stand in front of him, peering out over the lake where there were in fact flying horses. A whole team of them pulling a giant carriage behind them.

"What was that about?" Fred asked after the crowd dispersed after watching Hagrid jump out of the way of the runway as the horses careened towards him in an incredibly bumpy landing. 

"Madame Pomfrey wants to see me post-haste post supper. Probably just wants to make sure I'm still drinking the damn tea."

"'Damn tea?' I thought it wasn't that bad?" He asked, pulling her to the other side of the bridge where the crowd of students now pointed at the shaking water. She sighed, shaking her head. 

"It's not that it's bad. I'm just tired of it, you know? I just want to exist without complication."

Fred watched as the first of several masts rose out of the water, the sails emblemed with a red dragon. "Existence is complication, some would say. More so for some than others."

She looked back up at him strangely, "That's really smart, is that a quote or something?"

"So I can't be smart by myself? I can only quote wisdom?" He asked mock-offended.

"You know what I mean. That just doesn't sound like something you would have said!"

Fred leaned down and closed the distance between himself and her shoulder, whispering in her ear, "Well it wasn't, fortune cookie." He pointed at the ship as it raised itself fully out of the water of the Black Lake.

George leaned over and bumped Fred's shoulder, "Well there's something you don't see everyday!" Making them all laugh at the craziness.

Harry walked behind the two of them as they bantered back and forth going back to the castle. Ron leaned forward and grabbed her wrist, checking the time. "Oh excellent timing! Supper's just about to start!"

*******************************************

As happy as Ron had been, the walk to the castle ended up taking a bit longer than they had expected, mainly because Harry's bag tore along the bottom where he'd worn the material thin. Hermione looked at the bag and held it up to the light.

"Oh! I know how to fix this! Molly showed me after I wore through the elbow on my jumper. Watch," She took her wand out and held it in her hand, tapping the tear on one end and then the other.

"Reparum!" The material closed itself in a blink, the tear gone with no sign of it ever having been there. They put the piles of Harry's backpack's belongings back into the pockets quickly, now the last few students to enter the Great Hall. They took their seats quickly, Dumbledore raising his eyebrows at their late arrival as he cleared his throat to speak.

"Now we're all settled in and sorted, I'd like to make an announcement." He looked from one end of the Great Hall to the other before looking at his podium and beginning again, the students whispering to one another as they guessed about what this announcement would be.

"This castle will not only be your home this year, but home to some very special guests as well. You see, Hogwarts has been chosen--" The doors to the Great Hall squeaked open as Filch ran down the length of it in his odd, hopping-run way, stopping only once he was at Dumbledore's side. 

The two men stepped to the side of the podium while Harry looked around the room, seeing how the other students were just as lost as he was. Rebecca was sipping at her goblet, laughing as George mocked how Filch panted wildly up at the front of the hall.

Filch ran back down the hall and out the door as Dumbledore continued again, "So...Hogwarts has been chosen to host a legendary event: The Triwizard Tournament. Now for those of you who do not know," 

Fred and George looked at one another over Rebecca's head, "Brilliant." They said, ignoring the look of worry crossing her face. "The Triwizard Tournament brings together three schools for a series of magical contests. From each school, a single student is selected to compete. Now let me be clear. If chosen, you stand alone."

Harry glanced at Rebecca and saw how she chewed on her lip and looked at Fred before turning her attention back to Dumbledore. "And trust me when I say these contests are not for the faint-hearted. But more on that later. For now, please join me in welcoming the lovely ladies of the Beauxbatons Academy of Magic and their head mistress, Madame Maxine!" 

The doors to the hall opened again, every set of male eyes in the hall turning to oogle the girls that came dancing in. They wore baby blue uniforms that left very little to the imagination, stopping every few table lengths to flourish their arms and sigh. Ron and Harry's mouth hung open as the girls stopped next to them, Ron's eyes glazing over.

Hermione, Rebecca, and Ginny looked at each other before looking back at their friends now stuck in a stupor. "Inferior in every way imaginable." Ginny grumbled.

Fred tore his eyes away from the girls when he felt Rebecca's eyes looking at him again. "What?" He asked, reaching up to wipe his mouth. "I'm not drooling." He leaned down and lowered his voice, "Though Harry certainly is." He directed her attention to the other boys still entranced and the line falling from Harry's mouth. Ron's mouth fell further as the girls passed him and he saw how their skirts moved.

"Bloody hell!" He whispered. Hermione's scowl grew larger.

Fred whacked George on the shoulder as the girls hit the front of the hall, bringing his brain out of the lavender scented haze the girls brought. Blue butterflies left their hands, sprinkling blue sparkly paths around the hall's ceilings as they fluttered about. Seamus leaned over from where he sat on the other side of Harry as their head mistress joined them at the front of the room, Dumbledore grabbing her hand and kissing it. 

"Blimey. That's one big woman." A girl, the most beautiful, Rebecca thought, stopped in front of the podium and bowed deeply at the rest of the students. As Madame Maxine and Dumbledore exchanged pleasantries, Rebecca leaned over the table and put Seamus in his place.

"You thought she's big Seamus? She's about as big as your mum. I can't remember too well though. It was dark in her room." Seamus' cheeks darkened as he grabbed the table, "Watch it Potter." he warned.

Rebecca winked lewdly at him, "Your mum said that too." Dean leaned over and put his hands on Seamus' shoulders, whispering in his ear until he calmed down and turned away from her.

Harry grimaced across the table at her crudeness while George stuck his fist out for a bump. Seamus turned his attention back to the girls of Beauxbatons as the hall started to applaud their new guests. Ginny and Rebecca clapped slowly while Hermione sat silent, suddenly quite interested in her plate.

"And now our friends from the north. Please greet the proud sons of Durmstrang and their high master Igor Karkaroff!" Dumbledore announced as the doors opened again. The wave of boys with shaved heads came into the hall pounding staffs rhythmically, sparks flying off the ends when ever they grunted in unison. 

The boys watched in awe while the girls found themselves looking their new guests over carefully, their chiseled faces and muscular forms scrutinised as the boys had the Beauxbaton's skirts.

The boys stopped next to Harry and Ron and put their staffs down after swinging them in a complicated series of spins in full unison. The front few sprinted towards the staff table, executing flips and other gymnastical feats that led the girls across the hall to clap and whistle madly.

Two final Durmstrang members entered the hall after everyone else, one in brown and one in white. "It's Krum!" The students whispered around the room. Hermione's head shot to the door at the mention of Krum, a fact not missed by Rebecca.

Krum stormed to the podium where the other boys were still flipping and performing other firebased maneuvers. Krum's eyes went right over Ron who whispered, "Blimey, it is Krum!" and landed on Hermione, the corner of his mouth lifting for the shortest moment, almost unnoticeable.

Hermione's cheeks burned brighter than Ron had the day he refused sunscreen in Egypt, the man behind him, Karkaroff, glaring at Harry and Rebecca furiously. A handful of the Durmstrang boys crouched to the ground and blew on the ends of their wands, fiery dragons taking shape and flying above them.

George leaned to Fred and Rebecca, "We should start brainstorming something like that, shape-taking fireworks."

"I wonder if we could do something like coloured firewood too, logs that look normal but burn in a rainbow?" Rebecca mused, watching as the fire dragons dissipated. Igor and Albus embraced each other as Harry noticed something odd. "Look, the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor's chair is empty."

Fred looked away from their mini brainstorming chat and saw that he was right, "That's strange."

Dumbledore instructed all of the Hogwarts students to stand up as their guests made themselves comfortable at their tables, waving his wand so that papers of lyrics appeared in front of them. "Everyone at your own tune, 1 and 2 and 3!" The students started to sing Hogwarts anthem in a wide range of different tunes and paces, some like Harry and Rebecca just mouthing the words as quickly as they could and some like Fred and George who opted for a slow, funeral march cadence.

(The lyrics, if you want to sing as well-)

Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,  
Teach us something, please,  
Whether we be old and bald  
Or young with scabby knees,  
Our heads could do with filling  
With some interesting stuff,  
For now they’re bare and full of air,  
Dead flies and bits of fluff,  
So teach us things worth knowing,  
Bring back what we’ve forgot,  
Just do your best, we’ll do the rest,  
And learn until our brains all rot.

Unsurprisingly, Fred and George were the last to finish and they took their seats solemnly. "Excellent job, all of you!" Dumbledore said before taking his spot at the podium and clapping his hands so that their food appeared, "May we dine in the presence of new friendships!" Was the last thing he said before turning to the staff table and joining Madame Maxime as she brought up the fact that her horses had travelled very far and would need care. Dumbledore introduced her to Hagrid at the other end of the table who grinned like a lovestruck fool.

"They only drink single-walk whiskey, Monsieur Hagrid." Madame Maxime warned in a heavy french accent. Hagrid nodded laughing, "As I'd like to do, madame." 

A handful of accompanying staff members carried in a tall item on a platform, setting it where Dumbledore's podium normally went. 

"Your attention, please!" Dumbledore gruffly barked at yet another interruption between him and his dinner. "I'd like to say a few words." He rest his hand on the item and gazed at it a moment before turning back to the students.

"Perhaps it's a case?" Rebecca thought.

"Eternal glory. That is what awaits the student who wins the Triwizard Tournament." Fred looked at George with a glint in his eye at the idea of eternal glory. "But to do this, that student must survive three tasks. Three extremely dangerous tasks."

The Weasley twins looked at ahead and intoned, "Wicked." in unison, Rebecca shaking her head at the two of them. "For this reason the Ministry has seen fit to impose a new rule. To explain all this we have the head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation, Mr Bartemius Crouch." 

Rebecca and Fred's eyes narrowed as they settled on the man who'd tried to have her convicted of the crime of conjuring the skull and snake in the sky. No one noticed the staff door opening and the sopping wet man entering, staying in the shadows.

The enchanted ceiling thundered and lightninged loudly, an outpour of rain showering the students for a few moments as they screamed. The man lunged forward and thrust his wand up, slowing and eventually stopping the rain, revealing the stars once more.

"Bloody hell, it's Mad-Eye Moody." Ron said ominously. 

"Alastor Moody? The Auror?" Hermione asked confused.

Dean turned in his seat, ignoring the scowl from Seamus as he spoke to them. "Auror?"

"Dark wizard catcher," Ron explained, answering Rebecca's unasked question as well. "Half the cells in Azkaban are filled thanks to him. He's supposed to be mad as a hatter though, these days." The man thumped with his large walking stick to Dumbledore's side, greeting the man before hobbling to the empty seat. Rebecca saw at once why he was called "Mad-Eye," he had a bright blue prosthetic eye what whirred around crazily.

"Don't think that's pumpkin juice." Harry remarked quietly as the man took a swig from the flask at his side. Bartemius cleared his throat and continued, despite the interruption. "After due consideration, the Ministry has concluded that for their own safety, no student under the age of 17 shall be allowed to put forth," Several students around the room realised what he was saying and began shouting their disagreement, "their name for the Triwizard Tournament. This decision is final."

"That's rubbish! That's rubbish!" Fred and George shouted. "You don't know what you're doing!"

Rebecca sat back in her chair, relieved at the rule. She knew the boys were forging their own path to eternal glory, and if they were able to do so without entering a deadly wizarding competition, all the much better.

Dumbledore stepped in front of Crouch and held his wand level with the top of the goblet's case, the case floating away in tiny particles for the students to see. When the goblet was fully revealed, blue flames began to hop out of the top of it. "The Goblet of Fire. Anyone wishing to submit themselves to the tournament, need only write their name upon a piece of parchment and throw it in the flame before this hour on Thursday night."

Rebecca looked across the hall at the students eyeing the goblet hungrily, especially noting Cedric. "Do not do so lightly," Dumbledore continued, "If chosen, there's no turning back. As from this moment, the Triwizard Tournament has begun."

He excused them all to finish their dinner while Fred and George hissed about how they were getting their names in that goblet. Rebecca rolled her eyes and turned back to her dessert, no longer hungry. 

*******************************************

Author's Note:

Wow, another chapter over 6k words! Enjoy!

I copied over all the chapters already written to AO3 today, so if you see them it's not stolen :)

<3


	55. Chapter 55

Leaving the Great Hall, Rebecca remembered she was supposed to stop and see Madame Pomfrey before bed. She explained to the others and stopped in the hall, leaving to go the opposite direction and told them that she'd see them in the morning if it took too long and they had already gone to bed.

There was the sound of jogging footsteps behind her, causing her to turn around and see who it was. Fred grinned at her, "I can come with you, George can look up how to brew an aging potion himself."

"An aging potion?" Rebecca asked confused.

"For the age ring Dumbledore said he's drawing around the Goblet of Fire? Fred and I wouldn't mind a little eternal glory, not to mention the thousand galleons each winner gets."

Rebecca bit the inside of her lip, exactly where she had at dinner, and didn't say anything. Fred sensed her change in mood though and changed the subject quickly, bringing the conversation to Mad-Eye Moody and his arrival. They were still talking about how weird it was for the sky on the ceiling to have rained on them when they opened the Hospital Wing's doors.

"About time!" Madame Pomfrey tutted as she waved them to take the seats by her desk. Rebecca sat, putting her elbow in the edge of her desk and putting her head on her hand. "What's this about Madame Pomfrey?"

She pursed her lips and sat back in her chair, "Just a follow-up, making sure the teas still working and you've been drinking it." Minerva had already spoken with Poppy that afternoon, warning her that she sensed a lie with Rebecca about her continued consumption of the tea.

"Every night. It still works, though I do wish I could dream with it."

Poppy shook her head, "We can try a lighter strength of the tea, but there's a chance it will only decrease the chances of a subconscious premonition, not block them entirely." Rebecca jumped on the secondary option.

"No, let's try that!" Poppy shook her head as she stood up and grabbed the tea.

"Here's one tea bag, I expect a report tomorrow. An honest report, subconscious premonitions are no game young lady." Rebecca took the tea and stood up smiling, "No funny business here, we're very serious. Aren't we, Fred?"

Fred stood up and bowed comically, keeping his face completely blank. "The absolute seriousness, Rebecca. Shall we go? I believe I'll organise my socks tonight."

Madame Pomfrey looked at them unimpressed. "Get out of here. Tomorrow, Rebecca, I mean it!" She called as they left, leaving the nurse to shake her head at their antics and smile in the privacy of her infirmary.

*******************************************

Fred and Rebecca skipped through the halls, twirling themselves in fast circles whenever they linked their elbows. "Are you sure she doesn't need to know about the match incident?" Fred asked again as they stopped and held the wall, dizzy from their spinning.

"I'm certain!" Rebecca said, breathing heavily and looking out the window. "How can you concern yourself with such trivial matters with a view like this." She asked as she surveyed the wonders out the window: The multitudes of stars twinkling above and on the lake's reflecting water.

"Your well-being is far from trivial." Fred sighed as he put his shoulder against the wall and peeked out the windor momentarily, turning his attention back to her to watch as she took in the beauty outside.

Rebecca tore her eyes away and looked at him. "Fred, if it happens again I will go straight to the Hospital Wing, okay?"

Fred nodded, both of them satisfied with the compromise. "Shall we keep going now?" She asked after another minute of looking out the window.

"If you're ready." Fred asked, still ignoring the outside and watching her through the corner of his eye.

The Fat Lady was very happy to see them, chatting with Rebecca like they were best friends. When the portrait hole finally opened, Harry and Ron were the only two of their group still in the common room. 

"Everything alright?" Harry asked.

She whipped out the new tea bag and showed it off like the prize on a game show, "A lower strength of tea that could potentially allow me to dream again!" 

Ron looked at her strangely. Harry asked for the tea bag and read the name of it. George ran out of the boys' door at the top of the stairs and waved for the two of them to come see. "Hurry!" He shouted before turning and running back to their room.

"I'll be right back, Harry. One moment." Harry just nodded, still reading the tea bag while fighting Ron back who now wanted to know more about it. They climbed the stairs slowly, faster when they heard George shout for them to hurry up.

Inside their room, Lee was sitting on his bed and waved to Rebecca as she poked her head in. "George, we've been only been back for a few hours, how have you already made a mess?"

"There isn't a mess and I didn't ask you up here for a critique." He said sassily before pointing to the page his Potions book was open to. "I've found the perfect recipe. And, it only takes one night to brew. We'll be ready to enter by tomorrow!"

Rebecca rolled her eyes and turned back to the door, "Good night boys!" Fred ran after her and walked her down the hall, ignoring the whistles coming from Lee.

"Good luck with the tea, I hope it works out." Fred said at the end of the hall, an idea coming to him. He swallowed his nerves and hoped he sounded cool as he took a step toward her in the at the wall next to the door, her back pressing against the wood as she looked up at him confused.

He reached a hand up and brushed the hair away from her face gently, smirking and hoping she couldn't hear his heart. He leaned forward even further, putting his lips against her cheek so his soft whisper was clearly heard.

"I know you just want to dream of me." He left his lips next to her ear a moment long before spinning away and walking back towards his room. Rebecca staying in the position he had had her in, her heart racing. She raised a hand and held it to her chest, the other going against her cheek where she could still feel his heat. 

He turned back halfway down the hall and called to her cheekily, "Sweet dreams!"

Rebecca hopped off the hall and hurried down the stairs, grabbing her tea and hurrying up to her room. "Hermione. You are not going to believe what just happened." Rebecca started, grabbing her pillow and jumping on her bed.

"What now?"

"So, I got this new tea. It's a lower strength so I might be able to dream..." Hermione opened her mouth and laughed as Rebecca got to the end of her story. "Yes, he said 'I know you just want to dream of me!'" Rebecca kicked her feet while Ginny mimed a gag from her bed, catching the end of the story as she left the bathroom in her pajamas with her hair wrapped up in her towel.

Hermione shook her head, "Ginny, you can't deny that that was smooth."

Ginny shrugged, "It's Fred though!"

Rebecca laughed and hopped off her bed, grabbing her pajamas and plopping the tea bag into the mug she'd packed from home. She brought it with her into the bathroom and filled it with water from the sink, tapping her wand to the mug and casting the spell McGonagall had taught her warmed the water.

She closed the door behind her and heard Hermione start to talk about how much she hated the Beauxbatons' girls. Rebecca showered quickly before leaving the bathroom and sipping at her tea, finding the effects not as overwhelming as the other strength.

Hermione grinned from her bed, sitting up against the headboard with a book on her lap. Rebecca pulled out the robes she would wear the next day before putting her new timetable with it and sitting on the edge of her bed, finishing off her tea.

Ginny reached up and turned off the lamp next to her bed, "Good night Hermione. Good night Rebecca."

Rebecca and Hermione returned their goodnight's and turned off their own lamps. Hermione grinned at Rebecca as she put her glasses on the table. "So does this mean you're admitting you like Fred?"

"Are you admitting anything about scarfboy?" 

Hermione laid back in bed with a harsh plop. "Touché."

*******************************************

The first day of classes started with Defence Against the Dark Arts, a fact Ron was very unhappy with. "Hardly be done with breakfast before we have to start with a nutter!" He grumbled as he scooped a heaping amount of eggs onto his plate.

Hermione chirped from the other side happily, "Well I can't wait to get started! He's our most experienced teacher yet, there's so much to learn from him!"

Fred sighed as he sat on the bench next to Rebecca, "You're lucky honestly. We've got OWLS this year. Ordinary Wizarding Levels." Fred explained as Rebecca opened her mouth. "But away from boring things like examinations."

"Examinations are not boring!" Hermione exclaimed. An exclamation ignored by Fred. "How did you sleep last night?" He asked Rebecca plainly, picking up a banana from the middle of the table and cutting it up for his oatmeal.

Her face felt warm as she remembered how he'd behaved the night before. "Fine, I think this new tea will be just fine."

Fred smirked, "Oh? So you did dream?"

She shook her head, "Not exactly, but I suppose no one dreams every single night. I just slept differently, if that makes sense."

Fred nodded and moved on, Hermione grinning into her own breakfast, knowing that he was teasing her. Harry looked at his timetable and shoved it into his pocket roughly. "As much as I enjoy...this..." He gestured between Fred and Rebecca, "We've got to be going for class." He shouldered his bag and left the table quickly.

Ron shook his head, "Don't take it personally, he stayed up too late and then slept through his alarm."

Rebecca waved to Fred and George as they finished their breakfasts, leaning into Fred's ear similarly to how he had hers the night before. "You seem awfully concerned about my dreams, Fred. You aren't...dreaming of me, are you?" She teased, enunciating each word carefully.

Fred looked into his bowl of oatmeal, an issue arising. "Ready to go?" George asked, putting his bag on.

"Nope, need a minute." Fred said curtly.

*******************************************

Mad-Eye Moody stood at the front of the classroom, staring at them all as they filed into their first class of the day and of the term.

"Alastor Moody." He said, turning back to the board and scribbled Moody on it as he listed a few descriptors of himself. "Ex-auror...Ministry malcontent...And your new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. I am here because Dumbledore asked me." His human eye moved slowly from student to student as he spoke, but his prosthetic eye bounced wildly.

"End of story, goodbye, the end!" His voice rose before dropping again. "Any questions?"

The students stared at him silently, unsure of their new professor. "When it comes to the Dark Arts, I believe in a practical approach." He widened his eyes and stared at Harry, who was sitting with Ron in the center of the classroom and then Rebecca, who was sitting to the right of them at a table with Hermione. 

"But first, who can tell me how many Unforgivable Curses there are?"

Rebecca looked around confused, she'd never heard of these. "Three, sir." Hermione answered from her side. Moody wrote the numbers one through three on the board. "And so they are named?" 

Hermione's voice was tight as she answered, having a bad feeling about where this lesson was going. "Because they are unforgivable. The use of any one of them-"

"Will earn you a one-way ticket to Azkaban." Moody growled as he turned back to the class. "Now the Ministry says that you're too young to see what these curses do. I say different!" He shouted, slamming his piece of chalk onto the desk in front of him.

Rebecca looked at him warily, feeling feelings she'd buried deep inside of herself, memories she'd hidden, being resurfaced as the man acted so unhinged. "You need to know what you're up against! You need to be prepared!"

Behind Harry and Ron, Seamus pulled his gum out of his mouth and bent to put it under his desk. "You need to find another place to put your chewing gum besides the underside of your desk, Mr Finnegan!"

"No way. the old codger can see out the back of his head." Seamus muttered. Moody turned from the board and cocked his arm back, sending his chalk flying at Seamus' head. "And hear across classrooms!"

Moody stepped forward, seemingly moving on from the situation. "So, which curse shall we see first?"

Rebecca looked at Hermione incredulously. "See?" She mouthed to her. Moody was now standing in front of Ron and Harry's desk. "WEASLEY!" He shouted out of nowhere. "Stand." Ron did as he was told, feeling more than a little afraid.

"Give us a curse." Moody demanded.

"Well, my dad did tell me about one. The Imperius Curse."

"Yeah, your father would know all about that. Gave the Ministry quite a bit of grief a few years ago." Ron looked around Moody's face, not sure which eye he was supposed to look at and distracted by the man's gnarled, scarred appearance.

"Perhaps this will show you why." Moody said ominously as he hobbled back to the front of the classroom and grabbing a jar. He opened the lid and held his hand over it, letting the spider-like creature crawl onto his hand.

"Engorgio." He cast first, making the insect larger than the span of his large hands. Ron gulped loudly. "Imperio!" He cast louder, waving his wand about and the spider going with it.

Neville jumped back in his seat, the first seat of the room with Dean, as Moody made the bug dance on Dean's book. The class giggled nervously as he moved it from desk to desk, to Crabbe's head, to crawl on Parvati's robe. "If she bites, she's lethal." Moody warned as he had it walking on Ron's head as he whimpered. Rebecca grabbed the table edge tightly, hating Moody for what he was doing to Ron.

Draco cackled loudly at Ron's reaction. "What're you laughing at?" Moody asked, his own laughter fading instantly. He moved the spider so that it was crawling on Draco's face. "Get it off me!" He demanded Goyle.

"What should I have her do next? Jump out the window?" He moved the spider so that it was next to the window. "Drown herself?" He asked, suspending it over a bucket of water. He held her their a few minutes before bringing the bug back to his hand and continuing to talk.

"Scores of witches and wizards have claimed that they only did You-Know-Who's bidding under the influence of the Imperius Curse. But here's the rub: How do we sort out the liars?" His face took on a dastardly sneer as he glared around the room.

"Another." Moody demanded. "Up, up. Come on." Rebecca watched Neville's hand slowly raise. "Longbottom, isn't it? Up."

"Professor Sprout tells me you have an aptitude for herbology." Neville nodded.

"There's the um. Th-the Cruciatus Curse."

Moody opened his mouth widely, "Correct! Come, come." He guided Neville to the front of the room and had him watch the spider. "Particularly nasty. The torture curse."

Neville reached up and loosened his tie, suddenly feeling quite nauseous. "Crucio!" Moody growled, the bug squealing pathetically. Neville watched the bug writhe and fold in upon itself, his eyes going blank as he retreated into his mind, into his past. His breathing became quicker and he winced with each individual squeal of the bug. Moody stared on, continuing its torture.

"Stop it! Can't you see its bothering him!" Hermione shouted as Rebecca jumped to her feet, her chair squeaking as it slid out quickly. Moody looked away at the noise, releasing the spider from his spell and grabbing it while he cleared his throat. He walked past Neville who stood exactly where he had been, Neville's eyes closed, and walked to Rebecca and Hermione's desk.

"Um...Perhaps you could give us the last Unforgivable Curse, Miss Granger." Hermione looked up at him, shaking her head.

"No?" Moody's human eye widened. He took a step back and thrust his wand at the spider for the last time. "Avada kedavra." A green light flashed out of his wand and the spider lay upside down on Hermione's textbook, dead.

Harry stared at the spider, as did Rebecca. Realising that this man, this man who was supposed to be their professor, supposed to teach them and further their education, just used the spell that left them orphans as a classroom example.

"The killing curse." Hermione looked away from the spider, Rebecca reached over and grabbed her hand, squeezing it comfortingly as Moody continued. "Only two people are known to have survived it..." Moody looked from Harry to Rebecca, his false eye flitting to how she and Hermione held hands. "...And they're sitting in this room."

Moody clomped his way away from Hermione and Rebecca, stopping in front of Harry to whom he stared at a moment before taking a gulp out of his flask. The bell that signified the end of the classroom hour rang shortly after, the kids filing out of the room in silence.

"Brilliant, isn't he? Completely demented of course, and terrifying to be in the same room with. He's looked evil in the eye." Ron said as they made their way down the long spiral staircase.

"That man...that man is a monster." Hermione whispered on the stairs, one of the last groups to have exited the room. Rebecca nodded in agreement, the green flash that signified the death of the spider still fresh in her mind. Raising her voice, Hermione continued, "There's a reason those curses are unforgivable. To perform them in a classroom!" She shook her head and continued down the stairs.

Rebecca stopped her descent, stopping on the small landing next to Neville who stared blankly out the window. "Neville?" She asked softly, not garnering a response from the boy.

"Neville? Why don't we go on a walk, okay?" She grabbed his arm and tried to lead him down the stairs. He turned away from the window and took one step with Rebecca, one step before Moody caught up with them and grabbed him by the shoulder. 

"Son? You all right?" Neville nodded at the professor's questions. Rebecca glowered at him, "We were about to go for a walk-about."

Moody ignored her entirely, "Come, we'll have a cup of tea. I want to show you something." Neville grimaced at the prospect of being alone with him, but gingerly removed his arm from Rebecca's hands.

"I'll be just fine," He reassured her, noting her disbelief. "Tea fixes everything, pretty sure I've heard you say that before." He said absently before following the man back up the stairs.

The dark clouds that had built up over the castle throughout their first class opened up as they walked to their second, spilling rain heavily over the castle until the cobblestone walkways were little more than puddles and the students socks were wet, every single one of them.

The rain continued on throughout the afternoon, through lunch, and finally throughout their open period, still trickling down over the large room devoted to the Goblet of Fire where Rebecca, Harry, Ron, and Hermione found themselves sitting along the bleachers around the perimeter.

"Come on, put it in Cedric!" Rebecca watched as other seventh year Hufflepuff boys pushed him through the age line with a piece of parchment in his hand. He reached up and pushed it over the edge, the Goblet accepting his paper. Cedric took handshakes as he did a lap around the ade line, ignoring Ron's outstretched hand and pulling Rebecca into a surprising hug. 

"Glad to see you made it out of the match fine, shame about quidditch though." He said, pulling himself away from her.

"Don't let Fred and George hear you, between them not being old enough to enter and quidditch cancelled for the year, they may very well end up dropping out!" She joked. She and Cedric exchanged small talk for a moment, her gaze pulled away from him and drifting towards the door as she watch Fred and George shouted as they approached the door, announcing their entrance.

"I see your attention wanders elsewhere," He said with a knowing smile, excusing himself and allowing her to wander over to where they had run to.

"Eternal glory. Be brilliant, wouldn't it?" Ron asked as he and Harry circled around the age line. "I wish this was three years from now, when we could be chosen."

Harry laughed, "Yeah, rather you than me." Rebecca nodded in agreement, standing on the one open bleacher next to Hermione and leaning against the rest with her arms crossed. The students in the room cheered as Fred and George entered, clapping their hands as they held two vials above their heads. 

"Well lads, we've done it." George started.

"Cooked it up just last night!" Fred ended.

"It's not going to work!" Hermione sang jovially. Fred and George sat on either side of her. "Oh, yeah?" They asked in unison.

Fred winked up at Rebecca before continuing, "Why's that, Granger?"

Hermione pointed at the line. "You see that? That Age Line was drawn by Dumbledore himself!"

"So?" George asked.

"So," She closed her book sharply. "A genius like Dumbledore couldn't be possibly be fooled by a dodge as pathetically dimwitted as an Aging Potion."

George started again, "That's why it's so brilliant!"

"'Cause it's so pathetically dimwitted!" Fred finished again.

Rebecca never would have admitted it to them, but she was starting to see how they were right and that their plan would work, filling her stomach with knots of anxiety as she considered one of them competing in the Triwizard Tournament.

They stood up with a stomp of their trainers, shaking up their vials. "Ready, Fred?"

"Ready, George."

They linked elbows and smiled at each other, Fred taking one more moment to grin at Rebecca who smiled weakly in return. "Bottoms up." They said together before turning their vials to the sky and jumping over the Age Line into the circle around the goblet.

"Whoo!" The students in the room cheered, Cedric leaning against the wall by the door as they approached the Goblet of Fire and looked back at them, "Yes!" They cheered with them before stepping forward and putting their names into the Goblet of Fire. 

Harry and Ron clapped along with everyone else while Hermione looked up to where Rebecca was now chewing at a fingernail, watching the goblet carefully. Fred and George turned to face the crowd and cheered once more, thinking they'd entered and gotten around Dumbledore and the Ministry's rules.

Rebecca's hand and clasped against her mouth as the Goblet's flames whirled around in a circle and threw Fred and George out of the circle with large balls of blue flames. She hopped off the bleacher and pushed her way through the crowd to try to get to them.

Fred sat up first, holding his head and laughing as George's red hair was replaced with long white locks and he grew a matching beard. "What're you laughing about, you ugly nutter?"

Fred scowled, feeling identical hair growing on him. "You said!"

"No you said!" George responded before throwing himself onto his twin, punching at him. Fred blocked every punch. "Get off or I'll tear your ears off!" Fred growled, Rebecca watching their brawl with a shaking head.

Hermione rolled her eyes and reopened her book as the crowd started chanting, "Fight! Fight! Fight!" Rebecca not joining in and not trying to separate them. She'd seem them get like this in their summers together and learned the hard way that they would eventually beat the sense into each other eventually.

The crowd fell silent as Igor Karkaroff and Viktor Krum entered the room, Karkaroff's aide close behind them. Viktor approached the Goblet of Fire without hesitation, reaching up and entering himself into the contest. Hermione watched him, his eyes meeting hers as he pulled his hand away from the flames. She smiled at him, wondering if he remembered her as he left just as quickly as he'd arrived. 

"Mr Weasley and Mr Weasley," Dumbledore's voice rang out from the doorway. "I appreciate the ingenuity and I congratulate you on your beards, we look quite dashing if I say so myself." He caught Rebecca's eyes and grinned as he continued, "If you make your way to the Hospital Wing, Madame Pomfrey will be able to remove all effects of this incident, though I think you'll find your chin quite cold afterwards." The headmaster said nothing else before leaving, the students leaving the room as no one else arrived to enter.

Rebecca shouldered her bag and told Hermione that she'd meet her at supper, that she was going to walk to the Hospital Wing with them. Fred and George were rubbing at their sore spots, the bruises from their scuffle already forming.

Rebecca took her spot between them and looked at them both, one and then the other, "I don't know." She reached up and grabbed them both by the beards, "I could get used to this."

*******************************************

Author's Note:

Two chapters in one night? Wow! And this is technically posted on Monday, too! Talk about luck. I hope you enjoy, next up is the choosing and the infamous:

"HaRRy, DidYA pUt YeR nAMe iN ThE gObLEt of FIYA!"

<3


	56. Chapter 56

Madame Pomfrey remedied Fred and George's follicle-related issue quickly, taking great pleasure in their dilemma. "It's what you get really, trying to scam your way into that tournament. Rules are rules for a reason!"

Rebecca laughed with her, stopping at the sharp looks they sent her. She sat back in her chair and tried to keep a straight face as Madame Pomfrey prodded around in their beards. "You should be proud, these are the thickest I've seen all day."

Fred and George glowered further, jumping off the table as soon as their red hair was returned. They walked out of the infirmary without even thanking Madame Pomfrey, to which Rebecca scoffed. "Thank you, on behalf of them. I'm sure they meant to."

Madame Pomfrey sighed and sat back at her desk, "Go on, I'm sure they need someone to rant to now." And she shooed her hand towards the door, really just wanting to be left alone with her medical supplies.

Rebecca left the Hospital Wing and looked down both ends of the corridor, not a single indication of which way they had gone in sight. "Left or right..." She thought, trying to think about which way they would have gone.

"Are you coming?" Fred called, poking his head back into the corridor with the Hospital Wing doors from the far end of the right-most direction. 

"If you two would hold your bloody horses!" She called, jogging down the hall and turning, only to find that they had stopped directly in the walkway.

Rebecca hit Fred, who hit George, who hit one of the suits of armor along the wall; starting a chain effect that ended with an extremely loud clatter and a huge mess. "Run!" Fred hissed, seeing that Mrs Norris turned the corner, meaning Filch was close by. The three teens raced away, panting heavily as they ran faster and faster. When they finally slowed near the Great Hall and blended into the other students filing their way in for supper, Rebecca realised something.

"I've been thinking..." She started.

Fred deadpanned, "That's dangerous."

"Ha, no seriously. Why is she named 'Mrs' Norris? That implies that she's married. To whom? Is it a cat? Are she and Filch married? Can cats even get married?"

George looked at her, blinking slowly as they took their seats. "That's what you're thinking about? Not the fact that we just lost our one way into the tournament?"

Rebecca looked away from them. "I think everything happens for a reason. If the potion didn't work out, then it wasn't meant to be."

Fred's face set in an annoyed look. "Yeah, cause you're such a stickler for limitations. What about Buckbeak last year? He was sentenced to death, but you kept on with the defence."

She turned back and looked at him, her eyes shining dangerously, "Gee Fred, really? You're bringing that up? Buckbeak was innocent and being put to death. You two want to enter a competition where students can and have died. Do you hear that? I'll say it again. Students have died. I'm sorry if I'm not overwhelmed with disappointment that you're not in it."

Fred and George looked away from her and started scooping dinner on to their plates, not saying another word. Hermione walked in front of Harry and Ron, talking to them animatedly as they took their customary seats across from the other three.

"The elves are slaves! That's why I want you to join S.P.E.W!" Hermione nodded happily as they agreed, really just wanting to eat their dinner with a different conversation. Hermione looked across and saw the looks they all had. Rebecca shook her head, hoping Hermione would understand not to ask.

Hermione did, but Ron wasn't as aware. "What's wrong? You lot look like someone died." He asked bluntly, grabbing the copious amount of food he ate at every meal.

Rebecca's head swung and looked at Fred and George. Their heads sunk lower. "Shut up, Ron." George grumbled before shoving a forkful of food into his mouth.

Ron shrugged and continued to eat, Harry watching Rebecca play with the food on her plate for a few minutes before standing and saying, "I'm going on a walk, I'll see you all later." She shoved her hands in the pocket of her robes, wandering about the corridors with her thoughts until she found herself at the entrance to the path that lead to the picnic tables down by the lake's edge.

She sat on the table portion, putting her feet up on the bench, and faced the water. The Durmstrang boat bobbed on the little waves formed by the wind that still blew through the area strongly from the afternoon storm. She sighed, thinking about Fred and George and Sirius and the tournament and everything.

"I figured you'd be down here." Fred called as he walked to the table and sat on it next to her. 

"Well you found me, congratulations." She said blandly.

Fred took his bottom lip into his mouth, chewing on it before shaking his head and laying back so he was flat on the table. "You don't understand, you can't."

Rebecca turned and looked at him, "Understand what? That I don't want to see you risking your life?"

He scooted over slightly, making enough room for her to lay back with him. She did so huffing, waiting for him to elaborate. "It's not about the risk, it's about the glory and money and...respect. You already have that, you and Harry. You're the 'children who lived.'"

"Glory? I was stolen from my home as an infant and lived with a monster for most of my childhood, if living is even what you can call it. 'Children who live?'" She spat the words out of her mouth like they had a sour taste. "That's the dumbest thing you've ever said. And respect? Glory?" She turned her head so that she was looking at him, watching his adam's apple move as he swallowed and continued to stare up at the overcast sky.

"Fred, you're one of the funniest people who've ever lived. Your glory is that there isn't a single person you can't bring joy to. Your glory, yours and George's, is made by your actions. That's not something Harry and I can say for ourselves. All we did was not die fourteen years ago. You and George? You're making a pranking empire that will live on forever. And respect?"

Fred looked to her, "You're apart of that, don't cut yourself out." 

She nodded, "I do like to think I play a role, but you don't need me for Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, you two could pull it off yourself."

He leaned up so that he was on his side and leaned down closer to her face, his eyes showing an intensity she hadn't seen before. "No, we couldn't. And you didn't just 'not die,' you two ended the war. You brought about the end of the darkest wizard to ever live. Don't you ever, ever say you didn't do anything." His tone was dark and final, he wouldn't listen to such a degradation of her, especially by her.

"Then the same goes for you! I don't want to hear you-" She was cut off as he closed the distance between them and pushed his lips onto hers, holding them there as she stared at his closed eyes. When he pulled himself off of her, she blinked at him. 

"Are you done?" He asked.

"You kissed me so I would-" He leaned forward and kissed her again, her eyes closing as her mind went blank, his tongue tracing the line of her bottom lip.

"Stop talking?" She finished when he pulled himself back, only a few inches. His eyes scanned her face.

"Stop talking nonsense, yes. Was it okay?" He asked, worried he'd gone too far as her face stayed blank of emotion.

"I think you'll have to do it again for a proper review." He leaned forward again, both of them smiling into the kiss.

*******************************************

They walked back up to the castle after staying at the picnic table for a while longer, talking and joking with each other. "So." Fred asked as they approached the castle. "What does this mean for us?" He winced at the awkward phrasing of his question.

"What?" Rebecca asked, confused.

"Well, I enjoyed kissing," His voice cracked. He cleared his throat and began again, "I liked kissing you...and you seemed to as well."

She nodded, seeing where he was going as he finished his questions. "Is this something we'll be doing again? What are we?"

She looked at him, a cheeky grin growing. "I did. Enjoy it that is. But let's not rush into things. Can we just...I don't know...Kiss a little now and then? In private for a time while we figure this out." Fred nodded his head quickly. "Perhaps one more for tonight?" He asked, looking around and finding the entrance to the castle was empty.

"Perhaps one more." Rebecca giggled. Fred put his back against the wall and spread his legs, pulling her a step closer to him by her hands which he held in his. She reached up and pushed his hair behind his ear as she grabbed the side of his face, her lips meeting his at once. After a brief moment filled with a brief peck, she pulled away.

"There, one more kiss." Fred jumped off the wall. "That's a cheap move, Potter!" He shouted, running after her. She laughed heartily and ran off into the castle, dodging the group of new first years that flooded out of a room, creating the perfect obstacle to slow Fred down a bit. Her feet pounded against the stone floors, her hands grabbing the handrail to the first staircase up to Gryffindor Tower and throwing herself up them.

She had just turned at the top of the stairs when Fred slid around the corner, pointing up at her and saying nothing, only taking the stairs three at a time.

"That's not fair!" She shouted, trying to go up the stairs faster. He turned onto her staircase and covered the distance between them a moment later, her turning and dropping the stairs as he bent down to her.

"What's not fair? First years as shields?" She had covered her face with her hands and peeked through her fingers. Fred wrapped his hands around her wrists, his fingers overlapping and pulled them away from her face, pulling her up to her feet next to him.

"What're you two doing?" Ginny called from above them, peeking over the edge of the staircase she was on. 

Fred stammered a moment, his mind preoccupied by the fact that there was no way he was getting a good night's kiss now. "I got stuck in a trick stair. Damn Peeves." Rebecca called back, pulling her wrists from Fred's hands and continuing up the stairs. 

"Where are you going this late?" Fred heard Rebecca ask Ginny as he clomped up the stairs and walked behind them. Ginny shrugged, "Harry and Ron are playing chess again and Hermione's going on and on about house elves and something about 'enslavement.' Figured I'd stop by the Goblet and see who else was entering."

Rebecca turned around and grinned at Fred, "Sounds like fun! I'll come with you." Fred turned back towards the stair that would bring him to the common room. Ginny laughed, "What, don't want another beard Fred?"

Fred stuck his hand up over his shoulder, giving her a clear view of his middle finger. The girls turned towards the front of the castle. "Where have you guys been all evening?"

"You know, walking about here and there."

*******************************************

The girls spent longer than they thought watching the students enter the competition. The most notable entering being the girl Rebecca noticed from the entrance of the Beauxbatons students. "Ugh, another prissy princess." Ginny whispered.

"I highly doubt that if she's entering the tournament. I think someone's a little judgy." Ginny smacked her arm. "I am far from it. I just think that if a girl was to wear a uniform like that and look a certain way, she's definitely not starting her own fires. If you get what I mean."

Rebecca looked at her a long moment. "No. No I do not get what you mean."

"Like if she was out camping. She wouldn't start the fire."

"But she's a witch, we can all start fires in an instant."

Ginny rolled her eyes and stood up, stretching after sitting on the bleachers for so long. "Okay, my idioms need working on. Are you ready to head back now?"

Rebecca checked her watch, noticing how long she'd spent down there with Ginny. "Yeah. We've got extra divination homework because of Ron that I should finish anyway."

"What'd he do now?" Ginny asked as they exited the room and started climbing the stairs once more.

"Said some choice words to Brown after she said something about Hermione."

Ginny nodded, "Good for him then! Lavender's such a prat."

Rebecca nodded, already brainstorming the tales she'd tell for her predictions she had to come up with as 'punishment,' knowing she was just going to make up incredibly vague statements. The common room was crowded for the evening, Gryffindor students of all years lounging about, working on homework, socialising among each other.

Harry and Ron were near the window, an intense match of wizard's chess still going on between them while Hermione circled around the room as she tried to collect signatures for her newly formed organisation. Fred joined George, Lee, and a few other fifth years over by the fire as he waited for Rebecca to return with Ginny.

He ended up waiting a lot longer than he thought, long enough for only he, George, Lee and two seventh year students to be in the common room; Harry and Ron having gone up to do homework and escape Hermione's preaching earlier. Rebecca and Ginny came in through the portrait hole, Rebecca gasping at something Ginny said about a 'blonde bimbo.'

Rebecca looked across the common room and caught Fred watching her enter, her laugh turning to a smile. Ginny walked to the stairs and asked if Rebecca was going up as well. Rebecca joined her at the stairs, mouthing Fred "Good night!" 

Fred grinned from his seat, George watching their interaction with suspicion. "What, she doesn't even say good night to me anymore?" George asked as the boys stood, preparing to head to their rooms.

"Did you ever talk to her after dinner?"

"How could I have?" George demanded, eyeing Fred carefully. "Really, how could I have?"

Fred shrugged, "Guess you'll just see her in the morning." 

Lee and George looked at each other, noting something was off with Fred's tone, something they both couldn't quite place.

*******************************************

Up in their room, Hermione gave Rebecca her perfected S.P.E.W pitch.

"They're modern slaves: Not paid for their work, no holidays, no breaks. Think about Dobby for instance! He's the only employed house elf in all of Hogwarts!" Rebecca saw the point she was making.

"I guess the real question is, what are you going to do about it?" She asked Hermione when Hermione was done. Hermione smiled, "I've already got a plan. I've got a petition set up to give to Dumbledore if I get enough signatures demanding they earn modest wages and time off, as well as a petition to send the Ministry for protection regarding abused elves! Does this mean you'll join?" 

Rebecca saw how desperate Hermione was and, in all honesty, she agree with what her friend was saying. "Of course. Where do you want me to sign?"

Hermione pulled a long piece of parchment out of her bag, pointing to the second spot for her to sign. Neville had already written his name at the top. "Oh, you saw Neville this afternoon? How was he?"

Hermione shrugged, "I'm not sure, Moody lent him some herbology book he was interested in. That was good at least." Rebecca wrote her name out, checking the box to the right that said paid dues and asking Hermione how much it was.

"Two sickles." Hermione looked at Rebecca gratefully as she paid, happy that someone wasn't mocking her for her care. "Where'd you end up this evening? We peeked in the library but didn't see you."

"The library? There's your first problem. No, I went a little walk. Ended up down by the lake."

"With Fred." Ginny piped up from where she was in the bathroom, combing her wet hair.

"With Fred?" Hermione asked grinning. "Even after that tenseness at supper?"

Rebecca ignored their growing smiles, "I think they were mad that their idea didn't work, but also mad that I wasn't upset with them. I'm glad it didn't work, I'd much rather prefer to not see them in this tournament. I have a bad feeling about it."

Hermione's face went serious, "Like a vision feeling?"

Rebecca shook her head, "No, not quite. Just a feeling."

"You should write Sirius, he'll have some advice." 

"Hermione, we can't keep bothering him. Besides, Hedwig still hasn't returned from the letter Harry sent to him on the train yesterday."

Hermione thought a moment, "McGonagall?"

"Hermione, when I actually have something other than a 'feeling,' I will go to someone. Until then, I'm not going to cause a fuss. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to shower so I can go to sleep."

Rebecca brought her pajamas with her into the bathroom and closed the door behind her, wishing she had someone to write about everything that had happened with Fred. "Maybe I will write a letter to Sirius. Hedwig should be back anytime now."

That decided it for her, she would write up a letter and be perfectly honest with him, it wasn't like she would be seeing him any time soon, so it didn't matter what she told him. She turned the water on, her mind drifting back to when she and Fred were lying on the picnic table at the lake. A smile played at the corners of her lips as she got into the shower, wondering when she and Fred would have any privacy again.

*******************************************

The next day passed slowly, almost everyone in the castle wishing the day was Thursday so they knew who were chosen as the schools' champions. Fred and Rebecca were the exceptions to the 'everyone.' All they wanted was to find a moment with each other. They were the first thought in the others minds when they woke and both Fred and Rebecca found themselves hurrying their morning routines to see each other sooner.

Rebecca was the first dressed and out of the bathroom, one of the first girls down the stairs. Fred was already tapping his foot at the bottom of the boys' stairs. She hopped down the last few and bounded over to him, hiding her disappointment at other students being around them.

"Good morning," He said, raising his eyebrows, "Shall we head off to breakfast early? Take a detour down an empty hall? Find a closet perhaps?"

She looked over her shoulder to make sure no one heard, "Fred!" She hissed, "Don't talk like that!" She stopped whispering and spoke too loudly. "Why of course Fred, I will walk with you to breakfast."

Fred rolled his eyes, "Wow. Remind me not to ever, ever recommend you to be a wizard spy." Harry ran out the door to the hall of boys' rooms. "Rebecca!" He said, relieved that she was right there.

He ran down the stairs and pulled an envelope out of his pocket, "Sirius wrote back." He said softly, pushing the letter into her hand. "Read it."

Harry,

I have a few theories about this 'scar-pang' you described; I will research further once I am back in Britain. My location is still under-wraps, but the Ministry has moved to the next step in clearing my name. I hope to be there for you at the end of the year. I want to hear more if anything new comes up.

Love,

Padfoot

"Now he's coming back to Britain--putting himself in more danger--because I wrote to him about a bloody twinge!" Harry took the letter back and shoved it back into his pocket roughly. 

"That's not the only reason why and you know it." Rebecca grabbed him by the shoulders and made him look at her. Harry let her pull him into a hug, her mouthing to Fred to go on to breakfast over his shoulder. He stuck his bottom lip out in a pout, but nodded. Harry and Rebecca moved to the back of the common room and drafted a response to Sirius, Rebecca telling Harry that she would post it with a letter she had for him upstairs that afternoon.

"I'm sorry, about getting so upset. I could have been a bit calmer." Harry explained as he walked with her to the portrait hole, Ron and Hermione already having gone ahead of them as he finished his letter.

"It's alright, I would have done the same thing." Rebecca knew Harry needed to hear that, it was evident by the way he perked up. 

They walked to breakfast quickly, catching the last few minutes and Harry agreeing to sign Hermione's S.P.E.W form.

*******************************************

Rebecca yawned that afternoon, exiting the portrait hole with her letter to Sirius sticking over the top with Harry's from that morning and ready to spend the evening doing a little bit of homework before working on the snackboxes with Fred and George.

Sirius,

I'm so sorry I haven't written since before the match, I imagine you've read about how that went by now. It was scary, though I'm you've gone through worse. I actually have something else to talk about, something private that I'm hoping you'll advise me through.

Fred and I may or may not have kissed. It also may or may not have been really, really nice. He's so kind and sweet. Although, he did only kiss me so I'd stop 'talking nonsense' as he said. I just feel so tied up, I want to kiss him, I'd love to just do it and not feel like I have anything to hide. But, I just feel like there's something keeping me from doing that yet. I think its this blasted tournament happening. It's got everyone in a frenzy.

I didn't know if you had any opinions or advice you wanted to share. If this was too personal, you just say the word and I won't write like this again. I see how this could be crossing some boundaries, but you're the person I thought that would be most impartial and helpful.

Love,

Rebecca

The Fat Lady opened as Rebecca read through her letter one last time and stuck it in, licking the envelope closed as she turned to go to the Owlery. "Hey!" Fred called from the top of the stairs, returning from an ingredients grabbing session with George after they found they were out of fresh fanged germanium.

"Hey!" Rebecca greeted him back as he fell into step beside her. 

"The Owlery?" Fred asked.

"Yeah, got a letter to Sirius that needs sending." Fred grinned and checked her watch, not releasing her hand afterwards but entwining her hand into his. 

"Owlery's normally pretty empty at this time, no?"

Rebecca looked at him, "You've turned into a monster."

He put his hand up and twirled her before pulling her into his side, "You've made me one."

*******************************************

Author's Note:

Yes, this ended up fluffier than I intended. Yes, the next chapter will be more plot-centric.

Enjoy!

<3


	57. Chapter 57

Rebecca's heart stopped in her chest, her face paling as she looked around the Great Hall as every pair of eyes closed in on Harry and herself, the whispers growing in ferocity.

"Think about last night!" She willed herself, closing her eyes and running through the events from the evening before. She and Fred were lucky enough to be the only two in the Owlery for a while, the owls privy to the small kisses they shared.

After the Owlery, they walked back to the common room where they did a little of their homework before climbing the stairs to George's room where they tried to punch out a batch of one of the candies for the snackboxes that were set to be released in time for Christmas. They spent ages upstairs, laughing, potion-brewing, planning and critiquing their goods before the bells struck ten times and Rebecca stood to go back to her room.

Fred turned and kept working on what he was doing, Rebecca looking over her shoulder once at the door and seeing how he continued to work. She left the door and waved to Lee and George good night.

"Mate, what're you doing?" Lee asked, his mouth opened. "Chivalry is dying with every passing second!"

Fred looked at George, asking for a translation. "Get your lazy arse up and walk her. I swear, I don't know how we're related."

Fred hadn't even noticed that she'd left. He had been sketching the design for the art that they wanted on the wrappings for one of the sickly candies. Fred's mouth opened as he realised she'd already gone and he jumped up, knocking the book he had been using as a flat surface off his lap and running out of the room, crashing his shoulder into the side of the door frame.

Rebecca turned at the bang, down by the door to the stairs and paused, crossing her arms as he ran after her. "I was trying to draw a damn picture." He grabbed his shoulder and hissed in pain, feeling the bruise forming. "Forgot my drawing is...dreadful, to say the least." She smiled and shook her head.

"It's alright, I do know the way down this straight hallway."

Fred smirked, "But can you kiss yourself goodnight?"

She stepped forward so he had to look straight down at her. "Guess I do still need you." She went on her tiptoes and closed her eyes as he leaned down and closed his eyes as well. Her head tilted slightly, her lips brushing against his for only a second: All the time they dared risk in the hallway where Harry or Ron or George could step out at any moment.

"I'll see you in the morning?" Rebecca asked as she stepped back and spun towards the door.

"Yes, bright and early. Tomorrow's Thursday!" He called down to her from the top of the stairs, "Time to see what sorry mug's representing good ol' Hoggy-Warts!"

"'Sorry mug' was right." Rebecca pulled herself back to moments before the present time: Post-Supper Thursday night. Three champions had already been chosen: Viktor Krum from Durmstrang, Fleur Delacour from Beauxbatons, and Cedric from Hogwarts. That was supposed to be it, but the Goblet's fire roared up and glowed red once more.

"Harry Potter." Dumbledore read quietly. His words still echoed in Rebecca's mind slowly. "Harry Potter?" He asked again, louder. Hermione grabbed Harry's shoulder, prompting him to stand. Rebecca stood with him, her hands trembling ferociously.

"No. No. No." Her mind screamed in confusion. "Harry wouldn't have done this. I know he wouldn't have, there's been a mistake." Ron's face melted into an ugly scowl as he watched Harry walk to the front of the Great Hall, Rebecca standing and hurrying after him.

Fred's mouth hung open as he watched them go, wondering why this always seemed to happen to them.

*******************************************

Harry was shooed into the room behind the staff's tables, a room neither Harry nor Rebecca had noticed before. Igor Karkaroff put his hand up, trying to stop Rebecca as she followed behind him.

She looked up at the hand in front of her, her lip quivering not in sadness, but unbridled rage. "I will accompany my brother," She said softly, but with an air of finality. "And I'd like to see you stop me." 

The head of Durmstrang's eyes narrowed at her challenging tone and held his hand steady. Professor McGonagall's shoes tapped quickly behind Rebecca, "Igor." The professor's voice warned. He put his hand back at his side, looking to Dumbledore for assistance and finding none as he and Barty Crouch tried to quell the storm rising in the outraged students of all three schools.

McGonagall put her hand on Rebecca's shoulder and walked with her into the room where Cedric, Viktor, and Fleur stood apart from Harry. "Rebecca, I didn't do this." He said, rushing across the room and tucking himself inside her outstretched arms, "You know I wouldn't do this!" His voice took on a desperate tone as he looked at her.

"I know, Harry. There's been a mistake, right professor?" She looked to where McGonagall was watching them and nodded at the question.

"Quiet, I can't think!" Those in the room heard Dumbledore growl over the shouting of Madame Maxime and Karkaroff as they and the other Hogwarts professors stormed into the room. Dumbledore ran across the room, the fastest Rebecca had ever seen the man move, and tried to grab Harry by his robes. 

Rebecca held her ground, not letting go of Harry and only letting the head master push them a few feet. He ignored Rebecca entirely, looking directly into Harry's eyes as he nearly shouted, "Harry, did you put your name in the Goblet of Fire?"

"No, sir!" Harry answered immediately, seeing a rabid glint in his eyes.

"Did you ask one of the other students to do it for you?" 

"No, sir!" Harry answered once more.

"You're absolutely sure?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yes, of course sir." 

Rebecca backed him up, "Harry wouldn't have, he said he wouldn't have entered even if he was old enough!"

Madame Maxime whacked a hanging light out of her path and spat at the two, "But of course they are lying!"

"The hell they are!" Moody roared from by the fire, turning and hobbling to where Dumbledore had released Harry and was looking between the two Potter children. "The Goblet of Fire is an exceptionally powerful magical object. Only an exceptional powerful Confundus Charm could have hoodwinked it."

Barty Crouch glared at the children before turning back to the fire. Dumbledore took a step back as Moody finished. "Far beyond the abilities of two fourth years!"

"You seem to have given this a fair bit of thought, Mad-Eye." Karkaroff said as he got into the Defence Against the Dark Arts' professors face. 

"It was once my job to think as dark wizards do, Karkaroff." Moody intoned as he narrowed his eye on the Bulgarian man. "Perhaps you remember."

"This doesn't help, Alastor!" Dumbledore muttered as he stormed his way between the two men and went to Crouch's side. "Leave this to you, Barty."

McGonagall scoffed as Barty looked into the distance, his eyes flitting to and fro as he answered. "The rules are absolute. The Goblet of Fire constitutes a binding magical contract." He turned and looked at Dumbledore before turning further and looking at Harry and Rebecca. "Mr Potter has no choice. He is, as of tonight...a Triwizard champion."

McGonagall scoffed from Harry and Rebecca's sides, putting herself in front of her two students as every adult in the room turned and looked at them. "That's preposterous! There must be exceptions!"

Barty Crouch looked at her and narrowed his eyes, "There are no exceptions! Absolute is absolute! He either competes or," He gulped. "Mr Potter dies."

Harry and Rebecca were ushered into yet another side room, leaving the adults to discuss further. Fleur eyed them both warily, seeing a similarity between her and her sister in the way that she whispered in his ear.

Krum scoffed and stared out the window as the sky thundered once again, the heavens opening in a mad downpour that didn't let up in the slightest as their time in the room continued on and on.

McGonagall continued to express her disagreement with the decision that Harry participate, prompting Dumbledore to snap at her, "What do you suggest, Minerva?"

"Put an end to it! Don't let Potter compete!"

"You heard Barty, the rules and the consequences are clear."

"The devil with Barty and his rules!" She shouted, "Since when do you accommodate the Ministry?"

"Headmaster, I, too, find it difficult to believe this coincidence." Snape's droning voice rang out from where he emerged from the shadows. "However, if we are to truly discover how the meaning of these events, perhaps we should for the time being...let them unfold."

Minerva looked at him, a glare setting into her face, "What? Do nothing? Potter is a boy! Not a piece of meat, not a sacrifice! Rebecca, you saw her, you know that Harry didn't do this!"

Dumbledore looked up, ignoring Minerva. "I agree with Severus." He looked around and caught Moody's eye(s), "Alastor, keep and eye on Harry."

"Don't let him know, either of them actually. They will both be anxiety ridden as it is, as we all are."

The adults flooded from the room and went to the champions, repeating that Harry would proceed as a champion as the rules require. Rebecca grit her teeth as Harry's eyes widened behind his circle glasses. Viktor shook his head and went to Karkaroff's side, muttering Bulgarian in his ear before turning and leaving the room without another word to the other champions.

Fleur went to Madame Maxime's side, the woman beginning to speak in French and stepping to the side for Fleur to leave. Fleur did as she was told, but not before catching Rebecca's eyes from across the room and hoping that the younger girl saw the sympathy she tried to convey.

Cedric went to Professor Sprout's side as well, watching as Harry realised the truth.

He was the fourth champion and he would compete in the Triwizard Tournament.

*******************************************

Harry and Rebecca walked back to Gryffindor Tower together in silence, the only sounds being the scuffing of their shoes and the patter of the incessant rain. "You believe me, don't you?" Harry asked as they reached the top of the first flight of stairs.

"Are you telling the truth?"

"Yes!" His voice was sharp.

"Then I believe you, as I will always believe the truth." She willed the tears pooling in her eyes to go away, or at least that Harry didn't notice them, and continued. "You're going to be just fine. We are going to study. We are going to train. We are going to give you every skill for you to make it out of this scotch-free. Damn the rules and damn this bloody competition."

Harry tried to pull strength away from her words, wishing for one very-regretted moment that it had been her who had been drawn. "I'd take your spot if I could, you know I would, right?" She asked, turning towards him.

He wanted to groan at how she responded to his thoughts as she tended to do. "I know."

The Fat Lady dabbed at her eyes as she opened for them, a mostly empty common room revealing itself. Fred and George were there, as was Hermione and Ginny, but Ron was nowhere to be seen.

Harry closed his eyes into Hermione's hug. Fred and George both hugging Rebecca at the same time. Harry gave them a rundown of what had happened in the discussion, the final decision being that he had to compete, while Fred and Rebecca stepped to the side.

"Rebecca?" He asked, using her full name, no pet names, no nicknames.

She looked up at him put a fake smile on, failing to hide her tears this time. "I'm fine, Fred. We need to worry about Harry right now."

"Bollocks to Harry. I'm worrying about you." He put his hands on either side of her cheeks and used his thumbs to stroke at the escaped tears making their way down her face. "You know George and I are going to be to be there every step of the way, right?"

She nodded and sniffed. Her lip quivered as she tried to compose herself again. He shook his head and took his hands from her face, pulling her into his chest and turning his back towards the other, blocking her shaking shoulders from them. "Fred, this is different. This is different than any other year. I have a bad feeling about all this."

Fred stroked circles into her back, "Well bollocks to that too. You've got two of the smartest people in the world who are going to help in any what that they can. And we've got George as well!"

The joke made her laugh once, her head plunging back onto his chest as she took a deep breath and pulled away at last, wiping her eyes on her sleeves. Harry turned at the sound of her laugh while George turned at his name. "What about George?"

"Nothing," Rebecca asked, grabbing Fred's hand and taking the few steps back to where Harry and Hermione were telling each other goodnight. "Nothing at all." When Harry was released from Hermione's hug for the second time, Rebecca hugged him once more.

"Go upstairs, get a good night's rest. You hear me?" She demanded as he looked away from her.

"Yes, I hear you. Ron's going to be pissed, isn't he?"

Rebecca looked at Fred a moment before answering, "Bollocks to Ron then."

*******************************************

Upstairs, after Harry had exited the shower and was sitting on his bed in his pajamas, Ron pounced. "How'd you do it? Doesn't matter anyway. Might have let your best friend know, though."

"Do what?" Harry asked, knowing exactly what he was talking about. The rain still poured outside.

"You know bloody well what." Ron said, making his bed ready to sleep in.

"I didn't ask for this to happen, Ron. Okay? You're being stupid."

Ron climbed into bed, pulling his covers up to his armpits. "That's me. Harry Potter's stupid friend." Harry looked at Neville and Seamus, them looking away quickly at his eye contact, as Harry jumped up and walked to Ron's bedside.

"I didn't put my name in that cup. I don't want eternal glory. I just want to be..." Harry sighed and changed his tone from accusatory to calmer. "Look, I don't know what happened tonight, and I don't know why. It just did. I've got Rebecca crying and Hermione looking at me like I'm going to drop dead any second, I don't need this shite from you too!"

Ron rolled his eyes and turned to his side, his heart twinging a moment at the thought of Rebecca crying. Harry left Ron's bed and climbed into his own, pulling his covers up to combat the chill taking over the room.

"Piss off." Ron said at last.

Harry looked at his best friend in the moments after he said those words before taking his glasses off and putting them on the table next to his bed and lying on his back, looking up at the ceiling as the room darkened as the boys turned their lamps off. As the darkness filled his eyes, he felt wholly and completely alone.

*******************************************

Author's Note:

Definitely a shorter chapter than we're used to, but I think you'll survive.

Enjoy!

<3


	58. Chapter 58

Harry's dormitory was silent the next morning, Neville, Seamus, and Dean stayed in bed longer than they liked to avoid the awkward tenseness following Harry and Ron around and got ready after they had left.

Across the tower at Rebecca's window, Hedwig knocked with her beak, a letter tied to her ankle. "That was much faster! Who's a good, good girl!" Hedwig accepted the head scratches graciously, famished and ready to go to the Owlery before they gave her another letter to deliver.

Rebecca tore into Sirius' response quickly, wanting to read it in the privacy she had momentarily as Ginny had already left for breakfast and Hermione got dressed in the bathroom.

Rebecca,

I see the dilemma you've outlined, though I want to make sure I have it clear. You want to be with Fred, but you don't want others to know you're with Fred yet? If that's the case, brava! You've known each other for years and you have a lot of the same friends, a business venture, as you've mentioned, in the making. It is wise beyond your years to test the water before going public, a sign of your mother's wisdom for certain. Though, on behalf of your father and mother, I must ask that you behave in a responsible manner when it comes to specific...actions...young enamored witches and wizards partake in. Has Molly spoken with you? Is this something I need to discuss with you? Harry? 

On another note, of course you have crossed no line nor boundary. In fact, it fills me with great joy to know that you trust me enough for advice. (Though, I'll have you know that Moony laughed like I'd just told him a joke when I told him you'd wanted advice from me. Not to worry, the details regarding this advice were kept private.)

Rebecca paused her reading and read that sentence over again. "He's with Professor Lupin?" She knew he wasn't their professor any longer, but it seemed wrong to call him mister and she didn't feel that she knew him well enough to call him by his first name.

This tournament sounds like a hassle, I can only imagine how angry Fred and George were at hearing they were not of age to enter. This 'bad feeling' you mention worries me, if it just a regular bad feeling or a premonition? I would imagine it is impossible to tell until it is too late. Speaking of, how is this new tea working? I trust that you would return to Madame Pomfrey if it wasn't.

When you respond to this, please borrow an owl from the school. Hedwig will make sure it knows where to go, but I fear Hedwig's coat is too obvious.

Love,

Padfoot 

P.S. Now that he knows who I have been writing too, Moony insists I tell you that he has been thinking of you and Harry and he sends kind regards. Whatever the hell that's supposed to mean."

Rebecca smiled at his P.S., remembering fondly their year of Defence Against the Dark Arts with him. "I nearly forgot I switched teas!" She thought, still not experiencing any premonitions on the lesser strength. Hermione opened the bathroom door and noticed the letter in hand. "Sirius?" She asked.

Rebecca nodded, "Yeah, though Harry and I will have to respond right back with what happened last night."

Hermione pursed her lips, "Speaking of...Ginny came up while you were getting ready to warn us that Ron's...cross."

"Why?" Rebecca asked, fearing she knew the answer.

"He simply feels even more 'under Harry's shadow' than usual. I'm sure it will pass quickly."

Rebecca pocketed the letter and grabbed her bag. "Hermione, I can't leave Harry's side right now, you know that, right?"

Hermione answered quickly, "Yeah, absolutely."

"I just wanted to make sure because if it comes down to it, I don't want Ron entirely alone. I just can't be there for him right now."

Hermione nodded, understanding. "And you'll make sure Harry knows that I have no grief with him?"

It was Rebecca's turn to assure her, "Of course." The girls left their dormitory, squaring their shoulders to face the day's struggles.

Harry waited at the bottom of the girls' stairs, Ron glowering behind him. "I don't know if you want to eat with me." Harry whispered as they made their way to the portrait hole, the other Gryffindor students parting like the Red Sea around Harry. "It seems I'm being shunned, heavily."

Rebecca's jaw set, grabbing Harry's hand as they stepped through the hole. "I wouldn't eat with anyone else."

*******************************************

The tables to both sides of Harry's normal spot were entirely vacant, a blight in the crowded Great Hall that tinged his cheeks red with embarrassment. "We can just grab and go." Harry offered to Rebecca, wanting to save her her own embarrassment of sitting with him.

"Don't be absurd, look, they even saved our spots for us." Rebecca sat down, patting the bench next to her. She would be forgoing her spot next to Fred for the next several weeks, unbeknownst to her, in order to make sure Harry never ate alone.

A letter was delivered to Harry by a pitch black owl at the same time three others flew into the hall, the other three going to Viktor, Fleur, and Cedric respectively. Harry tore open the letter and found that it was summons to the first event. "November 24. That's it, nothing about what the competition is or anything." He ate his eggs solemnly.

Rebecca turned over the paper and read it for herself, "So be it, we practise everything then."

*******************************************

The rest of the week passed miserably for Harry, the time passing between then and to two weeks after Halloween just as miserably. Nearly every student from each of the three schools ignoring him entirely, thinking that he'd cheated his way in. Rebecca never left his side, her budding romance with Fred taking a back-burner as she stood by Harry in the face of such cruelty.

"Ah look, there goes the liar and the cheater. Perfect twins!" Draco shouted from the first branch of a tree in the court yard as Harry and Rebecca made their way to Divination. They ignored him at first, finding it easier said than done as Draco continued.

"Learn that from the Weasley cow? Or was it the first set of muggles, Rebecca? Heard you might just be a liar and a murderer." She turned and looked at him.

"What did you just say?" Her voice was quiet, dangerously so. Draco continued, gritting his teeth as he said what he'd been told to say by the digging his father had done onto the Potters at the news of Harry's admittance into the contest.

"Did you learn...your cheating, lying, no good ways...from your muggles...or from the Weasley...bitch?" He enunciated each word, saying what the words meant to hurt her slowly. He couldn't believe he was doing as he was told, watching her heart shatter and then her resolve set as he finished the question with the insult.

Harry hardly saw the blur that was her arm as she reached for her wand and waved it at him. Harry reached over and grabbed her arm, leading her away from him as she shouted. "Say it again, say it you prick! I'll bloody kill you! Harry! Let me go!" She struggled as Harry forced her to walk away from him, his arms holding her still.

"He's not worth it Rebecca, you know he only said it to get a rise out of you."

Draco took his own wand out and raised it to jinx them, trying to save his reputation from the smite she'd put on it with her shouting.

"Never attack when your opponent has their back turned!" Moody shouted, appearing out of nowhere and jinxing Draco's wand away from him. "That's a rotten trick, you act like a trickster, you look like one!" The professor transfigured Draco into a ferret, its coat as white as the boy's hair. 

Harry turned Rebecca at the exit of the courtyard, hoping the distance was far enough to keep her from attacking him but would also let her enjoy the show: Moody had him bounce upside down a few times before forcing him down Crabbe's trousers.

"Professor Moody!" McGonagall's voice cried as she followed the source of the laughter and screams to find the two Slytherin boys screaming and a ferret running around Goyle's feet. "Is that a student?!" McGonagall charmed the counter-spell, Draco turning back into Draco as he crawled at Goyle's feet for one more lap. Draco pushed himself to his feet, looking around wildly.

"It was a punishment, professor. He tried to attack a classmate when her back was turned!" 

McGonagall crossed her arms, "In this school, we do not use Transfiguration as punishment! We assign detentions or bring them to their head of house!"

Moody nodded once deeply, "So be it. You boy, come with me." Moody clapped a gnarled hand to Draco's shoulder, bringing him on his way to Snape for further punishment. "Wait till my father hears about this." Draco said forebodingly.

"Lucius Malfoy? You tell him, I'm terrified." Moody said bored as his human eye winked at Rebecca and Harry.

When Draco was out of their sight, Harry released Rebecca who pulled herself away a step and straightened her robe. "You calmed down?"

Rebecca took a deep breath and took her glasses off to clean them as she answered slowly. "No."

Harry changed the subject. "Ready for Potions?"

Rebecca put her glasses on and looked at him through the freshly-cleaned lenses. "Never."

The dungeons were as cold and dank as always, Snape in an especially foul mood at the delivery of Draco from Alastor shortly before class began. Snape had them going through the steps of general antidotes, teasing at the possibility that they would ingest poison to see if their antidotes worked as they should. Luckily for Harry, a note was delivered by Colin Creevey in the middle of their lesson.

Snape read it and smirked as he announced to the class, "Our favourite celebrity has been summoned for a photoshoot." Harry grabbed his bag and stood, Rebecca doing the same. Snape mimed confusion as he turned the note over. "Let me see, nope, no mentioning of his smaller shadow. Sit down Miss Potter." The class snickered as she slowly eased herself back into her chair.

"I'll see you at supper, okay? Please, don't get into any fights?" He warned, squeezing her shoulder as he left the class. Rebecca felt more alone than ever after he'd gone, doing twice the work as her partner had left and having to listen to Hermione and Ron worked together behind her.

*******************************************

Potions lasted ages, the bell finally tolling as Malfoy opened his mouth to cause more trouble with Rebecca. She stormed out of the classroom before the last bell had even finished ringing, being one of the first students out of the dungeons and into the fresh air.

She pulled her bag tightly on her back, letting her lower slightly as the insults and stares resumed like they had everyday since the Goblet of Fire had called Harry's name. It had been a trying few weeks, a solitary few weeks. Solitary, with the exception of Fred and George. They made a point of walking with Harry and Rebecca every chance they got.

Fridays however, Fridays they only saw them in the evening, both groups' classes on opposite sides of the castle. A whirring sound was following Rebecca, the sound occuring every few seconds. She stopped and looked around in the hallway, locating the sound to be coming from her bag. She pulled it off one shoulder and found one of the buttons the Hufflepuff students had been circulating: The buttons that alternated between "Cedric, the one true champion" and "POTTER STINKS." 

She looked up towards the ceiling, her patience being pushed to its very limit before looking down and spotting Cedric with a gang of Hufflepuffs around him. She held the pin in hand and walked up to him, "This you?" She demanded.

Cedric looked at her and saw the button, ashamed of his housemates. He hopped up and lead her a few steps away. "Rebecca, I swear I had nothing to do with those. I've asked them to get rid of them, to stop. But they won't." He shrugged and offered her the same smile he did to every girl he upset, it normally excused whatever he had done wrong. He turned and walked away a step.

"So that's it? 'Oh, well.'" She asked, marching back to in front of him.

"Careful, Ced! She's feral!" A Hufflepuff boy called, causing the others to laugh.

He shook his head and shrugged once more, "I don't know what else you expect me to do, but I certainly can't do anything right now. I've got to go." He said quietly, wanting her to leave.

She turned to the rest of the Hufflepuffs and ignored Cedric, "You know, for a house based on loyalty and friendship, you lot sure don't have a much of either." She grabbed her pin and held it in her hand, expecting what she was about to do to hurt like hell.

"Ignitium incantatum." She said, igniting the pin on fire in her hand and holding it between two fingers, hiding the pain as the fire singed at her skin. She turned and walked away, letting the melted, unrecognizable clump of plastic drop to the ground after the design had been burnt away entirely.

The Hufflepuffs fell silent as she left, one muttering something about how nutty Gryffindors were, but only after she was far out of hearing distance. She still had Herbology that afternoon, but she decided to skive off, needing to be actually alone for a while, not just the sense of alone that had been imposed upon her and Harry by the students.

"First stop? Hospital Wing. Bloody hell my fingers smart something awful." She looked at the reddening tips, a small smile forming as she thought of the looks on their faces as she held the flames. Madame Pomfrey did not smile, far from it actually.

"You held on...to the fire..." She repeated as Rebecca explained what had happened again. "Young lady, that is officially the dumbest reason anyone has ever come to visit me, and I have been here for many, many years and healed many, many dumb injuries." She shook her head and took her wand out, tapping on each burnt finger and casting an anti-burn spell.

"Here, salve for if it aches once the spells worn off. I shouldn't even give you that, I should let the pain serve as a lesson." Rebecca nodded, accepting the admonishment and thanking her.

"Where are you headed for class now, I'll tell the professor you were here."

Rebecca winced and looked up at the nurse, "I was wondering..."

Madame Pomfrey put her hands on her hips, knowing what was coming. 

"Perhaps you could just say I stayed here?" Rebecca winced pitifully as Madame Pomfrey shook her head, "No, I do not help skiving students."

Rebecca followed her as she went back to her desk. "Oh Madame Pomfrey, please. I'm begging you. I just need a few hours to myself, to get my head on my shoulders right. Harry's first competition is in two weeks, we've got no clue what it is or how he needs to be prepared. And..." Her voice trailed off as she tried to think of a way to explain the weight she had growing on her shoulders with every passing day.

"If I don't see you at supper, I will assign a detention and alert whomever's class you're missing. Stress can lead to avoiding meals, which only leads to further health complications." Madame Pomfrey said quietly, maybe not understanding the young girl's plight, but at least sympathising with the stresses of the fourth year looking up at her.

Rebecca thanked her once more, relief flooding her face. She put the salve in her bag and left the infirmary, knowing she couldn't go to her favorite place to think down by the lake because it was too close to Hagrid's classes. She considered the library, but then thought that if she was going somewhere to be depressed she would have gone on to class. She ended up wandering about the corridors, ducking into halls whenever she saw other students or professors.

*******************************************

Back by the Great Hall, Harry had already had his wand inspected by Ollivander and it to be found in perfect condition. Rita Skeeter, already having introduced herself and managed to offend each champion, had started to invite them for their individual interviews.

"So, who feels up to sharing?" Rita asked, looking at them all stand as they were. "Shall we start with the youngest? Lovely." She dragged Harry over to the closet and slammed it shut behind him.

"This is cozy." She remarked seductively as she and Harry took their spots, having to wedge in inches away from each other. 

"It's a broom cupboard." Harry said matter-of-factly.

"You should feel right at home then." Rita remarked, shoving Harry onto the stool across from hers. "You don't mind if I use a Quick-Quotes Quill, do you?"

"Oh, um...no." Harry said, not entirely sure what that was. The stool he sat on buckled under his weight, sprawling him backwards onto the floor.

"So tell me, Harry." Rita ignored his fall and jumped into the question asking. "Here you sit, twin nowhere in sight? How does she feel about all this, a mere boy of 12 all alone?"

"Actually, Rebecca's been my rock, my strength...my mentor, really. I haven't been alone since the start with her. And, I'm 14." He corrected, wishing for the words he said about Rebecca to be written into her article, hoping further that it would show Rebecca how appreciative he was of her.

"So she's not jealous?" Rita egged on.

"Of course not!" Harry answered sharply. 

"Defensive." She muttered to the quill before going onto the next question. "What about your competitors? They're not only vastly more emotionally mature than you are, they're more experienced. They can cast spells that you wouldn't attempt in your dizziest daydreams."

"I-Well, I haven't really thought about that." He watched the quill scribbled down a lot more than he'd said for his response.

"just ignore the quill." She said, leading into her next question. "You're no ordinary 12 year old boy, are you?"

"14."

"Do you think it was the trauma of your past that made you so keen to enter such a dangerous tournament?"

Harry looked at her a moment before answering. "I didn't enter the tournament."

"Of course you didn't." She patronized him before winking like they shared a secret. "Everyone loves a rebel, Harry. Scratch that." She commanded the quill. "Speaking of your parents, were they alive, how do you think they'd feel? Proud? Or concerned that your attitude shows, at best, a pathological need for attention and at worst, a psychotic death wish?"

Harry looked over at the quill, "Hey! My eyes aren't 'glistening with the ghosts of my past!" Rita looked at him as he stood and grabbed the notebook. "This interview is over." He ripped the pages out of it and shoved it into his pocket storming out of the closet loudly. Krum smirked as he was beckoned in next, Fleur watching Harry leave the room.

Harry returned to Gryffindor Tower, hoping that the owl they had been using to communicate with Sirius was back with more words of encouragement. One of the first things to go in his way, at least he thought so originally, was that the bird was waiting for him outside his bedroom window.

"Hop in," He gestured as he opened the window, detaching the letter from the owl and petting it before he let it go back to the Owlery.

Harry and Rebecca,

These are hard times, the Ministry is fighting my redemption every step of the way. It's too risky for us to keep sending owls. I am deeply sorry for this. Both of you go to the common room at 1:00 am on November 22, this Saturday. We'll talk then.

Stay strong,

Padfoot

Harry flipped the note over, seeing that there wasn't the normal inclusion of Lupin's commentary and finding himself deeply disappointed. He checked the time and found that Herbology would be over by the time he made it there, laying on his bed for a little rest as he went over the interview fiasco once more.

*******************************************

Rebecca found her solitude, though no solace in it, in the hours before supper, wandering the more abandoned parts of the castle alone. Whenever she heard noise of other students, she turned and walked in the other direction to wallow in her funk a little longer.

"Rebecca?" Fred's voice called from down the hall. He had the map in his hand, the Marauders' Map. "What're you doing way out here?" She was at the very end of the castle, far from any classrooms or notable rooms except for a large tapestry of a man trying to teach trolls ballet.

"I don't know. Is George with you?" She asked, looking around him.

"No, he's off doing who-knows-what." He opened his arms as she buried herself into him, the first time they'd been alone together in weeks.

He held her head against him, noticing the jar of salve on the side of her bag. "What's happened here."

"It's rather embarrassing."

He turned around and found a door opening for them, a door that hadn't been there before. "Shall we?" He offered, reaching for the handle with one arm still around her.

She shrugged, having not noticed the door before hand. He turned the knob and the door opened revealing a living room with warm fire and a couch right in front of it, a table with teacups on it, and fluffy blankets folded on a chair.

"What is this?" Rebecca asked as they inched their way in, finding the room to be just what she had been thinking about: A comfortable, private place to just be with Fred, no distractions.

"We've found the Room of Requirement!" Fred remarked, looking around. "This room isn't on any map of Hogwarts because it's never the same. It changes based on-"

"What you require." Rebecca finished for him, putting sugars and tea into two cups as Fred took his shoes off and laid against the back of the couch, making enough room for her to lie next to him.

She poured the water and took her own shoes off, laying her topmost robe onto the chair before joining him. He patted his chest so that she'd rest her head on him again and he began to rub her head gently.

"The salve?" He prompted, his concern making him bring it back up.

She turned her head so she spoke into him, her muffled response making him chuckle. "I held one of the damn buttons as it burnt in front of Cedric and his Huffle-dorks."

"That'll require a salve, alright." He squeezed her head lovingly before returning to his gentle rubbing. "Did you feel any better?"

She said nothing a moment before looking up at him with tears in her eyes. "No. I do now though."

"Don't cry, love."

She put herself up on her elbow and kissed him with a passion, her tears wetting his cheeks as well. When she pulled away from him, it was only because she needed to breath, not because she wanted to. "Rebecca, I'm starting to worry that everything is a little too much. Maybe we need to ask if you can go home for Christmas early, I'm certain Dumbledore would let you."

She shook her head and pecked his lips once more before settling back into her original spot, "I just need you to hold me a little bit longer."

*******************************************

Author's Note:

Aww, this was a cute finish to write. 

<3


	59. Chapter 59

Fred and Rebecca spent a long time in the Room or Requirement, sometimes talking, sometimes kissing, sometimes just enjoying each other's presence in silence. When Fred finally checked the time and saw that dinner was starting, he knew they had to go.

"We've really got to go," He sighed, "I know, I don't want to either."

"We could stay here forever." Rebecca said, looking up at him, her eyes red but tearless. 

"And miss Hogsmeade tomorrow?"

She sat up and shrugged on her robe. "I'm so sorry I've been such little help with the snackboxes, speaking of Hogsmeade--I heard you and George when you were talking about those last ingredients."

Fred grabbed her bag and finished the last of his tea, "Don't be absurd, George and I both know you're doing important work, too. We've got everything under control on that front. Any idea what the first event is?"

"Not at clue. I've told him I'd look, ask like at the Cup, but he's forbidden it."

Fred nodded, "Well, 'forbidden' is probably a step too far, but I'm glad he dissuaded you. Let that be your last option for a further trial. The first should be the easiest, at least I would think..." He continued on as he put his top robe back on and slipped his trainers onto his feet.

Rebecca walked to the exit, looking back at their little slice of heaven a moment before leaving. "I think that I really needed this; this break with you."

Fred grabbed her hand, the biggest display of affection they dared on a regular basis in public. "It was a perfect, wasn't it?"

Rebecca smiled at him as they turned towards the Great Hall, ready for another meal where everyone stared at Harry and herself while Fred and George sat across from them, acting like they didn't notice a thing.

Harry was pacing outside the Great Hall, confused as to where Rebecca was and kicking himself for lending the map back to Fred the week before. When they turned the corner, Harry rushed to them. "Is everything okay? Why did I hear something about you playing with fire!"

Fred smirked as Rebecca had to explain what happened. "I didn't play with it, persay. I may have fixed the button-issue though."

Harry rolled his eyes, "I want to hear more, but just wait until I tell you what happened at the 'interview,' I'm sure that will end up a bloody disaster."

He explained how the quill had turned his words around and twisted things around, making complete falsehoods out of his answers. Rebecca spooned her dinner onto her plate, hoping that the Hogsmeade trip in the morning was less eventful than their Friday.

Fred caught her eye from across the table and crinkled his eyes at her as he smiled widely, "We still down for butterbeers tomorrow?" He asked excitedly.

Rebecca forgot that he'd invited she and Harry to join he and Fred for a drink earlier in the week. "I don't know," She winced and looked at Harry, "I wasn't sure if you wanted-"

"I've got plans, but you go on!" Harry insisted, grabbing his goblet for a drink. "Hermione and I have been talking about a spending the day together anyway. You see her in your room, I haven't seen her in ages." 

She took another bite of her dinner, "Fine then, leave me." Fred put his foot across the length of the table underneath and tapped her shoe with his. Harry looked around and made sure no one was listening before talking so only Rebecca could hear him while Fred turned to George and going over the list.

"Sirius sent a letter, his last for a while. He's said he'll speak with us in the common room tomorrow at 1 am."

Rebecca looked up quickly, "He didn't address anything in his letter solely to me, did he?"

Harry looked at her confused, "No. Should he have?"

Rebecca shook her head, "Just wondering."

*******************************************

The only good thing about Harry's ostracisation, and Rebecca's by association, was that whenever they walked towards the chairs in the common room they were immediately cleared. They took their now-normal spots, Harry setting up their nightly match of wizard's chess.

"Oh please, Harry. I am begging you. Why do you do this to me?" She whined as he took the first move.

"In the beginning, it was because I thought you could learn. Now? Now this is just hilarious."

She moved the knight. "I don't understand how this game calls for 'strategy.'" Harry moved another piece setting a trap. "You're just moving random pieces!"

Rebecca moved her king's pawn, doing exactly what Harry needed. Harry moved his bishop across the board and sat back in his chair. "Checkmate."

Rebecca looked at the board before sitting back with a look of disgust. "That was utterly pathetic."

Harry turned his head and watched as Ron and Hermione entered the common room, both of them sitting on the opposite end of it. "Still nothing?" Rebecca asked, seeing Harry's face set in a scowl.

"Not a word." Which, while technically true, felt false to say. Ron went out of his way to use the word 'cheater' in any conversation he had where Harry could hear, making his opinion of Harry clear.

Rebecca sighed, "Yeah. Me either. Molly's about to come over here and ring his damn neck if he doesn't stop being such a git."

"Oh? You've been writing to her as well?"

"Of course, I promised I'd be better about keeping her updated this year. Someone's got to, I swear it's like everyone but Fred gets here and forgets about home."

Harry looked at her, "Fred? Really?"

She smiled, "That seems to be the common perception of him. I don't see it."

"He just seems so...calm, all the time. It's disconcerting actually. Does he write Molly often?"

Rebecca turned and looked out the window as she thought about how much Fred loved his family, "Every single week."

Harry set up the game again, evoking a groan from Rebecca. He won again, though not in only four moves. When he finally stood and stretched, saying he was going to run up and go to bed, the night had grown late. "Want us to wait for you and Hermione? We can all take one carriage." 

"No, I don't think so. We're taking the cloak through the witch's pathway. I just want to spend time with her, without the whispers and the stares." Rebecca nodded, knowing exactly what he meant.

"Not too much butterbeer, you hear me? And it really wouldn't kill you to eat some vegetables. The challenge is Tuesday, it's crunch time."

Harry raised his eyebrow and put the chessboard and pieces away, "Yes, mother."

Rebecca hugged him good night before climbing the stairs to her room, excited for the day ahead. Near the top of the stairs, something hit the back of her head and fell to the ground behind her. She turned around and picked it up, opening it as she looked around to see where it had come from.

"Sleep well. We'll leave early? George is going into town with Lee and he never wakes up before ten on Saturday. Looks like it's you and me."

Fred's writing was in the middle of the little airplane. She skimmed the message and looked back down into the common room, seeing him poking his head out from behind the shelf he had hidden himself behind when he first sent the plane off.

She nodded to him, agreeing. She was privately glad George had opted to go with Lee. Ginny was bouncing on her bed excitedly, tomorrow's trip would be her first into Hogsmeade. "Don't forget you both still need a dress," Hermione reminded them, she having come up a little earlier. "You don't want to wait too long."

Rebecca put her airplane of a note into the little box she kept in her trunk of the notes he had written her. "I'm heading into Hogsmeade early, is there a certain time you two want to meet up and look together or something?"

Ginny answered immediately, saying she and a few other third years were going to look around one. Rebecca looked to Hermione who shrugged, "I was just going to look after Harry decided he was done. I don't want to drag him along." Hermione and Rebecca both laughed as they imagined Harry dress-shopping with them.

Rebecca sat on her bed, "I'll feel better once this challenge is over. I can't be worrying about what I'm going to wear on a night more than a month in the future when Harry's competing in a few days."

Hermione nodded understandingly. "There's another Hogsmeade weekend at the beginning of December, so it's not entirely urgent just yet. How's the summoning charm been coming along?"

Hermione had made a list of the most useful charms and spells he should know, a wide range from defence to offence, protection to indetection, and many other helpful groupings that he and Rebecca had been spending time on. "It's getting there. I think he just needs to work on his visualisation, that's where he snags every time."

Hermione offered a few tips before opening a book and starting to work on her homework. Rebecca grabbed her pajamas and went to the bathroom door, turning and looking at Hermione before entering.

"Does Ron ever ask about Harry?" Ginny looked at Rebecca from her bed, noting how she bit her lip before continuing. "Or me?"

Hermione put her quill down, "He's angry. He will come around, it's just taking him longer than I expected."

Rebecca nodded, stepping into the bathroom and closing the door behind her. Her heart panged as she felt the sadness over Ron's distance rise inside her. She turned the water on with a sigh, hoping a good night's sleep would solve all of her problems.

*******************************************

The ability to dream proved to be a double-edged sword that night; her mind filled with horrible images of Ron. There were a few different scenarios she found herself in, the connecting factor between them all being that Ron watched on as she died in various horrible ways.

The worst however, Ron watching as she thrashed about in a body of water as she was dragged to the bottom, proved horrible enough for her to wake herself up as she gasped for air. One of her blankets had wrapped around her middle and up around her neck, the explanation for the choking feeling. She checked the time and found that it was a little past six, too late to go back to sleep and just a little too early to leave the castle.

She opted for a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved shirt under a jumper, grabbing the scarf Fred had lent her that she still had. While snow had not yet fallen, the temperatures outside were cold enough that it was expected any day. She closed the bathroom door slowly behind her, turning the light on only once it wouldn't shine into the still-dark room.

Once ready for the day, she tiptoed out of the room, Ginny only stirring when Rebecca walked into the leg of her and whacking her shin against the wooden frame. Keeping her expletives to herself, Rebecca managed to get out of the room without waking either of the other girls. She rubbed her shin in the hall, feeling what she knew would grow to be a bruise forming. 

Walking down the rest of the hall with, muttering about, "Stupid bloody bed knobs," and "But no! They don't want a damn night light!" she was not surprised to find the common room empty. "Of course it's empty, normally people are asleep at this time!" She thought, pulling a chair right up to the fire and sitting in it cozily, watching the soothing leaping of the flames. 

Rebecca grabbed a copy of the Prophet from the table where new ones were put each morning and quickly lost the serenity the fire had given her.

"What the hell!" She said, happy to be the only one in the common room as she turned the paper towards the light and read on. The front page were the articles from the champions, Harry's going on about how he was on a path for eternal glory and how he and Rebecca had had a masterminded plan to enter as soon as the contest had been announced.

Harry was already dressed and going down the stairs, accustomed to waking up earlier than he normally did in order to avoid Seamus' ragging and Ron's outright cruelty. He had just turned the corner to the stairs to go down to the common room when he watched Rebecca crumple up the paper and slide her glasses down her nose, holding the bridge of her nose as she stood up and paced in front of the fire.

Harry stopped where he was and watched her, not sure if she would want to be comforted or to be alone. She stopped after a few back-and-forths, sitting on the edge of her chair and putting the palms of her hands against her eyes. She took one deep breath as Harry felt guilt rack over him. "Every hardship she faces this year comes right back to me, me and this damned tournament."

She put her glasses back on her face and left the common room, not noticing Harry crouched on the stairs. He walked down the rest of them and looked at the article that affected her like that, seeing just how right her reaction was as he read the lies Rita Skeeter had written.

*******************************************

Rebecca left the tower in search of breakfast, wanting to drown her sorrows in the sweet, delectable crumbs of muffins. The Great Hall, as it was usually on Saturday just after seven, was completely empty except for the plates of food on the tables.

She took her usual spot, putting both a chocolate chip and a lemon muffin onto her plate as she poured tea from the closest pot to her. "Good morning, good morning, good morning!" She said, nodding to random spots around her, pretending people were sitting there.

"Oh! I'm great actually, thanks for asking!" Had she known that Fleur and Gabrielle, her younger sister, had come in through the back entrance, of course she wouldn't have continued. But, she hadn't, so her game continued.

"Hogsmeade? I'm waiting for someone. No thank you, not a fan of those." She turned and looked towards the staff tables, freezing as she saw the two blonde girls giggling to each other.

"Bloody hell." She whispered to herself, standing quickly. "I had no idea anyone else was here yet." She tried to explain, grabbing her muffins and backing towards the exit. "I don't do that, talk to myself. Not usually."

Gabrielle laughed and asked Fleur something in French. "She, um, she asks you would eat with us." Fleur said, her French accent echoing across the empty hall. 

Rebecca looked between Fleur and Gabrielle, wondering if they had an ulterior motive and deciding that if they saw that she wasn't a total loon, perhaps it wouldn't become the next piece of gossip for the school to whisper as she walked in the halls.

"'Ow is 'Arry preparing?" Fleur asked as she bit into a piece of raisin toast, looking up and down the table.

"We've been working on a few different things," Rebecca answered vauguly. As nice as friendly conversation was, she didn't want to give too much information and end up giving her an edge over Harry.

Fleur nodded, "Zat is very smart, Gabrielle does the same with me." (It's really hard to try to write words in a French accent. If Fleur says it, imagine it's French-y if it's not coming across that way.)

Gabrielle looked up at her name, "Qu'est que tu dis de moi?"

Fleur shook her head, "No, the rule was you work on your English to come to 'Ogwarts."

Gabrielle frowned. "What you saying with me?" She said, slowly, the words feeling foreign in the young girls mouth.

Rebecca smiled, "She was saying how you help her like I help my brother." Fleur and Rebecca talked about menial things: The weather, their school work, Hogsmeade. Both girls appreciating a conversation about topics other than the Triwizard Tournament.

When other students began to make their way into the Great Hall, Rebecca began to stand, just as Fleur finished talking about their home in France. When Rebecca cleared her spot and went to leave, Fleur put her face close to hers and kissed as she put their cheeks together twice. 

"If there is one thing 'Arry and I 'ave above the others, it is a great sister on our side." Rebecca found that the compliment meant a lot to her, having really enjoyed their conversation and finding the Beauxbatons girl to be far from Ginny's original impression. Harry walked into the hall and saw Rebecca walking away from their table.

"What were you doing over there?" He asked, shoveling a forkful of breakfast into his mouth quickly.

"I woke up early this morning and made a total fool out of myself, though I got a good conversation out of it. Guess it ended pretty well."

Harry looked at Fleur over her shoulder, wanting to be suspicious but distracted by her looks. "I did not know it was possible to drool and eat at the same time." Rebecca said, shaking her head at him. He grinned at her, eating what was left on his plate and pushing it away from him. 

"I'm a man of many talents." He wiped his mouth on his sleeve and turned to leave, "Hermione wants to leave early, like now. You lot leaving soon? I can tell Hermione to wait a bit."

"Don't be silly, they'll be ready soon." Rebecca considered correcting him about who she was going with, but decided against it. Technically, she had been going with Fred, George, and Lee. "You go on, I think I'll make my way back up to the common room and see what's taking him so long."

"Him?" Harry asked as she grabbed a few portable breakfast items.

"Them, I mean." Harry hugged her from the side and hurried down the corridor, the students giving him plenty of clearance. Ron and Seamus made their way into the Great Hall, walking past Rebecca who was waving through the crowd to get back to the common room.

"Just can't get enough attention, can he?" Ron called after her, waving the Prophet. She stopped and looked at him. "It's pathetic." He spat, Seamus clapping him on the back as he laughed in agreement.

Rebecca closed the distance between she and the two boys, her wand in hand as Ron backed up into the wall. "You know what's really pathetic?" She looked at Seamus and grabbed the front of his shirt to prevent him from leaving like he tried to do. "What's really pathetic is being so thick you can't get it through your head that he didn't enter, that what he really could have used through these weeks was his best mate. Not whatever arsehole this is that's taken his place." 

The other students in the hall walked past, watching as Rebecca continued her verbal-thrashing. "If you could see for one second, one fucking second how bloody miserable he is..." Her voice trailed off, letting go of them both and looking only at Ron as she said her last statement. "Harry never would have treated you like you've treated him. Never."

Ron watched her climb the stairs and saw how the students on the stairs already gravitated to the opposite side and those whose paths had taken them on the stairs turned back around. "C'mon mate, she's just a cu-"

"Don't." Ron warned, not letting him finish the disgusting insult. "Let's eat." Ron said, leading them into the Great Hall as his mind raced.

*******************************************

Fred hopped in front of Rebecca, her eye's shooting from the ground to him. "Ready?"

She nodded and held out the pastries she carried for him, "Yup." He sensed something was off.

"RJ?"

She shook her head, "Just a hitch. So, where do you want to go first?"

Fred scoffed, "As if you have to ask. First, we'll stop at Zonko's and see if there's any new shipments. Then, I was thinking maybe Honeyduke's? From there we can continue on in a few different ways. I wouldn't mind stopping at Gladrags--I haven't got a tie."

Rebecca looked up at him, "Well, if you have to stop as well, I haven't got a dress yet."

He clapped his hands to his cheeks, "Hermione's let you get away with that?"

They laughed, both thinking of how Hermione kept them in order so strictly. "Oh, we'll be one of the first carriages out. That's a new one." Fred said as he saw how many were in line. 

"Rebecca! Rebecca!" Fleur called, Gabrielle in tow. Both Fred and Rebecca turned at her name, Fred confused as to why the Beauxbatons champion was running to them. Gabrielle smiled, Fleur nodding for her to try. 

"Can we go carriaging with you, no?"

Fred smiled at her accented English and opened the door to the carriage behind him, putting his hand out for them to grab it as they pulled themselves in. Gabrielle asked something to Fleur in French before Fleur shook her head, "En anglais ou pas du tout!"

Gabrielle rolled her eyes, "Oui, oui." 

Rebecca grinned, "Here, let me help you." Rebecca slouched back in her chair and crossed her arms, rolling her eyes exaggeratedly.

"Vatever."

Gabrielle sat back like she was and repeated her, Fleur laughing. "Mama will be so proud!" 

Fred put his arm around Rebecca and it occurred to Rebecca that Fred had never met Fleur or Gabrielle. "I'm sorry, Fred! Fred, this is Fleur and Gabrielle. Fleur and Gabrielle, Fred." Fred stuck his hand out and shook both of theirs as they acquainted themselves.

"Son petit-ami, ouais?" Gabrielle asked Fleur, pointing between Fred and Rebecca. Fleur bumped her with her elbow, pretending she said nothing. "This is a nice talk." Fleur noted, "Most of you 'Ogwart boys seem to lose your tongues!" Fleur giggled.

Fred smiled cheekily at Rebecca as Fleur continued on, "And what of you two? Where do we 'ave to go first in 'Ogsmeade?"

Fred winked at Gabrielle, "If you like jokes and pranks, Zonko's for sure. Honeyduke's has the best sweets. When you're ready for lunch and a hot drink, Three Broomsticks is a good place to stop..." Fred gave them directions to his favorite places, Rebecca nodding along and watching how excited he got as they promised to stop in Zonko's.

The carriage jolted to a stop, Gabrielle jumping up and hopping out of the carriage. "Fast, fast!" She called, clapping her hands so Fleur would exit the carriage quicker. "Faster," Fleur corrected, waving goodbye to Fred and Rebecca. "We will see you later, whether that be later today or Tuesday." 

Fred turned to Rebecca as they became the only students on the platform. "Onwards!" He shouted, marching off towards Zonko's with his hand sneaking down to grab hers.

*******************************************

"Oh, it's a madhouse here!" Fred said as they fought their way out of Honeyduke's, a small bag of sweets in hand. "And I thought Zonko's was busy."

Rebecca stuck her elbow out, linking it with his as they made their way further into Hogsmeade. Fred stopped in front of the clothes shop. Rebecca rubbed her hands together. "Alright, in and out. No stopping to look, you grab the first tie and I'll grab the first dress."

Fred nodded, "Works for me!" She threw the door open and made her way to the dress rack while Fred went to the table with every colour of tie imaginable on it. "Now which bloody one did I see first?" He murmured, closing his eyes and putting his hand out over the table.

"That's one way to shop, I guess." A little old voice spoke from beside him.

"Ah!" He jumped and yelped, not knowing anyone had walked next to him. The old woman looked him up and down, narrowing her eyes. "Get down here, string bean. Can't even see your eyes all the way up there."

Fred did as he was told. "Hmph, brown. No help. What about your date, what colour is her dress?"

Across the shop, Rebecca had gone around the rack twice. There were so many options, lengths, colours... her eyes went to a red one between two poofy dresses. Untangling the hanger from the others, she pulled it off and found that it was different than it appeared. She turned and saw that there was a mirror hanging on the wall to the left. She held it up to her, the end of the dress falling above her knees and the thin straps held up by the hanger.

She tilted her head and looked at the dress in the mirror, "Well?" She thought. The mid was definitely tighter than she was used to and if her previous winters in the castle had proven anything, it was that she would need something to keep herself. "It does look...nice. I guess. It's not exactly something I'd pick out myself, but then again I'd never choose a dress."

Fred looked around, wondering where Rebecca was and why she wasn't saving him from this old lady. He saw her, meeting her eyes in the mirror she was looking in. The woman turned and followed Fred's stunned gaze. "I see, so you need something to match red."

Fred tore his eyes away from her and looked at her, "She's not my date."

The lady scoffed and plucked a tie off the table that was the same shade of red as the dress Rebecca had in hand as she walked to the checkout table while the lady put the tie into a bag. "Sure."

"I'm serious!' Fred hissed, hoping the lady would stop before Rebecca got close enough to hear her. He had planned on asking her over butterbeer, not next to an underwear display!

"15 sickles." The lady said, greeting Rebecca as Fred fished out change. "How're you dear?"

Fred's mouth dropped at her kind tone, miles away from the tone she'd used with him. "You gonna catch a fly or something?" The lady asked, shooing Fred away from the table. "Go on, string bean."

Rebecca put the dress up on the counter and grabbed her pouch of currency, "Just a moment...string bean." Fred put the sickles on the counter and walked to the door, pouting adorably.

The lady punched in the dress' price, asking Rebecca if she wanted it bagged to carry or delivered later. "Owl is fine, I think we've still got a few more stops." Rebecca counted out the coins as the lady started to talk.

And talk.

And talk. 

Fred watched from the door as Rebecca tried to find a way out of the woman's stories from her days at Hogwarts. He walked back to her and the lady's face fell. "Oh, go on. Get outta here, before this one starts causing trouble." She gestured at Fred.

Rebecca laughed, thanking her for the dress as she was pulled out of the shop by Fred. "That woman..." He said before putting his hands to the sky and crying dramatically, "PURE EVIL!" He whirled at her and pointed at her, "That's it--We just found the first challenge!"

She bumped him, "You're horrible! She was just lonely."

"I wonder why." Fred turned her away from the Three Broomsticks, which had a line trailing outside the front stretching half way down the block.

"You're just a bitter string bean, aren't you? Where are we going exactly?"

"String beans aren't very conversational, so I guess I'll keep it to myself." He turned them down another road and ignored each and every variation of the same question Rebecca asked him. When he came to a stop, they were outside a dingy pub with a faded picture of a pigs on the sign.

"The Hog's Head." Fred said, waving his arm excitedly. Rebecca looked at the door and back at Fred, pursing her lips.

"Fred?"

Fred opened the door and waved to the bearded man behind the counter. "Usual?"

Fred nodded, "Two please," and took a seat by the back window, away from the sight of anyone on the street. "Usual? You come here often?"

Fred pointed to a table across the way, "George and I've taken to stopping in here after scavenging the potions shops."

The man dropped two butterbeers down on the table and lessened his frown, though not by a lot. Fred slid a cup in front of her and grabbed his own. "No line and half the price."

Rebecca looked around, "And a bit more privacy, but that wasn't your goal. Was it?"

Fred shrugged and smiled, "Of course not! Why would we need privacy?"

Rebecca scooted around the booth and leaned against him. "I was thinking about-"

"No!" Fred interrupted her. He cleared his throat as she took a drink of her drink, giggling at his reaction. "I was thinking. The ball is just over a month away and I know we've been-we've been testing this out for a while. I feel like things have gone pretty well and you know...I wouldn't exactly mind having a little more liberty with-"

"Yes, Fred."

He looked at her sharply, "Yes? I haven't asked anything yet."

"I think if I waited for you to get to the question the ball would have passed."

Fred occupied himself with a big drink from his glass before nodding once, "Brilliant."

She put her head on his shoulder, "Though, I have a little idea."

"Oh no." He said softly. She reached up and put her hand along the line of his jaw, tilting his head towards her. She leaned forward and kissed him. 

*******************************************

They stumbled out of the Hog's Head, not from having had too much to drink but because the wind grabbed them as soon as they'd left the shelter of the building. Fred put a hand on each of her shoulders, leading her along to the alley they could cut through to make their way back to the carriages.

"That picked up quickly!" Fred said, wiping his eyes. The wind was bitter cold and left them both red-faced and sniffly. The carriage driver seemed to agree with his observation as they climbed in, the driver having piled blankets around his legs in multiple layers.

"Are my hands cold?" Rebecca asked as they sat on the bench, reaching up and touching his neck.

"As ice! Give me those!" He shouted, grabbing her hands and pulling them away from his neck, holding them between his hands. They chatted until the castle came into view. "Are you sure you want to wait until the ball?" Fred asked gently, releasing her hands.

"If you're positive you don't mind." Rebecca said as she turned in her seat and faced him. "Harry needs to focus on the task this week and I find you..." She reached a hand up and slid it through his long hair, "Distracting... to say the least. The ball gives me enough time to get my affairs in order."

"Affairs in order?! I just want to kiss you damn it. Not arrange funerals." Fred joked.

She pulled him into a kiss, knowing it would be a while before they were allotted as much privacy as they had in the carriage. "Now you've kissed me."

"I could kiss you a million times and still not be through."

Rebecca blushed at his sentiment. "I guess I owe you a million and one then."

*******************************************

Author's Note:

This really was supposed to revolve around the challenge, but it's already 5k+ words long. I guess you'll just have to wait.

Enjoy!

<3


	60. Chapter 60

Fred and Rebecca separated themselves outside of the carriage, Fred going to put his tie with his dress robes up in his dorm and Rebecca off to find Harry, hoping to hear how his day had gone with Hermione.

"Rebecca?" Harry called from the corridor to the right as she had turned to climb up Gryffindor Tower.

"Harry!" She smiled and hugged him, noting how true his smile seemed.

"I know its chilly out, but I was wondering if you wanted to take a walk up to the bridge to the Owlery." Harry asked, already turning and walking in that direction, not waiting for a response. Rebecca fell into line beside him. At the middle of the bridge, he turned and made sure no other students were near. "I've got news."

"I figured," Rebecca answered sarcastically. "Why else would you have just raced all this way?"

Harry ignored her, "Hagrid's asked me to go to his hut tonight at midnight."

Rebecca's eyes widened, "You think he knows something about the event?" Harry nodded, saying nothing else.

"What time are we leaving?"

"We?" He asked, scratching his neck.

"We. I'll go and find out what you'll be up against. We'll get back in time to talk with Sirius. Then you'll go straight to bed and I'll start researching for whatever we learn." There was no room for argument in her outline of the night's events.

"I can't just go to sleep while you work on into the night!" Harry said exasperatedly, turning and putting both of his hands on the stone wall and looking out over the wilderness.

"You can and you will." Her tone was icier than the breeze blowing on them. "You're not going to be exhausted for Tuesday."

Footsteps approaching them from the Owlery caused their argument to be cut short, a raven-haired, blue and silver scarf wearing girl turning onto the bridge. Cho Chang blushed at both Harry and Rebecca watching her as she walked behind them. Cho apologised for interrupting.

"You didn't interrupt anything." Harry said quickly, smiling at her.

Rebecca looked at Harry and then at Cho before looking back at Harry. "That's good, then." Cho said before smiling sheepishly. "Good luck on Tuesday, Harry."

Harry's cheeks burnt as he stammered out a thank you as she continued on her way. Rebecca said nothing, though she secretly thought it was adorable how mooshy he was when he turned back to her.

"Can we go back now?" Rebecca asked, pulling her sleeves down around her ands and turning away from the wind.

Harry and her made their way back to the common room slower than he'd rushed them to the Owlery, listening to Rebecca's recount of the morning with Fleur, to the hecticness of Hogsmeade, to finding a dress.

"Only you and Fred?" Harry asked after the Fat Lady let them through.

"Yeah, Lee ended up sleeping in and George waited for him." Rebecca looked around the room and saw Ginny point up to their room, knowing she would have wanted to talk with Hermione. "I'm going to pop upstairs, you'll be alright?"

"Yes Rebecca! Believe it or not, I don't really need constant supervision!"

Rebecca bumped him with her shoulder, laughin, "It's not supervision, it's companionship. Git." She went up the stairs, Harry noticing how she and Fred looked at each other as she passed him.

*******************************************

Hermione was like a whirlwind around the room, looking for a book on the history of the tournament. "Have you seen it? I know I had it up here!" She asked from under her bed, curious as to how so many of Ginny's socks had gotten under it.

Rebecca bent down to the floor and looked at Hermione from the other side of her bed. "Are you not the one who's been helping Harry and I with the summoning charm?"

Hermione facepalmed and backed her way out from under the bed. "Accio 'The Triwizard Tournament's Complete History!" Hermione's pillow jumped, the book whipping out from under it and landing in her hands. "That's much better." Hermione placed it on her shelf and sat down, gesturing to the sealed bag on Rebecca's bed.

"I see shopping went well! Did you and Fred have a good time?"

Rebecca grabbed the bag and hung it in the closet. "A brilliant time. We did some looking around first. Went into the Gladrags and grabbed the first tie and dress we saw-" Hermione looked at her horrified. "Only joking, it actually looks really smart. Then we popped to the Hog's Head for a-"

"The Hog's Head?" Hermione asked, horror even more evident on her face and in her tone. "You're joking, right?"

Rebecca shook her head, "Nope, Fred led the way. He and George have been there before. No line, half the price. Slightly dodgy exterior, but it was nice."

Hermione and Rebecca had sort of come to an unsaid agreement: Rebecca didn't push on the scarf and Hermione stopped pushing the Fred card.

"Mhmm." Hermione asked if Harry had told her about Hagrid's message.

"Yes, yes he did. It'll be a late night, but I think I'll feel better once we know what the bloody challenge is."

Hermione nodded in agreement. "And then Sirius' talk at one."

"And then that at one. As I said, a late night." Rebecca giggled as she stood. "You don't happen to know any French, do you?"

"No, why?" Hermione pulled her shoes on and followed her out the door, supper starting momentarily. Rebecca filled her in on the meeting of Fleur and Gabrielle and how Gabrielle was working on her English on the trip.

"Thought it would be nice."

"It is, you should ask Sirius! Especially if there's a chance Professor Lupin is with him."

"They speak French?" Rebecca looked at her confused.

"Rebecca. One of his letters literally had a sticker of the French flag."

Rebecca looked away sheepishly. "Of course! I definitely knew which flag that was."

*******************************************

"Rebecca." Harry's voice hissed. "I swear to bloody god if you touch me one more time..."

"Harry, it's cold. Therefore, I am cold. You are warm, I am warming my coldness on your warmness!"

"You're too bloody cold! Why didn't you dress warmer?"

Rebecca looked at her outfit under the invisibility cloak--Winter pajamas, long socks with her trainers, warm jumper, hat, scarf...but no gloves. "I am dressed very warm, thank you very much. I will just let my fingers freeze and snap off, just lead the way."

Harry looked at her sharply as her hands brushed against his arms again, "We're almost there, look, it's the big lady."

'The big lady' being Madame Maxime who Hagrid was beginning to lead into the forest after looking behind him, making it clear he wanted them to follow. Rebecca's icy grasp hit Harry again, though this time he didn't pull away: A roar shook the ground, coming from ahead of them. Madame Maxime clapped her hands to her mouth from up ahead, Harry and Rebecca hearing her ask Hagrid.

"Dragons? Ze first task is dragons?" Hagrid nodded, turning to his side and answering both for her and for the hidden twins.

"Dangerous creatures, though I'm sure they'll be alright. Smart kids-" Hagrid reached up and wiped away at his eyes, his voice trailing away as he thought of Harry having to go against one of them.

"'Agrid, come 'ere." Madame Maxime pulled him into an embrace, patting his back comforting. A new set of footsteps came up behind Harry and Rebecca, them moving to the side of the path just in time for Karkaroff to pass them without bumping into their invisible figures.

Rebecca took the front this time, putting Harry's hand up on her shoulder and putting her own hands up under her arms. When they were far enough from the adults in the forest Harry said only one thing, "I'm buggered."

*******************************************

The common room was empty, though Harry and Rebecca entered still under the invisibility cloak in case there had been any straggling students by the fire. Harry was filled with a sense of dread over the discovery of the dragons, unsure how he could possibly weaken one of the strongest magical creatures.

Conversely, Rebecca was relieved. Now they had direction, a goal, an answer they were looking for. With only seconds to go until one, both Harry and Rebecca stood next to the fire.

"Psst!" The outline of Sirius' face was sticking out of the coals. "This is the best I can do, the Ministry's tightening everything down."

They knelt down and looked at him. "Sirius, we've just found out the first challenge. It's dragons."

Sirius pursed his lips. "That's certainly a challenge. Are you working on a strategy."

Rebecca answered, "As soon as we're done talking, I'm hopping to work."

Harry shot her a look, though Sirius nipped it in the bud. "She's right, Harry. You need to be rested. I read the Prophet."

"That's all a load of shite." Harry spat, furious that Rita's lies were being read by the majority of the wizarding world. "I never said any of that."

"I know, I know." Sirius winked at Rebecca. "I know we haven't been able to write, but I imagine things are well?"

Rebecca sent the man in the fire a warning look as Harry looked between them. "Everything's great!" Rebecca had an idea. "So, Sirius. How are you and Professor Lupin doing?"

"Moony?" Sirius cleared his throat. "He had to return to Yorkshire last week, something about a trail picking up on Bertha Jorkins."

"Bertha Jorkins? Didn't they find her body?" Harry asked.

Sirius sighed, "Yes, in Albania. Also one of the last places Voldemort has been rumoured to be. Moony's been tracing her steps to find where she was grabbed. I went to school with her you know, not the sharpest wand in the drawer." Sirius looked between the two of them before continuing. "She did, however, work with the Ministry. She would have known about the tournament and the World Cup."

"You think she gave him the information?" Rebecca clarified.

"I think there's a considerable amount of knowledge we still don't know and that you two need to be careful, I mean it! Karkaroff, Rebecca you mentioned he was here with Durmstrang." Rebecca nodded while Harry realised she must have been writing Sirius a lot more than he had thought.

"Karkaroff was on trial after the first war, when the Deatheaters were being tried for their crimes. The only reason he isn't rotting in Azkaban was because he gave names of those high in Voldemort's ranks. Many names. Trust very few and remain vigilant."

Harry stood up and turned towards the boys' dormitory at the sound of a door opening. "Oh Sirius!" Rebecca whispered, leaning even closer to the fireplace's bottom. "You don't know any French, do you?"

Sirius grinned, knowing he was about to get her back for the remark about Moony. "Only a few phrases, here, listen..."

Rebecca repeated what he said to her and he nodded, "That's perfect. I've got to go now, I know you both will be just fine. And I know absolutely everything!" He said as he pulled himself away from the fire as he saw movement over their shoulders.

"Who's down here?" Ron demanded from the top of the stairs.

Rebecca looked at him, wondering if he'd come to his senses from earlier. Harry looked at Ron blankly, not reflecting the animosity Ron showed. "Us two."

Ron scoffed, "I heard someone's voice."

"Well, Ron." Rebecca said. "We both have voices."

Ron glared at her, "You know, never thought I'd say Malfoy was right, but he was. You're both just liars."

Harry clenched his fists, stepping towards who he thought had been his best mate threateningly. "Harry," Rebecca said, stepping in front of him and putting her hand on his chest as she held him back. "If I didn't get to hit Malfoy, you don't get to hit him."

Harry shook her off of him, taking a deep breath as Ron went back to their room. "I can't deal with him right now."

"So don't. You're going to bed, go to bed." Harry stood still as she hugged him, only putting his arms back around her when she grabbed his arms and did it for him. "Wait here a moment." She turned and ran up the stairs to her dorm, creeping in and seeing Hermione sitting on her bed awake.

"I need a tea, would you toss me one?" Rebecca asked quickly. Hermione looked at her confused but grabbed one from the box she kept on her desk, "You're almost out."

As soon as the tea bag was in her hand, Rebecca turned and raced back down the hallway. "Here," She called to Harry from the stairs. "Drink it when you get out of the shower, not before. It is not fun to start falling asleep with soap in your hair."

Harry looked at her a moment, "Are you telling me that from experience?"

"Of course not! Now go!" Rebecca pushed him to the bottom of the boys' stairs. "I will see you at breakfast, okay?"

Harry nodded, "Wait!" Rebecca called as he reached the top of the stairs. "Drop the cloak back down!"

Harry shook his head as he threw it to her. "I should be helping."

"That's so strange, I don't hear anyone speaking. Harry must have gone to bed like I said." Rebecca said loud enough for him to hear as she walked to the girls' stairs, steeling herself for the research-dive she was about to take.

Harry rolled his eyes and went down the hall to his room, glad that Ron didn't say a word as he grabbed his pajamas.

Hermione was waiting in the hall, a bag over her shoulder and looking down the hall expectantly when Rebecca turned into the hall of rooms.

"Ready?" Hermione asked, steering Rebecca right back out to the common room.

"For?"

"You didn't really think you were the only one who was going to research, right? Now hurry up and tell me what you found out at Hagrid's."

Rebecca unfolded the invisibility cloak and handed some of it back so that Hermione concealed herself as well. "Dragons."

*******************************************

Hermione had fallen asleep just after four, her head laying on the table Rebecca continued to work on until her watch showed half past six. "Hermione?" Rebecca rolled the parchment up and yawned. "Hermione, it's time to go."

Rebecca's eyes ached. She and Hermione had gone through the Encyclopedia of Fanged Fliers, Dragons and the Dooms, and several other large editions of information on dragons' and their weaknesses to compile anything Harry could find useful. Hermione diverged slightly before she'd fallen asleep, going into dragon-related hexes that Harry could use.

The sun's rays were just starting to peek into the library as they put their books where they'd gone and made their way out and begun the climb to their room. Hermione apologised as they climbed the girls' stair again, "I'm so sorry I fell asleep."

Rebecca turned and responded harsher than she'd intended, "Hermione, I already told you it was fine!"

Hermione looked away as Rebecca folded up the cloak outside their door, "I know, I just feel badly."

Rebecca softened her tone, "Don't feel badly, we got so much done." She checked her watch. "Damn, it's already seven. No time to rest at all." Hermione was glad that Ginny was still sleeping when they entered.

"You want to take a shower or something? Wake up a little?" Hermione asked as she stretched. Rebecca nodded, grabbing her robes and yawning again.

"That's a good idea. Sorry about snapping."

Hermione pushed her towards the bathroom door, "Don't be daft."

Rebecca closed the door behind her, turning the water on and putting her pajamas in a pile. The water didn't wake her up, in fact, the warm rivulets running down her shoulders only made her that much more tired.

She sighed and reached forward, turning the hot water off and letting cold water shock her awake. "He better know I love him." She thought as she rinsed her face and turned the frigid water off. She put her hair up into her towel after drying herself off, shaking her head at the dark bags under her eyes and leaving her tie undone.

"Rebecca, you've got to stop this." Hermione was up and in front of her before she was even fully out of the bathroom.

"What?" Rebecca asked, knowing she was talking about her tie. It'd become a game to see how long she could be disheveled before Hermione noticed.

"You know exactly what." Hermione said, her tie up to the top of her buttons a moment later.

"Can't breath...losing function." She gasped, falling to her knees as she clutched at her throat.

Hermione ignored her while Ginny laughed loudly. "Rebecca?" Hermione warned as she turned back to her.

Rebecca stood up and loosened her tie slightly, dropping the dramatics, "I'm done."

*******************************************

Harry was waiting for Rebecca bright-eyed and well-rested. His mouth dropped as he saw the state of her as she went down the stairs. "Bloody hell, did you sleep at all?"

She reached up and put her hair behind her ear, "Thanks Harry. You know, I think after we get you through this trial we're going to work on 'things that are nice to say first thing in the morning!'"

"Sorry, good morning. Now did you get any sleep?"

"I got a little, not important. Can you skive this afternoon?"

"No, and you can't either. You skived off Friday. How're you supposed to be ready for your exams if you don't go to class?"

Rebecca looked around, "I'm sorry, I didn't realise I was talking to Hermione!"

Harry put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into his side. "You're not, just someone else who cares about you." Harry kept his arm around her shoulders as they made their way to the Great Hall. "How about this, I'll look over your notes in the library while you go to Charms?"

Rebecca scowled, "Fine."

Harry laughed as they sat down across from Fred and George. "Brilliant!"

"What's brilliant? Her zombie make-up?" George asked.

"That's it. Every single one of you boys is due for a lesson on how to be nice."

George shrugged, "That was plenty nice. I could have said other things...Like why you're not eating my brains? Which crypt did you come out of?" Fred whacked him under the table. "No hold on, one more-"

"No, that's good." Fred interrupted his twin. Rebecca shook her head as they began to bicker and poured herself a cup of tea. "Harry, can I see your cup?" He slid it to her and she filled it as well. Harry tried to grab it and she slapped the top of his hand. "It's for me."

*******************************************

Harry sat down in the library and read the beginning of the first page in the stack of parchment Rebecca gave him before going off to their last class, their last class where she knew she'd end up sitting alone without Harry there. Hermione nodded at Ron as she took her spot next to him, gesturing to Rebecca.

Ron looked away and ignored Hermione, refusing to even entertain the idea of reconciling with her. Professor Flitwick tapped his wand to the podium at the middle of his stage. "Alright, let's turn our attention to chapter three: The Scourging Charm. This is one of the most important charms in any witch or wizards tool box..." Rebecca put her elbow on the desk in front of her and leaned her head against her hand, her exhaustion catching up with her as she rounded on nearly 36 hours awake.

Her eyes dropped lower and lower behind her glasses, her head nodding forward as she dozed off. Professor Flitwick continued his teaching, not noticing how she slept until Seamus walked by on his way to the toilet and knocked her hand, sending her head straight at the desk.

The thunk was loud enough to not only wake her, but also to attract the attention of every person in the class. This, of course, was not aided in the fact that Rebecca shot up, her broken glasses hanging down her face and her wand in hand as she whirled around to see who'd done it.

"Mr Finnegan!" Flitwick scolded, "Detention. One week!" Seamus scoffed and continued out the classroom, muttering under his breath as he went and slamming the door behind him.

"Ms Potter," Flitwick assigned the class to start practising the charm as he made his way down his steps and to her desk. "May I see your spectacles?" He held them and charmed them to their repaired state. "And your head? That was quite a hit."

Rebecca sat back down, "I'm fine, thank you." Flitwick put his hand on her wrist before leaving, trying to give her strength. The staff were well aware of the hardships the Potter children were facing among their peers.

Ron watched Rebecca as she pulled out a piece of parchment and began to take notes on the charm, shocked out of the rest she so desperately needed. Looking from side to side, she reached up and wiped the one tear that threatened to spill over with her sleeve.

Ron's heart panged miserably.

*******************************************

"Cedric must have thought he'd do some last minute preparation, too." Harry thought as he looked up from his notes and watched the Hufflepuff champion enter the library quickly, his face pale and not exuding the confidence it always did when he was with his friends.

"Madame Maxime was there, so Fleur knows. Karkaroff was there, so Viktor knows. Cedric though, he hasn't been warned." Harry knew what he had to do, even though he knew how he'd treated Rebecca only a few days earlier.

Harry checked the time and decided it was close enough to Charms finishing that he could go and meet Rebecca to walk down to the picnic table together. They were going to sit by the water and go over everything she and Hermione had accumulated once classes had finished. He stood up and collected his belongings before walking over to where Cedric flipped through a book on defencive spells as he wracked his hands through his hair.

"Cedric?"

"I've destroyed the buttons already. I know I didn't get them all, but I'm a little busy right now." Cedric said harshly. Harry took a seat across the table from him.

"See, here's the thing: I don't care about the bloody buttons. I care about how you spoke to Rebecca, but not the buttons." Harry shook his head. "That's not why I'm here. Dragons. That's the challenge tomorrow: Dragons."

Cedric looked at him a long moment before asking, "Why would you tell me?"

Harry shrugged, "Honestly? I don't know." Harry stood up and leaned across the table, leaning on his hands as he lowered his voice. "What I do know is that I don't ever want to hear about you patronising to her again."

Cedric nodded, "I know. I knew I was being an arsehole but you don't understand. Everyone is expecting so much from me tomorrow."

Harry laughed loudly, eliciting a shhhh from Madame Pince. "No, I don't understand. Unlike you I'm not 'Hogwarts' Champion.'"

Cedric winced as Harry stood and left, though the minute Harry left Cedric ran to the D-section for dragon weaknesses.

*******************************************

Harry jogged down the hall, putting Cedric in his place took a little longer than he expected it too. "I'm sorry, got held up."

"Mr Potter!" Moody barked from down the hall. Harry turned and looked at him while Rebecca walked to Harry's side, the top of her right cheekbone red. "Walk with me a moment, both of you." Moody took off in the direction with the least amount of students.

"First event's tomorrow. Prepared?"

"Preparing sir." Harry answered respectfully.

"I won't keep you then, I only wanted to tell you one piece of advice. Play to your strengths." Moody nodded, "And get some ice on that." He pointed to Rebecca's cheek before leaving them in the corridor.

"What happened!" Harry demanded as Rebecca walked to the path that would take them to the lake.

"It was just Seamus being an arse-sucking, horrible person. No big deal."

"Very big deal!" Harry shouted, "Let's go find him and-"

"And what?" Rebecca turned and shouted back. "What? Are we going to beat him? What about everyone else?"

Harry stared at her as she continued, "What, do we beat them all? Have them form a line?" She walked a few more steps down the path before she looked back at Harry and pointed at him. "We don't have time for this. We need to be studying. I'm sorry for shouting. I'm just-"

"Tired. I know. Let's go then." Harry said as he walked next to her again. "We could though, a nice orderly line." Just as Harry hoped, the remark made her laugh. Turning the final corner to the table, they found that it was occupied by a few Ravenclaws in the middle of a debate.

"Let's just go a little farther, get some quiet." Harry said as he followed the water's edge to a nice spot with two trees side by side. "Perfect."

He handed Rebecca the parchment and put his hands behind his head, "Quiz me, I'm 1000 percent ready."

"Okay...How hot does a dragon's fire burn?"

Harry looked at her, "It doesn't say that."

"Yes it does! I wrote the exact temperature right here!" She turned and pointed for a moment before turning it back to her so he couldn't see the answer.

"That's not a real question! If I get breathed on by a dragon I don't need to know what temperature it is! I'm dead!"

Rebecca shook her head, "1000 percent prepared, mhmm. Try another-"

"I don't know why you can't just talk to them yourself!" Hermione's voice rang out behind them. Ron whispered something to her, causing Hermione to sigh heavily and walk the rest of the distance between where Ron stopped in his tracks and where Rebecca and Harry sat.

"Ron would like to make sure your face isn't broken." Hermione said.

Rebecca clasped her hands to her cheeks, hiding the fact that it hurt and she immediately regretted it. "Really? I didn't know he cared! Harry, whatever will I do with this information?"

Hermione walked back to Ron who whispered something quickly. "Ron said...what again?" Hermione turned back to Ron having forgot his message. "Just tell them-"

"I'm not a bloody owl!" Hermione finally snapped at Ron, shaking her head as she stormed past Ron.

Ron looked from Harry to Rebecca, his eyes flitting to the red spot on her face before turning and following Hermione out of the woods. Harry sat back at his tree and looked at Rebecca. "Alright, how about a million degrees?"

Rebecca rolled her eyes, "Close, 45,000 degrees. How about technique, if you had to choose between running under, towards, or away from the dragon, which direction do you choose?"

"Away."

"Wrong, towards."

Harry looked at her like she was mental until she explained. "Dragons' eyes are on the sides of their heads. They're practically blind directly in front of them. Besides, if you were to run straight away it would just breathe fire."

Harry sighed as she asked another question, feeling less and less prepared for the next morning.

*******************************************

Dinner was a somber event that night. The Durmstrang boys conversed in rapid Bulgarian while the Beauxbaton girls conversed in rapid French. Cedric's friends whispered to him, the rest of the table quiet as he read from a book. Harry and Rebecca? They ate as he continued to be quizzed.

"What's the temp-"

"450 thousand." Harry answered.

Rebecca slapped his shoulder proudly. "That's them all right for the second round in a row. I don't think the notes are going to help any more. You've been practising the summoning charm, right?"

Harry nodded, "Yeah, but I don't know why. What am I going to do, summon my broom? I was thinking about what Moody said and that's it. Flying's my biggest strength."

Rebecca dropped her fork and looked at him, slapping the table. "That's it!" All conversation ceased in the Great Hall as each and every face turned towards her. She nodded slowly, raising a hand. "My bad."

A few of the students laughed, but they were quickly hushed by their tablemates. No one wanted it to seem like they were acting friendly with the Potters. "Harry, just summon your broom."

He grabbed a piece of treacle tart for her and for him, pulling her head to him to kiss her forehead. "There. We've got the knowledge," He patted the parchment. "We've got the technique."

"Now we need sleep." Rebecca finished for him.

Fred and George joined them, their hands covered in soot. "Sleep would help, zombie girl." George quipped as they sat down and started scooping food.

"What happened to your hands?" Rebecca asked. Fred looked at her and saw the blemish. "What happened to your cheek?"

Rebecca shook her head sharply, "I asked first!"

Fred sighed and looked at Harry before continuing with his voice low, "It's the snackboxes. The Puking Pastilles simply don't like being packaged with the Fever Fudge. Something in them's reacting horribly."

George nodded, rubbing at a sore spot on his hand and shivered. "It was like a minefield."

Fred gestured to her cheek, "Now you."

Rebecca rolled her eyes, "A mishap. I dozed off and someone knocked my hand."

Cough, "Seamus," cough. Harry offered. "Seamus did that? We'll bloody see if he'll do it again!" Fred said as he stood up and looked down the table.

Seamus gulped as he watched Fred and George find him down the table. "No, you will not." Rebecca said, sipping at her drink and enjoying how Seamus was paling. "Please." She asked, reaching across the table and putting her hand on Fred's hand.

Harry and George both looked at how she squeezed his hand before looking at each other. "Fred?"

He sat back down with a heavy sigh. "Thank you." She said, pushing her piece of tart onto his plate. "There, drown your sorrows in dessert."

"You just made it touch my potatoes." Fred said plainly, using his fork to separate his food again. Rebecca raised her eyebrows at Harry, "Mental." She mouthed. They ate and talked, Fred and George very interested in the preparation they'd managed to accomplish.

When the clock struck eight times, Dumbledore stood and addressed the students. "Now, as we are all well aware, the first event of the Triwizard Tournament is tomorrow morning. Students will be admitted into the stands starting at nine o'clock, champions are to report at eight. I, on behalf of all of the Hogwarts' staff members, wish each and every champion good luck for the morrow." He looked around the room and met eyes with Fleur, Cedric, Harry, and then Viktor.

The students began to file their way out of the Hall, making their way to their common rooms or respective lodging situations. Harry and Rebecca lingered at the back of the Gryffindor group, stopping outside of the window before the stairs. "Look, they've set up an arena in the quidditch pitch!" Rebecca said, pointing. "Oliver would be furious!"

Harry nodded and saw how Fred paced behind them, knowing he wanted to talk with Rebecca. "I'm going to head up, okay? Good night, sleep well. I will see you in the morning. You're walking down with me, right?"

She hugged him back, "Harry, I swear that I will walk with you to each of these blasted things."

Harry chuckled and turned towards the stairs, watching Fred walk down the corridor to where Rebecca turned back out the window.

"We seem to stand like this a lot." Fred noted after he though Harry had gone up completely. "I don't mind." He leaned down and put his head on Rebecca's shoulder, "Two beautiful sights."

"Oh you're horribly cheesy." She said, laughing and turning around so her back was against the wall. Fred reached a hand up and just hardly grazed against her cheek.

"Are you sure I can't do anything?" He asked, a slight whine creeping into his voice.

"Yes," Rebecca put her hand on the side of his face and pecked his cheek. "I'm certain." Harry's mouth opened in shock as he watched the exchange. He had assumed they were growing closer just by how they acted around each other, but he didn't know they'd moved onto pecking!

"It's so hard though." Fred sighed and put his forehead against hers. "I think I'm going to have to kill him."

Rebecca giggled, "No, no killing."

"Maim? Injure seriously? Injure minorly?" Fred offered, kissing her forehead, her nose, and finally her lips after each suggestion.

Harry blushed, knowing he was now severely invading her privacy. In all honesty, he'd only stayed because he thought he'd catch them holding hands.

Rebecca smiled up at Fred, looking into his eyes as she turned her head and took him into a kiss, a kiss deeper than the pecks he'd teased her with. Harry turned away and crept up the stairs, knowing she couldn't know he'd seen them, at least for the time being.

Fred turned to the stairs, thinking he heard a noise. "Everything good?" Rebecca asked as he pulled away from their kiss.

"Thought I heard something, probably Peeves." He turned and kissed her again. When he stood up and took a step back, he grabbed her hand and fell into step with her as they became the last two Gryffindors to climb the stairs for the night.

"You're drinking your tea tonight, right?" He asked as they turned a corner.

"Yes, you were right."

He smirked, "Say that again."

She sighed, "You were right. I don't want to play my best card in the first round."

Fred leaned closer and whispered in her ear as the Fat Lady turned away from them and poured a glass of wine. "I like hearing you say that."

*******************************************

Author's Note:

Another chapter closer to the first event!

Enjoy!

<3


	61. Chapter 61

Rebecca had planned on going to bed without her tea, feeling that she was tired enough that drinking it was unnecessary. Hermione argued differently.

"Rebecca, please. Just drink it. I will have you up. You will not sleep through the trial." 

Rebecca gave her a face and grabbed a tea bag and her cup. "Get outta my head, would you?" Hermione threw a pillow at her from across the room.

"Oi! We're throwing things?" Ginny shouted from the door and opening the top drawer and pulling out a dusty white ball.

"No, no we're not!" Hermione shouted, holding a pillow up and ducking behind it. 

Rebecca narrowed her eyes at what Ginny was holding as she hit the floor and peeked over the edge of her bed. "What even is that?!"

Ginny tossed it up and down a few times before putting it back gently in her drawer. "A snowball."

Hermione's jaw dropped as she put the pillow back on her bed. "A...snowball?"

Ginny grinned as she hung up her robes on the hook, "You should actually pass that on: Never-melting snowball."

"Pass to whom?" Hermione asked, pulling her blankets up.

"Not you." Ginny said sassily. "Becs and the prank-makers."

"That sounds like a wicked band, doesn't it?" Rebecca said, reaching down and moving her blankets so they were covering her. Hermione rolled her eyes at the mention of the prank making and looked at Rebecca.

"I know I've asked before, but why can't you make your bed like a normal person?"

Rebecca sat back up and drank another sip of her tea. "What? What's not normal about this?"

Hermione pointed to the different blankets and how they weren't laid out, but piled on and piled about without a single semblance of order. "There's not a single normal thing about any of that."

Rebecca reached down and tidied one of the blankets, covering her foot that stuck out uncovered. "There, nice and orderly."

Hermione shook her head in complete disbelief at the oddities of her roommates and turned her lamp off. 

"You'll make sure I'm up?" Rebecca asked only a moment after the room was dark.

"Yes!"

*******************************************

Ron watched Harry as he sat up in bed the next morning, the morning of the event, through barely-opened eyes. The red-haired boy felt deeply conflicted after what Seamus' had done the day before.

"He crossed a line." Ron thought. Harry sat up and put his glasses on and opened the bag on his trunk. Harry tore the paper quietly, looking around the room to make sure the others were still asleep after he'd finished. He pulled out a uniform coloured in red and gold with POTTER written in gold letters along the back.

Harry sighed heavily and sat on his bed with the uniform for a few minutes, leaving Ron to wonder what he was waiting for. When Harry stood up and walked into the bathroom, Ron was left even more conflicted than he had felt when he woke up.

*******************************************

"Rebecca?" Hermione asked, sitting on the edge of her bed and fishing around in the blankets for wherever her head had ended up. "Rebecca, it's time to wake up." Hermione followed a trail of curls, finding Rebecca curled up in the middle of the bed. Hermione shook her shoulder, eliciting no response.

"Rebecca!" Hermione asked louded, shaking harder. A small snore left Rebecca's mouth. "Ginny?" 

Ginny turned from where she was getting ready by her bed and looked to Hermione as the older girl continued. "I think we need something...shocking."

Ginny grinned deviously and opened her drawer, "I've waited since last Christmas to use this." Ginny took a step to the side and jumped, throwing the snowball towards Rebecca like basketball players make a three-pointer. The snowball arced in the air and landed directly onto Rebecca's face, shattering on impact.

The cold contact opened Rebecca's eyes, her hands shooting to her face and brushing off the icy remnants. "I'm up, don't get the turtle." Hermione looked at Ginny before looking back to Rebecca. 

"Turtle?"

"I don't know." Rebecca unburied herself and sat up, stretching and looking for her glasses. "What time is it?" 

"7:50." Ginny answered from the door.

"Bollocks!" Rebecca said, hopping out of bed and grabbing random pants and a shirt as she ran into the bathroom. "Harry should have left by now and I swore I'd walk with him!" She jammed her toothbrush into her mouth and brushed as she put pants on, having to take them back off a moment later when she found that she'd failed to take her pajama bottoms off.

"Bloody hell!" She hissed as she looked at herself in the mirror. The spot where she'd slammed against the table had turned into a bruise overnight and her hair...it looked like she had a side job in a stage production as Frankenstein's Bride. "I'll see you both at the match!" Rebecca shouted as she sprinted out of the room and grabbed her winter hat off her bedpost. 

She pushed through the doorway and launched herself down the stairs, pulling the hat on over her head as she descended. Harry stood at the portrait hole, looking between his watch and the girls' door, relieved that Rebecca ran out when she had.

"I'm sorry!" She called, jumping down the last few steps and landing with a thud that made the other Gryffindor's around the common room look her way. "So, so sorry!"

Harry held the door open as she appeared next to him. "You've eaten, haven't you?" Harry's delay was all she needed. "Oh Harry."

"If I eat, I will vomit."

"You need your strength!"

Harry grabbed her and stopped in the hall, making her look into his eyes. "Rebecca, you're my strength. You have been since the start. I love you, so very much. I couldn't ask for a better sister and I'm-"

"Is this a goodbye?" She asked, her tone void of emotion.

"Well, it's not goodbye persay, but if anything were-"

"Harry," She yanked herself from his grip and pushed him forward so that he'd walk on. "Don't you even dare. I-You...There will be no goodbyes!" She shouted at last.

Harry tried to continue, "It's not a goodbye, it's a contingency-"

"No! No nothing! You're going to go and you're going to be fine and we're not doing this!"

"Rebecca, it's stupid to pretend there aren't any risks involved with these tasks. People have died before."

"No, what's stupid is to think I'd ever let you die." She hissed as they exited the castle and walked along the empty path to the arena. "I don't care if I have to kill the bloody dragon myself. You are not dying today."

Harry knew what she was talking about, her ability. "Please, let's not fight. I just needed you to know that."

Rebecca shook her head, "I know, of course I bloody well know. Do you know how much I love you?"

Harry nodded.

"Well then there's your damned answer. Woken up with snow, you and your bloody goodbyes, now we're onto dragons. What a Tuesday this is leading to be!"

"Snow?" Harry asked confused.

Rebecca rolled her eyes and told him about her wake up. Harry laughed, "That's brilliant!"

Approaching the tent with a sign outside of it that said, "Champions only beyond this point." Rebecca and Harry slowed. "This is it." Harry said.

"This is it. Remember your visualising, picture what you want. Remember to stay calm. And..." She wrapped her arms around him and squeezed him tightly. "Remember that I know you can do this and that I love you. I believe in you."

Harry had to be the one to disengage from her embrace, she wasn't going to stop hugging him until he'd had enough. "I'll be right there in the stands, cheering you on!" She called to him as he turned and entered the tent. He wanted to look back at her, but he knew if he did that he would cry.

"I don't want to do this. I never wanted to do this." His heart beat painfully hard as he looked around and saw Viktor, Cedric, and Fleur around the room.

"Your attention, please," Dumbledore's voice could hardly be heard in the tent as Harry paced around. Outside, Rebecca fought her way through the crowd to get to where Fred and George were sitting with Ron and Ginny, a two spots saved near them for herself and the missing Hermione.

"This is a great day for all of us." A dragon roared, the stands shaking with the power of it. Rebecca felt the goose-bumps spread across her at the ferocity of the beasts they would be going against. "Each of the three tasks involves very considerable danger. Please keep your seats at all times."

"Psst," Harry followed the noise to a split where two lengths of the tents walls met. "Hermione?" He asked, hoping it was her.

"Harry? Is that you?" Her voice answered.

"Yeah." He knelt his head against hers, the tent material between them.

"How are you feeling? Okay? Did Rebecca get you in time? I completely forgot you'd be leaving earlier-"

"Yeah, she did. Just in time, actually. Everything worked out." He didn't want Hermione to blame herself for anything, especially when everything had worked just fine in the end.

"The key is to concentrate. After that you just have to-"

"Battle a dragon?" He finished.

Hermione took a sharp breath at his statement. Before then, they'd only been preparing. But hearing him say that brought it all into reality. She gasped and pushed the tent material apart, pulling him into a tight hug.

Rita Skeeter entered the tent with a flourish. A camera flash went off, shocking Hermione and Harry apart. "Young love!" Rita stalked her way into the tent. "How...stirring." She pointed to the quill that was following beside her so that it wrote that down.

"You have no business here." Viktor's deep voice enunciated, his English choppy but clear. "This tent is for champions." He looked over Rita and connected eyes with Hermione, sending her into a scarlet blush that Harry failed to notice.

"No matter..." Rita turned back towards where she'd come from. "We've got what we came for."

The opening Hermione entered through opened once again, Dumbledore, Karkaroff, Madame Maxime, and Barty Crouch entering the tent. "Good morning, champions!" Dumbledore waved his arms at them all as he greeted them.

"Gather around please. Now, you've waited, you've wondered, and at last, the moment has arrived. A moment only the four of you can fully appreciate." Dumbledore looked to his side and saw Hermione. "What are you doing here, Miss Granger?"

Hermione looked at him sheepishly, "Oh, um...Sorry, I'll just go." Hermione backed out of the tent, hurring to where she'd asked Ginny to save her a seat.

"Champions, in a circle around me." Barty Crouch demanded, holding a purple, thrashing bag in his hands. "Miss Delacour, if you will." He put the bag in front of her.

She reached in tentatively, feeling the things in the bag moving about quickly. She pulled out a miniature model of her dragon, enchanted to act like its living counterpart. 

"The Welsh Green," Barty announced. 

"Mr Krum," Barty moved on quickly, holding the bag in front of Viktor. Viktor reached in without hesitation.

"The Chinese Fireball, ooohh!" Barty obnoxiously commented.

Cedric didn't even wait for Barty to say his name; As soon as the older man was in front of him, he plunged his hand into the bag, closing his eyes as he did so. 

Barty smiled at him, "The Swedish Short-Snout. Which leaves the..." He held the bag out for Harry to reach into. Harry did so, his miniature dragon biting his thumb as he pulled it out.

"The Hungarian Horntail." Barty turned away from Harry. "These represent four very real dragons, each of which has been given a golden egg to protect. Your objective is simple: Collect the egg." Barty looked from champion to champion as he continued. "This you must do for each egg contains a clue, a clue without which you cannot hope to proceed to the next task."

Barty asked if they had any questions, to which none of them responded. "Very well," Dumbledore said after a moment. "Mr Diggory, at the sound of the cannon-"

Filch heard the word cannon and lit the fuse, sending the cannonball flying. Everyone in the tent flinched at the sudden and improperly timed shot, Cedric walking to where Dumbledore pointed. 

Cedric exited the tent to the cheers of the crowd. 

*******************************************

"Three of our champions have now faced their dragons, and so each one of them will proceed to the next task. And now, our fourth and final contestant."

Rebecca scooted to the end of her bleacher and grabbed the lip tightly. "It's time." She thought. Watching the other three competitors had only filled her with dread, especially since Dumbledore had said the Hungarian Horntail Harry had drawn was the most ferocious of the bunch.

Harry followed the same tunnel the others had, finding himself at the bottom of the arena surrounded by rocks. The crowd was mostly silent, no one cheering his name, just nervous chatter. Rebecca watched him step out of the tunnel's mouth, looking around for the dragon.

Harry saw the egg he had to collect in the center of the clearing, undefended. Stepping forward quickly, the dragon made its presence known. It swung its tail over its shoulder, striking the stones above his head and crumbling them. Harry ducked to the side, the dragon breathing fire and scorching where he had been only a moment before.

Rebecca's hand left the lip of the bleacher and grabbed Fred's knee, leaning forward farther. Fred leaned forward and put his arm around her shoulder, using his other hand to grab her upper arm and leaned forward with her. "He's prepared, Rebecca."

Harry had run to the pile of rocks the egg was on, jumping onto its slick bottom layers and begun to try and climb up it. The Horntail lifted its giant body into the air, flapping its wings so that it was above Harry. Harry looked over his shoulder just as its tail swung again, shattering the rocks next to him as he rolled out of the way and slid back down the rocky wall.

Rebecca gasped, as did the crowd. Harry slid back down the rocks and was swiped to the side by the dragon's claws. Rebecca shot to her feet, her hands held to her mouth as the dragon closed in.

"He's hurt." She said to no one in particular, watching how a crimson blossom spread down the back of his shirt as he stood and ran forward as the dragon roared up into the sky. The dragon opened its maw and shot flames again as Harry ducked down behind a rock.

The crowd was muttering to themselves now, raising in volume steadily--not seeing how Harry was going to make it out of this. 

"Your wand, Harry!" Rebecca shouted, her voice rising above the crowd hoarsely. "Your wand!"

Harry closed his eyes and held his wand. "My firebolt. The sleek handle. The spot up at the front where Rebecca carved my name. The one odd twig at the end." He visualised his broom and all its details before waving his wand to the sky and shouting, "Accio Firebolt!"

Hermione stood up next to Ron, most of the crowd now on their feet as well, and watched as Harry ran from rock to rock, shielding himself from the dragon's frequent fire breathing. At last, Harry heard his broom flying through the air. He ran forward, the dragon aiming for what it thought was the final moments, and prayed that the broom was moving towards him. He reached out and caught the handle, throwing his legs over it and speeding out of the dragon's range.

The crowd cheered triumphantly, seemingly forgetting how they'd treated him as he whirled around and surveyed the arena like he was looking for the snitch. Rebecca saw how Ron's hands stopped gripping each other so tight and clapped along with the crowd. Fred leaned closer to her, "Breath, Rebecca."

She looked at him and nodded, "I am."

He watched her head following Harry's path in the sky, still more tense than a Slytherin in a lion's den. Fred turned back to the arena as Harry dove for the egg, forced to pull back up as the dragon coated the area in a spray of fire.

Harry soared back to his vantage point where he could come up with another plan as the dragon flapped its wings again, flying higher and higher until the chain around its neck yanked it back down. The dragon let out a roar and flapped its wings once sharply, the chain snapping. 

"Oh my god." Ron said softly as the dragon started to go after Harry, no longer contained in any way. 

The dragon snapped at the tail of his broom. Harry leaned forward farther and urged the broom to go even faster, zipping through the staff's seating with the dragon right behind him. The dragon's tail hung lower than the rest of its body, tearing the cover and splintering the wood as it chased Harry towards the castle.

"Well done, dragon!" George shouted as the crowd cheered the loudest it had throughout the entire event.

Unbeknownst to the crowd, Harry and the dragon sped off in loops and turns, Harry always one step ahead of the dragon. Rebecca sat back down and pulled her jumper off, suddenly unbearably hot. She tried to swallow, she tried to breath, but it was like something was blocking her throat, a large mass that seemed to grow larger with every passing second.

Fred sat next to her and grabbed both sides of her face and turning her to him, "Look, you've got to breathe. In...out..."

"I can't." She stammer out, reaching up and grabbing his hands. "Oh my....Fred, we don't know what's happening and now they're not here and if he's not here how can I do anything to help him and what if the dragon gets him too far and by the time I get there it's too late and I can't-"

"Rebecca, in...out...in...out..." He moved his head slowly, up on the intakes of air and out with the exhales. When she'd taken a few breaths, she closed her eyes and continued with him. If she'd known that at the exact time she'd collected herself, at least partially, Harry was hanging off the spire of Gryffindor Tower after the dragon had whacked him off his broom, she would have dropped to the ground.

But, she didn't. In fact, no one did. The crowd spoke to each other in anticipation for the return of Harry and the dragon, the egg sitting untouched and unguarded. Fred took his hands away from her face as she opened her eyes, seeing his concerned gaze looking back at her.

"Here, put this back on." He handed her her jumper, knowing it was far too cold out to only be wearing a t-shirt. Hermione took her hand off of where she'd rested it on Rebecca's knee. "Look!"

Harry was speeding back to the arena, the dragon farther behind him but gaining on him. The crowd was back on their feet in seconds, Fred holding Rebecca against his side. Hermione raised her hands in the air, "Yes! Yes!" She shouted.

Harry's broom was smoking from its tail, making his flight pattern shaky. Rebecca watched how he lined the nose up with the egg and scooped it up. The crowd erupted, Rebecca turning and burying her face into Fred's chest, momentarily allowing herself a comfort she ordinarily wouldn't have in front of the others.

Fred reached up and held the back of her head. Harry rolled as his broom gave out, turning to the crowd and holding the egg above is head triumphantly. Rebecca pulled herself away from him and wrapping her arms around Hermione's neck as they cheered.

Rebecca stood up on her bleacher and cupped her hands around her mouth, those around her going quiet to hear what she was going to say. "Harry! Harry! Harry!" She chanted, the crowd following her. Harry was ushered back to the tent he'd started in where the other champions sat, seeing her lead the chant briefly.

Rebecca and Hermione looked at each other and knew what they were going to do. Fred and George stood next to each other, leaving Ginny with the surly Ron and putting their shoulders together and beginning to push their way through the crowd. 

"There you go, ladies." George said as the exit came into their view. 

Rebecca looked back to Fred, "Go on," He winked, "We've got a celebration to plan."

Hermione and Rebecca broke into a sprint, their feet pounding against the path as they made their way back to the tent where they'd both said their goodbyes hours before. Bursting through the entrance, Rebecca saw how Fleur was holding Gabrielle and crooning in French, how Karkaroff stood in front of Viktor, listing things as he raised his fingers in Bulgarian.

Harry was off in a corner, his shirt off as Madame Pomfrey looked at his shoulder. Rebecca and Hermione only slowed when they were at his bed, sprinting straight through the tent. Harry was covered in soot, his eyes red from the smoke.

"I did pretty good, didn't I?" He asked before hissing as Madame Pomfrey prodded at the hole one of the Horntail's tail spines had left in him, the injury from the beginning. 

"Well, Harry. You did well." Hermione corrected, not able to stop herself.

Rebecca grabbed his face and kissed his forehead. "You did amazingly." Madame Pomfrey tapped his shoulder once more, closing the surface of the wound. 

"They are correct, Potter. You flew true." It was the closes Madame Pomfrey had even come to complimenting one of them and if left Harry slightly shocked.

"Thank you...Madame..." Madame Pomfrey left him and pushed his shirt back to him, telling him to put some clothes on as she walked towards Fleur.

Harry winced as he lifted his arm up and slid it through his uniform top again and pulled the shirt over his head. Hermione and Rebecca walked on both of his sides as he joined the other champions and their guests around Barty Crouch, calling for a final announcement before they were dismissed.

"Champions," He looked to them all. "You all displayed exceptional bravery today, exceptional indeed. The eggs which you have all percrued provide a hint for your next challenge which will take place on the 24th of February. Good luck to you all."

Dumbledore walked him to the exit, the men still talking about the finer points of the task. Fleur walked to where Rebecca was forcing Harry to drink some water, telling him that hydration was necessary for life.

"'Arry, Rebecca," Fleur cleared her throat, still hoarse from smoke-inhalation. "You did very well, you should both be proud." Gabrielle smiled and looked to them both, "The sisters..." Gabrielle paused and spoke to Fleur in French before Fleur nodded and Gabrielle continued, "...are good lucky."

Rebecca shot Harry a look as he set down the cup of water, Harry picking it right back up. "Gabrielle, I actually had something I wanted to ask you." Fleur smiled as Rebecca winced, mispronounced French coming out of her mouth. "Vous-les vous coucher avec moi?"

Gabrielle laughed loudly as Fleur's mouth dropped open. Hermione's hand jumped to her heart, knowing exactly what Rebecca had just asked the young Delacour. "What? What are you trying to say?"

Rebecca was confused by her reaction, "How are you doing. That's what Si-the person who told me that said it meant."

Fleur shook her head as Gabrielle continued to laugh, bending down and holding her stomach. Madame Maxime shook her head from where she stood in the corner, having heard the entire exchange. 

"You asked if she would like to sleep with you." Hermione said quietly.

Harry snorted into his water as Rebecca's face burned. "Oh my god...I'm going to kill him." Rebecca put her hands over her face, hiding her embarrassment from the still-laughing Gabrielle. 

Gabrielle regained a little control, looking at Rebecca and giggling further, "No, no thank you."

Fleur grabbed Gabrielle and guided her away, laughing as Gabrielle's melodic French floated throughout the tent. Harry put his empty cup on the table and shook his head.

"Rebecca, if you're done seducing children, can we head out?"

Hermione laughed and put an arm around each of the Potters, having to go around Harry's middle but being able to go over Rebecca's shoulders. Viktor watched the three from across the room, wanting to hear her laugh more, as they exited the tent.

*******************************************

The Fat Lady was standing on guard at the Portrait Hole, exactly as Fred and George had asked her to. When she saw the three come up the stairs, she reached back and knocked on the wall of the door, letting all in the common room know they were approaching.

"Harry!" She shouted, "I knew you'd do well!"

A man in a painting across the way grumbled, "Put your money on 'im too."

The Fat Lady winked at them, "Yes, yes I did. On you go, loves. Congratulations, you've deserved it."

Harry put the egg under his shoulder as Rebecca ducked under Hermione's arm and went behind him, reaching up and covering the his eyes from behind his glasses. "Rebecca?" Harry asked, confused as he tripped over the step to the common room.

"Ready?" She mouthed to the Gryffindors. They all nodded and readied themselves. 

"SURPRISE!" The common room exploded into a flurry of shouting and pops as handheld confetti bombs went off. The Gryffindors waved to a table of drinks as Lee pulled the sheet over them like a magician, cheering as the party began.

Harry looked around at them. "So that's it, they're done?" He asked Rebecca quietly as he turned back to her. 

Rebecca nodded her head to a banner hanging from the girls' top of stairs to the boys', George and Ginny at either side. "Look."

Ginny and George grinned, letting go of their ends at the same time.

"Harry, Gryffindor's true CHAMPION" Was painted across it in bold letters. Harry's smile grew larger as the students began to congratulate him as they pushed him towards the middle of the room. Fred winked at Rebecca as he went to one side of him, George on the other after sliding down the rail of the stairs.

They each grabbed a leg and hoisted him up, holding him up on his shoulders. The Gryffindors cheered again, Hermione and Rebecca cupping their hands around their mouths and joining them as Harry lifted the egg above his head.

"Knew you wouldn't die, Harry!" George shouted.

"Or lose a leg!" Fred added.

"Or an arm!" George finished.

"Pack it in all together?"

"Never!" They shouted in unison.

"Go on, Harry! What's the clue?" Seamus shouted.

Harry ignored him, looking around the room as he held the egg up above his head. "Should I open it?" He asked. Their cheers were all the answer he needed as he fiddled with the sides a moment before grabbing the ornament at the top and twisting it. George dropped Harry and grabbed his ears, leaving Fred to put him on the floor before covering his own ears as well. A horrible, deafening screech was leaving the egg. Harry pulled the three sides back together and closed it, ending the screeching.

"What the bloody hell was that?" Ron asked from the door.

"All right, everyone. Go back to your knitting." Fred turned and held his arms out, making a circle as Ron walked up to Harry and Rebecca, now next to him. "This is going to be uncomfortable enough without all you nosy sods listening in." 

"I reckon you have to be barking mad to put your own name in the Goblet of Fire." Ron said, looking down at the ground.

"You bloody think so?" Rebecca spat. Harry reached down and grabbed her arm. 

"Caught on, have you?" Harry responded. "Took you long enough."

Hermione and Ginny watched from the side, Ginny whispering into her ear. "Wager you right now that Rebecca hits him."

"I'm not arguing against that." Hermione whispered back as Ron looked between the two Potters.

"I wasn't the only one who thought you'd done it. Everyone was saying it behind your back."

Rebecca furrowed her brow, not seeing how that was going to lead to an apology as Harry scoffed after looking around the room. "Brilliant, that makes me feel loads better." Ron's lips pushed together, looking at Rebecca, his eyes flitting to her bruise.

"I didn't have anything to do with that." He said after a moment. "I wouldn't have-"

"What? You wouldn't have hurt me?" Rebecca said. "What about us? You wouldn't have hurt us?"

Harry looked at her, knowing that while he'd been without a best mate, she'd been without someone she considered another brother. Ron sighed, "You are...right." Ron looked to the ground. "What you said the other day was right too. Neither of you would have-"

Harry looked to Ron confused, "Wait, what did she say?"

Ron raised his eyebrows. "A lot." Rebecca's eyes narrowed until Ron continued, "But nothing was wrong. I've been a pathetic mate. And an areshole."

Harry nodded, "Yeah, you have. Are you done? Being a shoddy mate that is?"

"And an areshole." Rebecca added, tilting her head slightly at Ron.

"Yes," Ron bit his lip. "I'm really sorry."

Harry grabbed Ron and hugged him tightly. Hermione shook her head at the two of them, looking up at the ceiling. "Boys!"

*******************************************

After the three had reconciled, Ron and Harry gravitated to the corner as the party continued around them, Harry filling Ron in on all that had happened with the tournament so far and updating him on Sirius' situation.

Rebecca grabbed a cup off the table and sipped it, finding the pumpkin juice off. Fred chuckled at her face. "It's pumpkin juice...with a little extra."

She raised her eyebrows at him, "Fred Weasley. Have you spiked this?"

Fred shrugged and grinned cheekily, "Maybe, maybe not." She took another sip as they looked around the common room. 

"For some who's not the biggest fan of parties, you sure know how to put one together." Rebecca remarked.

Fred put his head back against the wall and looked down at her as she did the same. "It's not that I'm not a fan of them, I'd just rather spend time with fewer groups of people...One in particular really."

She blushed and turned back to her drink as he smirked at her reaction. "I would too." She said after a moment. 

"We could, you know. Right now. I'll just take you to the middle of the room and snog the daylights out of you." Fred said softly, leaning closer to her and lowering his voice.

"I want to, trust me." Her eyes flitted from his eyes to his lips as she continued, "But I can't. If I kiss you right now, I'm not going to stop and we've got work to do."

"Work?" He asked confused.

"Yes, work. Ginny actually had a genius idea for a new product and we've got to figure out the packing situation. I was thinking, we've either got to find a substitute ingredient for whatever's making the reaction or change packing material, something more neutral or..."

Fred watched how her eyes lit up as she started talking business, finding himself only wanting to kiss her more.

*******************************************


	62. Chapter 62

Rebecca had a parchment in front of her as she tried to work on her Potions essay during their empty hour in the Great Hall with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. However, as time passed, her parchment remained blank. 

There were only two weeks left of term with the Yule Ball only a few days after that. The professors were certainly using everyday they had, the students found, using the O.W.L.S they would be taking at the end of the next year as the justification for the increased homework.

Harry had already started on his essay, though he found his attention being pulled behind him time and time again. After he'd turned to look at Cho for the third time, Cho's friend whispered to her and let her know of the attention she was attracting.

Harry smiled at her, the pumpkin juice in his mouth falling out and dribbling down the front of him. Rebecca grabbed a napkin and held it out to him without looking up as Cho told her friends to not laugh at him.

"She's done it again!" Hermione hissed from behind her copy of the Daily Prophet, slamming it on the table angrily. "Look at this! 'Miss Granger, a plain but ambitions girl, seems to be developing a taste for famous wizards.'"

Ron smirked, his face dropping as Hermione continued. "'Her latest prey, sources report, is none other than the Bulgarian bonbon Viktor Krum. No word yet on how Harry Potter's taking this latest emotional blow.' Oh...oh..." Hermione trailed away as she folded the paper and put it down. 

"What?" Harry asked as Hermione glanced at Rebecca's downturned head, still staring at the parchment and hoping for inspiration.

"Nothing."

Rebecca heard the odd tone of her answer and looked up, "What is it?"

Hermione took the paper and put it on the bench next to her. "I said it's nothing."

"And I say you're lying." Rebecca said plainly, turning back to her parchment. "All that woman writes is lies, if it's about me, I don't care."

Hermione raised her eyebrows and looked down at the table. Rebecca was intrigued. "Alright, now I'm curious. What's she cooked up now?" Ron saw her reach for a copy in front of him and went to stop her.

"Are you sure? Look at Hermione, it can't be good!"

Rebecca shook open the paper and flipped to the Tournament's column. "Ah." She nodded her head slowly. "Where...is...Lavender?" She asked slowly, folding the paper back up as she read the words that sent Hermione into a panic.

"Harry's sister is also sent spiraling after the moving on of Miss Granger. Miss Lavender Brown, a Gryffindor fourth year, reports that Hermione and Rebecca had a romantic fling going previously. "Oh yeah, they're definitely a thing. I even heard them talking about starting a lesbian colony on an island once..."

Rebecca saw her down the row and stood up. "Rebecca-" Harry warned, his voice falling on deaf ears. Eyes around the hall followed Rebecca as she went towards Lavender, Lavender's eyes widening at the look on her face. Rebecca swung one leg onto the bench so she was straddling it and put the Prophet down between them, tapping the article.

"What's this?" Rebecca asked.

"Looks like the Prophet-" Lavender said.

"What're you doing in it? Saying that?"

Lavender shrugged, "I was asked a question, I answered it."

"You answered it falsely. Hermione and I friends, and that has all we have ever been. I'm disgusted in how you thought this was an insult."

Lavender looked to the other girls at the table, finding no support. They'd warned her against saying that. "I may be...calm...right now, but if I ever hear you use being gay as an insult, as attempted slander like you have here, I think you'll find me to be...less reasonable." Rebecca stood up, pausing as she swung her leg over and leaning over to Lavender's ear and whispering, "By the way, love." Her voice dripped with malice. "Even if I was interested in girls, I wouldn't look at you."

Lavender blushed at the laughter of those around her as Rebecca turned and left, finding Harry and Ron cackling. "Brilliant, just brilliant!" Ron said, clapping his hands slowly.

Hermione shook her head, "You really must control yourself. You're going to end up hurting someone."

Rebecca looked at her shocked, "Hermione, you're joking, right? Look, it's written right there for everyone to read! Imagine someone here in Hogwarts, right in this hall reading her try to insult us with this. How would you feel?"

Hermione pursed her lips, "I see your point, though I stand by the prediction you're going to end up with high-blood pressure."

Rebecca sat back down with a plop, her eyes going back to her blank parchment. "Guess it's a bloody good thing she didn't hear about what Sirius taught me."

This only sent Harry and Ron back into hysterics, Ron having been filled in by Harry one night when they were the only two in their dormitory. The boys laughed until tears streamed down their cheeks and their breath came in ragged gasps. "Mr Weasley?" A first years voice said from behind Ron.

Ron took a deep breath and wiped his face, "Yes, Nigel?"

"Parcel!" Nigel said happily, handing it to him and stepping to the side as he grinned at Harry expectantly. 

"Not now, Nigel. Later." Ron said, shooing the young boy away.

Hermione looked at him expectantly until he offered an explanation as to what that was about as Ron unwrapped the paper. "Told him I'd get him Harry's autograph."

Hermione nodded, astounded at Ron's change in attitude. "Oh look, it's from mum!" Ron rustled around a few papers, "This is for you Rebecca." He said, handing her a tin as he continued to look at whatever it was in the box. He pulled out the brown piece of fabric with orange ornamentation around the edges, tilting his head to figure out what it was.

"She's sent me a dress!" Ron said disgustedly.

"It matches your eyes!" Harry said as he stifled his laughter. "Is there a bonnet?" Harry pulled out a white thing with ruffles. Ron walked down the aisle and held it up to Ginny. Rebecca opened the lid of the tin and found cookies with a note laid on top of them, "For you love, to share or not xo." Rebecca put the lid back on and turned back to her essay, pushing her homesickness away.

"Mum sent this, it must be for you."

Ginny furrowed her brow, "I'm not wearing that, it's ghastly!"

Hermione giggled as Ron walked back to them, confused as ever. "What're you going on about?" He asked as Rebecca looked up and joined her, enjoying the distraction from her essay and the Lavender-incident.

"There not for Ginny, they're for you. Dress robes." Fred and George laughed from where they were sitting away from the group of four with Lee and a few other fifth years.

"Dress robes? For what?"

"The Yule Ball, Mr Weasley." Professor McGonagall answered from behind him. Ron sat down and looked at the hideous robes as Professor McGonagall looked to where Rebecca was tapping on the tin Molly had sent with her quill, her head still empty of inspiration.

"Miss Potter, please come with me." Rebecca stood up and gathered her things, sticking the tin under her arm as Harry watched her leave concerned.

"Where are they off to?" He asked, craning his neck as McGonagall motioned for Rebecca to follow her out of the Great Hall.

"You have noticed how she hasn't been herself, haven't you?" Hermione asked incredulously. "McGonagall's probably noticed as well."

Ron shook his head as he shoved the robes back into the box they'd come in. "Girls are so complicated."

Harry rolled his eyes as Hermione and Ron started to bicker. Fred excused himself from Lee's ranting on the Ministry denying him the ability to announce the events, heading out the door Rebecca and Professor McGonagall had just gone out.

*******************************************

Once inside the Transfiguration classroom, Minerva sat at her desk and pointed at the chair adjacent to it for Rebecca to take a seat. "Miss Potter, do you have any idea why we're meeting today?"

"No, professor. Have I done something wrong?"

Minerva shook her head and transfigured two papers on her desk into two tea cups, conjuring a whistling kettle from her back room and preparing two cups of tea as she elaborated onto the reason Rebecca was there. "No, no. This is an...intervention of sorts. Your professors, as well as a few concerned peers, have noticed you're not acting like yourself lately: Poor marks, poor attitude, poor participation."

Rebecca sat back in her chair. "So?"

Minerva raised an eyebrow as she lifted her tea to her mouth and pushed a cup to the young girl. "So? Sewing is an action, not a response."

Rebecca sipped at her tea, hating that she enjoyed it so much. "I don't know what to say, Professor."

Minerva opened her drawer and pulled out a pack of biscuits, handing one to her. "What's going on, child?"

"I don't know. I'm tired, but I can't sleep at night. I have so much homework, but I can't get any of it done. I've been writing an essay for nearly two hours and do you know what I've written? My name."

"Are the premonitions occuring again?" McGonagall asked immediately, filled with concern.

"No, I drink the tea every night."

McGonagall nodded, placated, "As counteractive as it seems, have you tried to do something you enjoy? To relax a moment?"

Rebecca shook her head, "Professor, I don't know what I would do if I had a break, let alone the fact that I don't have the time."

McGonagall nodded and set her tea down. "Then, the time is made. Tonight. The arena from the first task has been dismantled and the quidditch pitch has been returned to its former glory. You are forbidden from working on any school work until you go put yourself back together. Do I make myself clear?"

Rebecca sighed and set her empty cup on the desk, taking another biscuit. "Who's worrying to you? You said my peers."

Fred ducked from where he had been peeking in at the door, Rebecca seeing the blur of his red hair. "Nevermind, I know who."

Minerva smiled as Rebecca blushed lightly, "I expect you in tip-top shape for tomorrow's house meeting, understood?"

Rebecca nodded, remembering that McGonagall had called a meeting with all of the Gryffindor students Saturday afternoon. "And Rebecca," McGonagall called as Rebecca crossed the classroom again, "I think you'll find more than one broom available this evening, if desired."

Rebecca ran back across the classroom and hugged McGonagall, enjoying the maternal embrace a moment before going back to the door and opening it slowly, poking her head out and seeing Fred leaning against the opposite wall.

"Eavesdropping?" She asked, closing the Transfiguration door behind her.

"Not exactly, thick walls. Only stalking." Fred walked next to her as they headed back to the Great Hall, their next and final classes of the day starting soon.

"Well, in case the walls were too thick, McGonagall has opened the pitch up this evening. If you're interested..."

"Depends, is anyone else going to be there?" Fred asked, tapping his chin like he was weighing his options.

"Not unless you want them to." Rebecca answered, knowing her was playing with her.

"I'll have to check my schedule and get back to you on that." He said before laughing and shaking his head, "Look at that! All clear."

"Did you remember the meeting tomorrow?" She asked as they entered the Great Hall, finding it much emptier than before.

"Yes, yes I did." Fred scratched his head, "To which meeting do you refer to? Just so I know that you're right."

She rolled her eyes, "The one McGonagall's called?"

Fred nodded, "Yes, yes that meeting. I remember. What's it for again?"

Rebecca shrugged, "Not sure, all she's said is that there's a house meeting. I'll see you tonight?" She asked before they were to close to their friends to continue talking about their plans.

"Wouldn't miss it."

*******************************************

Rebecca had left the common room with her bag over her shoulder as the sun set, telling Hermione she was going to get more tea before bed. Harry and Ron were screaming in the corner as they played chess, Rebecca realising just how thankful Ron was back so she didn't have to play.

Fred watched her leave and waited a few minutes, knowing it would be suspicious if they left one after the other. When Lavender slunk into the common room and was met with a barrage of booing, Fred took the opportunity to sneak to the door and leave.

"They'll be back together, I bet you." The Fat Lady said the portrait she'd wager'd over the first task with.

"I'm not betting you anything!" The man shouted, turning away from her again.

The Fat Lady shhed him, standing on her tiptoes to make sure Fred hadn't heard him. Fred was whistling, oblivious to the painted arguing behind him. He skipped down the stairs, hopping up onto the stone bannister of the last flight of stairs and sliding his way down.

"You'll fall one day doing that." Rebecca said from the first floor. Fred hopped off the stairs at the end and bowed as he answered to her worries, "But not today."

He put his arm around her in the empty corridor and walked with her to the Gryffindor team room. "Are you relaxing?"

Rebecca looked at him as they entered the very room Oliver would have been lecturing them a year before. "I thought the walls were thick."

Fred opened the door and wiggled his fingers as he surveyed the hanging brooms. "What?"

"Thick walls, you said you couldn't hear because the walls were thick."

"What?" Fred asked again, tossing her her broom.

Rebecca went to the door that lead to the pitch, grabbing the quaffle from the box as she went. "Oh no fair, chasing?" He said.

She turned and smiled as she backed out of the door, "What?" He ran after her, finding that she'd lifted off and was flying lazily to the middle of the pitch. Fred put the broom under him and flew off towards her.

"Catch!" She said, tossing the quaffle to him. The ball thudded in his hands as he threw it back to her. They threw the quaffle for a while, Rebecca enjoying the action. When Fred finally called for a break, they zipped over to the bleachers where Rebecca had tossed her bag earlier.

He sat next to her and gestured to the parchment roll. "Still?"

Rebecca grimaced and nodded, "Still."

"Well, let's see how far you've gotten." He said, plucking it out of her bag and pausing as he saw her progress. "There's just that much more space to work with!" He fished in her bag and pulled out a quill and her inkpot. 

"Why don't you write something like..."

Thirty minutes later, despite McGonagall's forbiddance, Rebecca looked down at a finished essay. "Fred!" She said, jumping up and wrapping her arms around his neck. 

"Woah there, all I did was solve all of your problems!" He said, wrapping his arms around her as she covered his face in a rapid line of kisses. "I think I'll help you with your homework more often if this is how you'll thank me."

She laughed madly as she rolled the parchment and stuck it back into her bag. She grabbed her broom and jumped onto it. "Wait!" Fred called as he got back onto his own broom and followed her. 

She went to the bottom of the posts on the side closest to them and weaved in and out of them. Fred flew his broom next to hers and went the opposite direction she was, thinking about how cool it must have looked until they collided in the middle.

"I didn't think about what would happen when I did that." Fred said from where they'd dropped to the ground. Rebecca rolled over, her face contorted in silent laughter.

"Wh-What did you think would happen!" She gasped out.

Fred rolled towards her and put his head on his elbows, looking down at her upside down as they laid opposite of one another. "Not this." He leaned down and pressed his lips to her forehead. When he lifted his head, she smiled at him and closed her eyes. Fred reached a hand down and traced it along the chain around her neck, picking up the locket with a picture of the Weasley children with Harry and Rebecca. 

"Still wearing this?" 

She opened her eyes, "Always."

Fred rolled onto his back and put his head next to hers, looking up to the stars.

"You're not going to mention to McGonagall that we did homework, right?" He asked after a moment.

"Of course not, I don't want her to give me the face."

"The 'I'm-very-disappointed-in-you' face?"

"Yes! I hate that one!"

"Remember the time we tried to go past her wet? Oh Merlin, that was definitely the face." 

They laid in the grass, their brooms abandoned next to them, reminiscing on the highlights of their times together until it had grown much darker and they knew their relaxation was over.

"Think about it though, we've got this meeting tomorrow and then only one more week of classes. Then we'll go to Hogsmeade and laugh as everyone fights over ties and dresses and then go to the ball."

"And then?"

"Then? Then I'm probably going to kiss you."

"At a certain time or is that like a never-ending kind of deal?" Rebecca asked as she stood up and shouldered her bag.

"I'm not sure yet, guess we'll just have to find out."

*******************************************

"The Yule Ball has been a tradition of the Triwizard Tournament for since its inception." McGonagall walked forward, away from where Filch fiddled with a record player that emitted distracting static.

"On Christmas Eve night, we and our guests gather in the Great Hall for a night of well-mannered frivolity." She looked at Fred and George, "Well-mannered being the key words."

Fred smirked and whispered so that Rebecca could hear from in front of him. "Is she saying I'm ill-mannered?"

McGonagall shot him a look so that he'd stop talking and continued, "As representatives of the host school, I expect each and every one of you to put your best foot forward." McGonagall stopped in front of Lavender and looked at her. "Without judgement on customs that are different than our own."

Lavender looked down at the public chastising, knowing their head of house was referring to the Prophet's article. It was Rebecca's turn to smirk as giggling spread around the room. "The Yule Ball is first and foremost, a dance."

The long room McGonagall held the meeting in erupted into complaints from the boys and excited chatter from the girls. "Silence! The House of Godric Gryffindor has commanded the respect of the wizard world for nearly 10 centuries--I will not have you, in the course of a single evening, besmirching that name by behaving like a babbling, bumbling band of baboons!"

George leaned over to Fred, "Try and say that five times fast."

"Babbling, bumb-bab-" Fred shook his head as they two chuckled at their jokes.

"To dance is to let the body breathe. Inside every girl, a swan slumbers. Inside every boy, a lordly lion." McGonagall watched Ron lean over into Dean's ear and whisper something. "Mr Weasley,"

"Yes?" Ron asked as Harry sat up straight next to him. Rebecca edged her way along the side of the room, moving from in front of Fred on the boy-dominated side of the room to the cluster of girls where she stood next to Ginny and Hermione.

"Will you join me, please?" McGonagall grabbed Ron's shoulder and brought him to the middle of the room. "Place your right hand on my waist." Ron looked around as the boys oohed.

"Where?" Ron asked shocked.

"My waist." Harry wolf-whistled as McGonagall put Ron's hand where it was supposed to go. "Extend your arm." She directed Ron into the proper positioning before asking Filch to start the music.

Rebecca's ears were filled with the crackling of an old record being spun as it had many, many times before; A slow song filling the room. McGonagall began to count as she and Ron swirled around the room. "One, two, three. One, two, three."

Fred and George swayed, humming with the music as Ron and McGonagall waltzed. "Oi!" Harry whispered to them. "You're never going to let him forget this, are you?" 

Fred and George leaned closer to him before answering at the same time, "Never!"

"Everybody come together." McGonagall said as she and Ron stopped. The students met in the middle of the room, the girls and the boys pairing quickly. Neville took to it naturally, leading Ginny in an uncharacteristically fashion.

"Say Ginny, I know you're only third year..." Hermione and Rebecca looked at each other with wide-eyes as they listened to Neville stammer through an invitation as he whisked her about the room. Hermione was dancing along with Seamus, stepping on his feet at every opportunity.

Fred raised his eyebrows at Rebecca from across the room, asking from afar if she would practise with him. Both fortunately and unfortunately, other students grabbed them before they could get to each other: Angelina jumping with Fred and Dean grabbing Rebecca.

Rebecca found Dean to be an uncomfortable partner, his movements stiff and robotic as he stared at Seamus dancing with Eloise McConnor. "You should ask him." Rebecca said, taking a little more control of the dance and motioning for Dean to relax. 

"I don't know...What if he's not...you know." Dean said quietly.

"But what if he is? You don't want to watch from the sidelines forever, do you?" Rebecca said, finding her eyes gravitate to Fred as she talked about watching.

"Hypocritical, no?" Dean smirked as Rebecca looked away quickly. "Hey, how about this? I won't say anything if you don't."

Rebecca nodded, "I wouldn't have said anything anyway."

"Switch!" McGonagall called and clapped her hands, having Filch pause the music for the students to rearrange. One of the older Gryffindors, a sixth year, swooped in and took Dean's place as Rebecca looked around for a partner.

"Hey there," The boy said with a grin. "Jonas."

He placed his hand on her waist firmly, holding his hand out for her to grab as the music began again. "So, Rebecca." Jonas said as he pulled her closer to him. "This ball. Crazy, right?"

Rebecca looked away from him, pushing against him so that there was some distance between their bodies. "Crazy." 

"Well, I was thinking, what if you got to go with me? A solution to this craziness."

Rebecca looked up at him, "I already have a date."

His smile fell, revealing a sneer underneath, "What a waste of time then." Rebecca pulled her hand from his and grabbed his sleeve between two fingers as she removed his hand from her waist as McGonagall called for them all to switch again.

"No, I get the feeling you're the only waste here." She turned and walked away, leaving him to scope out the other girls as she made her way towards Harry. She took Neville's hand, the other boy closest to Harry.

Harry stumbled horribly, every girl he partnered with wincing often. When McGonagall finally called for a break and left the music running for those who wanted, Rebecca stood next to him. "Harry, what's the matter?"

He shook his head and scowled, "How do I know when to step?"

"The beat, listen to the music." She held her hands out and clapped her hands together softly with the music. "Look," She began to step around as if she had a partner to the beat as she laid it out plainly for him to hear.

Harry nodded and stepped with the music as Rebecca continued to count. "Bravo!" She said as Harry went off, a girl stepping in front of him to dance together. McGonagall released them shortly after, Fred and Rebecca always at opposite ends of the room.

*******************************************

"This is mad. At this rate, we'll be the only ones on our year without dates!" Ron complained, looking around the Great Hall during their study block on Wednesday of the next week. "I mean really, there's one bloody week until this thing!"

Snape walked past and shoved Ron's head so that he was looking back at his own work. "Well, us and Neville." Ron said to Harry.

Rebecca scoffed. "Neville's got a date."

Ron groaned loudly and looked around, making sure Snape wasn't turning back around. "Now I'm really depressed."

Hermione and Rebecca looked at each other before rolling their eyes and turning back to their final assignments. George slid a paper down the table to Harry and Ron. 

"Get a move on or all the good ones will have gone." 

Rebecca looked down the table and raised an eyebrow at the statement. "Who're you going with then?" Ron whispered.

George took a balled up piece of paper from the table and threw it at Angelina. It bounced off her head, causing her to turn slowly and mouth, "What?"

George pointed at her. "Do you want..." He made two fingers walk across his hand, "To go..." He put his hands up and danced in place a moment, "To the ball..." He pointed at himself and smirked, "With me?"

"The ball?" She asked with a smile. "Yeah, sure."

George winked at Ron comically, "Easy."

Ron took a deep breath and turned in his seat, facing Hermione who was continuing to write on her. "Hermione," Rebecca put her quill down and knew whatever he was going to say next was absolutely not going to end well. "You're a girl."

Harry looked to Rebecca with a worried look on his face.

"Well spotted." Hermione responded, putting her quill to rest on her inkpot and looking at Ron. "Come with one of u-" Snape smacked the back of his head with a book as he passed them again, hitting Harry as well.

"Come on, it's one thing for a bloke to show up alone. For a girl, it's just sad." Rebecca nodded, "Yeah, there's the 'not-ending-well'"

"I won't be going alone!" Hermione grabbed her parchment and rolled it quickly, "Believe it or not, someone's asked me!" Hermione stood up and walked to where Snape stood at the front of the room and handed him her scroll.

"And I said yes!" Hermione hissed as she grabbed her bag and left the Great Hall. Ron turned to Harry and breathed, "Bloody hell. She's lying, right?"

Rebecca shook her head at how cavalier Ron was after offending Hermione. "Look, we've just got to grit our teeth and do it." Ron said, attracting Snape's attention again.

"Say, who's her date Rebecca?"

Rebecca shook her head, "I've no idea."

"Well, do you have date yet?" Ron asked. Harry looked away, remembering what he watched the other night between she and Fred.

"Bugger off." Rebecca said as she rolled her parchment up and watched as Snape grabbed both Ron and Harry's head and clunked them together before pushing them back to their unfinished work. Rebecca nodded, actually agreeing with something the Potions professor had done for once and held her work out to him.

He took and unrolled it, "You have a typo in your first sentence." He intoned before rolling it back up and turning away. Rebecca lost the glimmer of not-hating she'd had for him and left the Great Hall.

*******************************************

Hermione and Rebecca were sitting near the fire, fighting off the chill from the windows in the common room as Rebecca sighed again. She still had to send Molly a thank you for the sweets, but snow had blanketed the castle a few nights earlier and it was so cold to walk so far.

"Ask Fred," Hermione said, dragged away from her novel at her sighing. "He'd do it in a heartbeat."

"Do what?" Harry asked as he walked into the common room, his work finished. 

"I have to send an owl but it's so far." She whined.

"And cold." Harry offered, squeezing himself into her chair. He sighed and took the letter from her hand. "I'll run it up there."

Rebecca hugged him. "Thank you! It's so bloody cold out there, thought we were in Scotland, not Svalbard!"

"Svalbard?" Harry asked confused.

"It's near the North Pole, been brushing up on my geography."

Harry looked at her strangely as he headed out of the common room again, not finding it overwhelmingly too cold. He hopped up the stairs, still thinking over his date-related problem when he came face to face with none other than Cho.

"Cho!" He said, shocked.

"Harry!" They bounced back and forth as they both tried to get out of the other's way. Cho grabbed his arm and put him to the left, putting herself on the other side of him so she could exit.

"Watch yourself on the stairs," She warned as she turned to leave. "It's a bit icy at the top."

Harry's heart fluttered at the sound of her melodic accent. "Thank you."

Harry turned to the owls and steeled himself, making a split-second decision and running back to the exit. "Cho?"

"Yes?" She said, smiling back to him.

"Um...Well, I just wondered if you, I just wondered if maybe you wanted to go to the ball with me?" He asked, his words quickening towards the end.

Cho winced, "Oh, um...I'm sorry Harry. Somebody's already asked me and...well I said I'll go with him."

"Okay, yeah. Great!" Harry said, trying to sound enthusiastic for her while he absolutely beat himself over the head internally. He turned back to the Owlery.

"Harry?" He ran back to the exit.

"I really am--sorry." Cho said, nodding her head as she turned to leave once more.

Harry sent the owl off and went back to the common room, laying on a couch with a pillow held between his arms as he watched the fire burn. Rebecca had moved from her chair by the fire and was sitting at the back with Fred and George.

"Packing issue, solved. Products, made. Now it's just delivery." 

Fred nodded at her, "Yeah, easier said than done. We've got twenty-six boxes that need to get to the different common rooms."

George looked out the window. "I've got it!"

Rebecca turned around at the sound of commotion entering the common room, Ron lead in by Ginny and a few other girls. Rebecca was up and with them in a moment, shooing Harry off the couch as Ginny directed him there.

"It's all right, it doesn't matter." Ginny said, patting Ron's shoulder before turning to Hermione and stifling the laughter that threatened to spill out.

"What happened to you?" Harry demanded, upset that his brooding had been disrupted.

"He just asked Fleur out." That was it, Ginny couldn't hold it together after she'd said it out loud.

Hermione knelt in front of him as Rebecca asked. "What did she say?"

Ron shook his head. "No, of course." Hermione answered. Ron shook his head again. Hermione clasped her hand to her mouth, "She said yes?"

Ron began to talk. "Don't be silly. There she was, walking by. You know how I like it when they walk." Rebecca made a face at Hermione at the detail she really didn't need to know. "I couldn't help it, it just sort of slipped out."

"Actually, he sort of screamed it at her. It was a bit frightening." Ginny clarified from where she'd fallen to the floor, holding her stomach as she laughed on.

Ron took a pillow off the couch and threw it at her. "What'd you do then?" Harry asked.

"What else could I do? I ran for it." Ron put his head in his hands. "I'm not cut out for this, Harry. I don-"

"Hi, Harry." Padma and Parvati said together as they came down the stairs from the girls' dormitories.

"I've always liked looking at them from behind, I didn't expect the front to be so terrifying." Rebecca reached over and covered his mouth with her hands. "Please Ron, enough details."

"Oh, she's never going to forgive me. Not ever." Ron groaned again, pulling himself away from her hands. Harry turned and ran after the two girls that had been fawning over him. 

"Hey!" Harry called, stepping with them out into the hallway outside of the common room.

When he returned a few minutes later, he was proud to announce to them all that he'd secured Ron and himself dates.

Rebecca shook her head and went to the bottom of the boys' staircase, Fred and George having disappeared up them. She climbed them, watching Hermione pull Ginny up off of the floor and dusting her off. Turning into the hall of doors, Rebecca knocked on the wall outside of Fred's.

"Hello?" Inside, Fred lay on his bed with his hand resting over his eyes. "He's fallen asleep waiting for the shower!" Rebecca looked over to the closed bathroom door and figured George must have gotten in.

Rebecca took the opportunity and climbed onto his bed with him, letting her head rest against his chest. His breathing was slow and steady, his heart beats the same way. She put her arm around him and smiled.

He stirred at the presence in his bed, not expecting a cuddle. "Rebecca?" He asked as he saw the top of her head. "You alright?"

She looked up and smiled, kissing him gently before answering. "Perfect. You?"

"Well, I've been better." She leaned up and kissed him again, a little longer this time.

"Now?"

"I don't know..." Fred sat up and leaned over her, moving his arm so that it was under her head and kissing her from above.

When he pulled away, Rebecca kept her eyes closed and smiled. "How about now?" She asked.

Fred nodded, "Yeah, that's perfect."

The water turned off in the shower, sending Rebecca and Fred sprawling apart. "Good night!" She whispered, stepping out into the hallway and closing the door to the outside just as George stepped out of the bathroom in his pajamas.

"Who were you talking to?"

"No one?" Fred sat up and grabbed his pajamas, moving to the bathroom. "Are you hearing things George? Need to go to the Hospital Wing?"

George grinned and laid back in his bed, "What? And change anything about all this?" He motioned to himself, causing Fred to laugh as he closed the bathroom door. 

*******************************************

"So you really won't tell me who you're going with?" Rebecca asked again as she and Hermione laid in bed, tired and going to sleep before Ginny.

"Are you telling me who you're going with?" Hermione countered, reaching up and turning the light off.

"No." 

"Well, then no." 

Ironically, if either girl had guessed, both would have been correct about the other's dates. But, as they were both incredibly stubborn, they said nothing and instead went to bed laughing at Ron's Fleur-ting. 

(Pun fully intended)

*******************************************

Author's Note:

Congratulations! You've made it through 2020! I hope you enjoy the chapter and may 2021 treat you better than 2020 has.

<3


	63. Chapter 63

Christmas Eve began like any other day: The sun rose up over the horizon, shining onto the snow-blanketed castle and warming its stony exterior. And yet, it was not like any other day. Rebecca swung her legs out of bed and pulled on some warm weekend-wear since the holidays had started. 

Brushing her teeth, she looked in the mirror and grinned, excited for the evening. Stepping out of their room where Hermione and Ginny slept on as it was rather early, Rebecca was shocked to find the hallway a flurry with running Gryffindors. After slowly closing the door behind her so the latching of the knob wasn't heard from in the room, she turned to go down the hall and jumped back as Parvati sprinted down the hall in front of her.

Rebecca walked down the hall to the common room, dodging other girls running about and wondering what they were doing awake so early. "What happened to peaceful mornings?" She asked to Angelina as the older girl stepped out of her room and walked next to her.

"Have you forgotten? The ball's only thirteen hours away!" Angelina held her hands to her face in mock-horror as they began to laugh.

"Oh no! You're joking!"

"Not at all, Katie has literally been in the shower for an hour."

Angelina and Rebecca went down the stairs to find the common room much emptier, almost entirely so. They had just stepped out of the portrait hole when they heard someone shouting from behind them.

"Angelina!" George shouted over and over with every step he took, grinning at how she rolled her eyes. "Shall we get breakfast together?" He asked when he and Fred got to them.

"Spend the evening and the morning with you?" Angelina responded like he'd asked her to drink poison before shaking her head and moving away from Rebecca as she and George walked ahead.

"Good morning," Fred said as they followed.

"Good morning, sleep well?" 

"Yes, I did. Strange thing though: An angel was up in my bed before I went to shower!"

Rebecca looked over to him, "An angel? You're ridiculous."

Fred smiled cheekily, "But you wouldn't want me any other way!" 

He hoisted himself up onto the bannister to slide down it, laughing as Rebecca did the same behind him. "Ready?" He asked as he went to lift his feet. She nodded, lifting her feet as he did. The stone bannister flew under them quickly, George and Angelina jumping out of the way as they passed them.

Fred looked to Rebecca before turning back towards the stairs, both of them bowing as he had the night of their quidditch rendezvous. They made their way to breakfast and enjoyed it leisurely, Rebecca filling him in on the nuttiness already taken hold over the girls.

Fred turned his head and saw that Angelina and George were deep in conversation farther down the table. "How're we doing this?"

"This?"

He couldn't help smiling, "The ball. Am I meeting you in the common room? At the ball? In a secluded closet?"

Rebecca blushed, "Fred!" She hissed before taking a drink of water. "How about in the courtyard outside the hall?"

Fred nodded, "I see. And, shall I greet you with a kiss or remain solely gentlemanly until later in the evening?"

Rebecca shrugged, "It's entirely up to you."

"Perhaps I'll wait then, let your anticipation grow..." He grabbed a pancake as he watched her squirm. "Perhaps not though."

*******************************************

The afternoon went quickly, Ron and Harry spent a lot of time in their room to hide from Padma and Parvati's questioning. "What're you wearing?"

"Are you bringing flowers?"

"Are you excited to dance?"

Ron was almost relieved when Neville ran up to their room and shouted that it was time to get ready because he knew the evening couldn't end until it had begun. Harry grabbed his robes and jumped into the bathroom after Neville had finished, bringing his toothbrush with him.

*******************************************

Across the tower, the girls were in a similar state or preparation. Ginny was the first dressed, ready, and out the door, leaving both fourth years to watch as she met up with other third years who had been invited in the hall.

"Youths, am I right?" Rebecca said.

Hermione shook her head, "I would not start complaining about 'youths' with such an air of maturity!"

"What do you mean?" Rebecca kept her face serious as she pulled the bag out of the closet with her dress in it. "I'm the most mature person in the entire castle."

Hermione put her hair brush down and turned to her slowly. "Rebecca, you-"

"Bring never-ending and increasing levels of joy into your life every moment we're together?" Rebecca offered.

"Something like that." Hermione said, smiling at her antics. "Are you going to get ready or leave Fred waiting all night?"

Rebecca froze in the doorframe, turning back slowly. "Is it overwhelmingly obvious?"

Hermione held her hand up and waved it from side to side, "Pretty sure Ron's unaware, not that that means anything."

Rebecca put her dress over her shoulder and leaned against the frame, "Yeah, well what about you then? Pretty big bonbon you've secured."

It was Hermione's turn to freeze before nodding slowly, "So..."

"So..."

They looked at each other before cracking up, "So we've both said nothing and we already knew!" Hermione said between laughs. "We're so stupid!"

"But so smart, too!" Rebecca added, turning back into the bathroom to get dressed. She closed the door behind her and hung her dress up on the hook behind the door. She took off her clothes and kicked them towards the door, unzipping the dress bag and pulling it out. She laid the bottom onto the floor, stepping into the pile of red fabric before pulling up the straps and putting her arms through them. 

She looked in the mirror and surveyed the curls around her head. She tilted her head from side to side, eventually just deciding to take the bits that hung around her face and pin them up at the back of her head as she had the day of the infunde charm. She reached into her drawer of beauty supplies and pulled out the only thing in it: A strawberry lip gloss she'd picked up in Hogsmeade ages ago.

She put the glossy wand to her lips, spreading a thin coating and rubbing her lips together until it was spread evenly. When Rebecca opened the bathroom door, she found that Hermione was already in her dress as well. Both girls fawned over the other, talking about how much the colours suited them.

Hermione loved how bold the red was while Rebecca thought the softer violets and pinks suited Hermione perfectly. They zipped each other up and went over the last few things they had to do. Rebecca shuffled through her pile of jumpers, not finding the one she was looking for.

"Hey Hermione?" 

Hermione opened the bathroom door, her hair done as well. "You know my white jumper, the one that buttons in the front? You seen it?"

Hermione pursed her lips, "Did you look on Ginny's bed? I thought I saw her with it last week."

Rebecca crossed the room and saw a glimpse of white poking out, "Got it!" Rebecca shook out the wrinkles and slipped it on over her dress, very happy with how they looked together and was standing by the door, waiting for Hermione, when Hermione called from the bathroom.

"Shoes?"

Rebecca rolled her eyes, "You don't always have to know everything!" She padded back along wood floor and grabbed the pair of black flats Hermione had made her purchase at Hogsmeade a few days earlier. Hermione, upon hearing that Rebecca had just planned on wearing her trainers, both wanted to shun and throttle her, and made her buy sensible shoes. 

"You know, I was going to wear nice socks." Rebecca said from the door, remembering the trainer situation.

"Don't you even start that again." Hermione warned, leaving the bathroom and joining her at the door. "Now, if you shenanigans are through, let's do this."

Rebecca pushed the door open and they proceeded down the hall.

*******************************************

"Bloody hell." Ron said, turning and looking at himself in the mirror. "Bloodiest of bloody hells." Harry left the bathroom, fully dressed and was bombarded by Ron.

"What are those? What are those!" Ron whirled around, his lacy edges fluttering with his movement.

"My dress robes!" Harry said, looking down at his black robes and white bowtie.

"Well, they're all right! No lace. No dodgy little collar."

Harry stepped forward, looking over Ron's outfit and tried to comfort his mate. "I expect yours are more traditional.:

"Traditional? They're ancient! I look like my Great Aunt Tessie," Ron raised an arm and smelled himself. "I smell like my Great Aunt Tessie." 

Ron turned and looked at himself in the mirror, hating that Fred and George were the ones to get new robes. "Murder me, Harry. Just do it."

Harry shook his head, "And what? Leave me with Padma and Parvati? Fat chance. C'mon, let's get out of here." Neville had finished a half an hour earlier and already walked Ginny to the Great Hall in a polite fashion, wooing her with his knowledge of aquatic plants.

"There's even this one plant where you can eat it and breathe under water!" He said excitedly. 

Harry and Ron found that they'd taken longer than they'd expected, the common room full of the first, second, and third years who hadn't been invited. Rebecca and Hermione had already exited the portrait hole, having waited for Harry and Ron until they thought they would be late.

The boys hurried out, rushing down the stairs and slowing down once they heard the music and chatter of the students in the corridor leading to the Great Hall.

"Leave it alone!" Harry hissed, whacking Ron's hand away from his collar before Ron sighed.

"Poor kid, probably up in her room. Crying her eye's out."

"Rebecca?"

Ron scoffed, "No, Hermione. You know she hasn't got a date, why else wouldn't she tell us who she's coming with?"

Harry rolled his eyes, "Because we'd take the mickey out of her if she did."

"Nobody asked her." Ron ignored the insinuation that he would ever make fun of Hermione.

Padma and Parvati appeared in front of them as they stepped onto the bottom of the stairs. "Hello, boys!" They said in unison before Padma continued alone.

"Don't you look...dashing?" She said to Ron.

Ron was trying to think of a response and was saved as McGonagall joined them. "There you are Potter! Are you and Miss Patil ready?"

"Ready, professor?"

"To dance! It's traditional that the three champions-well, in this case four, are the first to dance. Surely, I told you that."

"No." Harry said, his stomach grabbed by nerves. 

Hermione told Rebecca that she and Viktor had chosen a spot outside the castle to meet, where they could chat for a few minutes without his fans mobbing them. 

"You're going outside?" Rebecca demanded.

"Well, it would be hard to meet someone outside without being outside."

Rebecca shook her head, "You're insane. You're in a gown, no coat, no jumper, not even a scarf. Put this on." Rebecca shrugged her white jumper off, "It's a good thing white goes with everything."

Hermione tried to decline, saying how it was only for a few minutes, but Rebecca put her foot down. "You will catch you death out there and then who knows how untied my ties will be?" Hermione put the jumper on and pulled her hair out from the back. 

"Good?"

"Beautiful, as you were and as you are. Now go on!" Rebecca pushed her towards the door and turned down the corridor seeing where McGonagall was talking to Harry and made her way towards them.

"Well, now you know." Rebecca heard McGonagall say before turning and seeing Rebecca behind her. "Miss Potter, you, Mr Weasley, and Miss Patil may proceed into the Great Hall."

Ron and Padma stepped away, Parvati following Padma a moment, leaving Harry and Rebecca to their own. "Rebecca...You look brilliant. Positively brilliant."

Rebecca put on her posh butler's accent, "Now now, Master Potter, don't be daft!" Harry winced at her horrible impression.

"You look very handsome as well." Rebecca said in her own voice. "Now why do you look like you've got a dementor in your pants?" She reached up and straightened his tie. "Parvati scaring you?"

"Well, yes. But McGonagall just said we've got to dance first!"

Rebecca put her hands at her side and leaned forward, kissing his cheek and going to follow Ron into the Hall, "Just remember the beats and you'll be fine!" Harry looked behind her and saw Cho greeting another Ravenclaw, Cedric at her side.

"I'm sorry." Rebecca mouthed to him, walking backwards through the doorway, seeing the crestfallen look on his face. 

"I never should have told him about the dragons." Harry thought to himself bitterly. 

"She looks beautiful!" Parvati said, watching Hermione and Viktor come down the stairs arm in arm. Harry turned away from the heartbreaking sight of Cho giggling at Cedric and found that Parvati was absolutely correct--Hermione did look beautiful. Viktor nodded his head triumphantly as the pair passed Harry and Parvati, the doors swinging open to the Great Hall as trumpets blasted out the door.

The champions and their dates walked into the Great Hall in a procession, Fleur at the front and Harry at the back. Rebecca watched how Harry's jaw clenched as they marched past the clapping students, waving to both him and Hermione and Viktor.

Ron's mouth dropped as he saw who Hermione's date was. "Is that Hermione Granger? With Viktor Krum?" Padma asked him, leaning over so that he could hear her over the crowd.

"No. Absolutely not." Ron said, shaking his head in disbelief.

The crowd fell silent as the champions took their places on the dance floor, Flitwick tapping his baton to gather the attention of the orchestra. Rebecca looked around the Hall as little snowflakes began to fall from the ceiling, Fred not anywhere to be seen.

The orchestra began to play. Rebecca giggled as Parvati had to grab Harry's hand and place it on her waist, the dance beginning. After one full revolution of the students, McGonagall was lead onto the floor by Dumbledore. Fleur's date took her to the middle of the dance floor, spinning her and showing her off. The attention of the boys of the crowd was quickly caught, the girls rolling their eyes as they fell into a stupor.

Rebecca felt a tapping on her shoulder and turned around, a tall, red-haired, grinning Weasley behind her.

"Hey George," Rebecca said, not masking her disappointment entirely.

"Wow. Talk about pathetic." He laughed as she whacked him. "He's out in the hall, asked me to see if you'd meet him out there."

"Fred?"

George rolled his eyes and pushed her so that she'd get a move on, "No, Cornelius Fudge."

Angelina had her arm wrapped in George's and answered kinder than her date had. "Yes, Fred."

Rebecca smiled and made her way through the crowd, looking away as she got a glimpse of Filch dancing with Mrs Norris in the corner. If Rebecca hadn't been beckoned away from the first dance, she would have seen Neville lead Ginny to the floor and begin to sweep her around the others, Ginny laughing exuberantly at his prowess.

But, she had. Peeking out the large doors, she saw Fred leaning against the wall across the way. "Fred?"

He looked up from the flower in hand and found himself speechless. Rebecca walked to him, concerned at his newfound silence. She looked down at her dress and back at him. "What's wrong?"

Fred shook his head, clearing his mind and grabbing her hand from where she held the bottom of her dress out. "Wrong? Nothing's wrong!"

"Quiet you is new-" Rebecca said, smiling as Fred interrupted her.

"I was struck!" He pulled her closer to him and looked down to her. "You're stunningly gorgeous, positively breathtaking."

Rebecca blushed as he spun her away from him and then back. "This is for you, love."

Rebecca took the tulip from his hand and smelled it. "Fred, why's this smell like banana?"

Fred smirked, "I had an idea. Backwards-Bouquets! The flowers smell like everything but flowers!"

She smelled it again and looked up at him, "You want to head on in now? Harry's, well...Harry's trying to dance."

Fred grabbed her hand and looked at her a moment before leaning down and placing a hand on the side of her face, tilting it to him as he kissed her. "I'm ready now."

Rebecca grabbed his hand as he walked towards the door, their late entrance catching the attention of those at the door. Rebecca faltered, their eyes on she and Fred together feeling strange and unfamiliar. "We can wait, if you want." Fred offered gently, slowing himself.

She looked up at his kind, concerned face. "Wait for what?" She grabbed his collar and pulled him into another kiss, those watching at the back clapping. Fred looked at her with a smile as she pulled away, "May I have this dance?" He asked, pulling her towards where the other students had begun to waltz with the champions.

"Yes, you may." Rebecca said, seeing her jumper put on a chair. She placed it on the jumper gently before joining Fred as they weaved their way to where everyone was dancing. Fred held his hand out and placed his hand on her waist confidently.

They jumped into motion, turning and stepping in unison. When it was time for the gentlemen to lift the ladies as they spun, Fred did so easily. Spinning back into the waltz, Fred and Rebecca danced on.

*******************************************

Fred and Rebecca stumbled off the dance floor, out of breath and ready for a break. They walked to the punch bowl as the Twisted Sisters that had taken the stage began to play.

"Move your body like a hairy troll, learning to rock and roll.  
Spin around like a crazy elf, dancing by himself!"

Fred handed her a cup and followed her as she made her way to the seats Hermione had chosen. George laughed and waved at them from the middle of the bouncing kids, Angelina at his side.

"Ruddy pumpkinhead, isn't he?" Ron spat, sitting next to Harry while Padma and Parvati sat on the ends of them. 

"Pumpkin?" Fred asked as he took a seat next to them. "I always thought I was more of a sun-kissed, fiery red."

Ron rolled his eyes and nodded his head to where Hermione and Viktor were having a wonderful time dancing. "I don't think it was the book that had him going to the library." Harry added.

Rebecca took a drink of her punch and looked at Fred, finding it all-too similar to the pumpkin juice Fred had offered her after the first task. Fred shrugged and looked away, telling Ron to pull his head out his arse. "Don't be so bitter, you'll give yourself wrinkles."

Two Durmstrang boys went to both Padma and Parvati, asking them for a dance. They left Harry and Ron as Rebecca followed Fred in their scolding. "You two are horrid! Can't you just let her have a good time!"

Ron shook his head, falling silent as Viktor and Hermione walked to them. Viktor grabbed Hermione's hand and kissed it tenderly before turning to get them a drink. Hermione sat in the chair next to Fred breathlessly. "Hot, isn't it?"

Rebecca laughed as Fred answered her, "You are sitting next to me." He reached down and grabbed Rebecca's hand, squeezing it.

"You two?" Ron said incredulously, "Finally?"

Fred patted Ron's knee sympathetically, "Don't worry mate, one day...Nah!" Hermione played with the end of her dress, "Viktor's gone to get drinks, care to join us?"

Rebecca and Fred raised their glasses. Ron leaned forward so Hermione could see him fully. "No, no we'd not care to join you and Viktor."

"What's got your wand in a knot?" Hermione asked, her smile fading at the rotten tone Ron used.

"He's a Durmstrang! You're fraternizing with the enemy."

Hermione scoffed, "Did you or did you not ask Fleur to the ball? The whole point of the ball is to encourage international magical cooperation...to make friends." Hermione stood up, not going to let Ron ruin her evening.

"I think he's got a bit more than friendship on his mind."

Hermione turned at him and looked at him a long moment, before turning and leaving. Rebecca took the last sip of her drink as Ron pouted at the floor. Harry looked to Rebecca and raised his eyebrows, not surprised at the turn of the evening's events.

"Well, this has been pleasant. May I whisk you away elsewhere?" Fred asked, standing and offering his hand to Rebecca.

"Please," She said, putting her cup next to hers and placing her hand on his. 

Ron gagged, "Gross."

Harry shook his head, "It's not gross, Ron."

The orchestra picked up again, playing slow music. Fred lead her to the floor before putting his hand back on her waist and pulling her against him. She looked up at him before putting her head against him, Fred starting to away them back and forth.

"You really are the most beautiful girl tonight."

Rebecca lifted her eyes to his, "You're too sweet."

He squeezed her hand, "I'm serious! There's not a single other girl...or bloke for that matter...in here that even begins to compare to you." She blushed and put her head back down. He held her away from him and bent down so that their faces were level. "I've never been more serious in my entire life."

He leaned forwards and kissed her gently before standing and swaying with her once more, humming along with the music. Rebecca closed her eyes and let her ears fill with the sounds of the music, the sounds of his voice, and the smell of him filling her nose. The smell of something fresh, something wild. 

"He's like a breeze blowing over a meadow: Refreshing, peaceful, pleasant."

*******************************************

"He's using you." Ron said, following Hermione out of the hall.

"How dare you!" Hermione hissed, trying to get away from him. "I can take care of myself."

"Doubt it, he's way too old for you."

"That's what you think? Here's a solution: Next time there's a ball, pluck up the courage and ask me before somebody else does. Not as a last resort!"

Harry followed them out of the hall, stepping between the two of them. "Hermione-"

"Don't you 'Hermione' me! You can't possibly agree with him!"

Harry shook his head and held his hand up so that Ron would stay silent, "I'm calling for neutrality. Just go, ignore him and go dance with Krum before the ball's over, okay?"

Hermione watched Harry a moment before nodding curtly, "I see at least one of you has sense." And returning to the ball, Krum standing at the door glowering at Ron. Ron gulped at the sight of his hero glaring at him so powerfully.

"C'mon Harry, let's just go up to bed." Harry followed Ron as he ranted and raved, hoping Hermione's evening wasn't entirely spoiled.

It wasn't, though Harry wouldn't know until Rebecca told him in the morning as Hermione ignored both boys entirely for several days. She and Viktor danced until the end of the very last song, Viktor comforting her until she was happier and spinning her around until she laughed for him.

"Zat is my favorite zound, your laughing." Hermione blushed and put her head against him.

Rebecca and Fred were looking around the room and whispering their observations to each other. "Neville's still dancing with Ginny, can you believe that?"

"Harry mentioned he's been practicing for hours up in their room every night."

Fred raised his eyebrows, "That's...sweet?"

When the clock struck twelve and the ball took on a rowdier tone, Fred asked if Rebecca wanted to go on a walk.

"If you're alright with leaving?" 

Fred nodded and pointed out towards the pandemonium, "I'm good if you are. Grab your jumper though."

Rebecca grabbed it off Hermione's chair and held her flower, "Hermione wore this in, not me."

"It's yours though, you wore it on the day we went to Hogsmeade. When we rode with Fleur, remember?"

"Oh, yeah. I remember, I just didn't know you had."

Fred smirked as he took a whiff of the banana flower, "A day spent almost entirely with you? I'll never forget."

Rebecca rolled her eyes as she smiled at his cheesiness, "You're too much."

Fred went right outside the Great Hall, walking towards the doors open to the outside of the castle where torches were lit on the stones every few feet, the falling snow shining in the firelight.

Fred put his arm around her and walked with her against his side. "You did have a lovely evening, I hope?"

"The best! You did as well then?"

Fred smiled and swiped the snow off a bench with his sleeve before sitting. "The best." He sat on the edge of the bench and hopped back up. "Bloody cold!"

Rebecca giggled, "How about a walk up to the common room? Most people should be dancing still."

"Why's that matter?"

Rebecca shrugged, "Well, I mean...I thought you'd want a little privacy. You know, goodnight's kiss and all."

Fred leaned down and whispered into her ear, "Kisses, you mean 'goodnight's kisses.'"

They laughed and made their way up the stairs, the spiked juice leaving them more boisterous than they would have been without it. Upstairs, Fred tore off his overcoat of his dress robes and hung it on the bannister of the boys' stairs, Rebecca doing the same with her jumper.

Fred watched her gravitate towards the fire and the couch in front of it, sitting on it after looking back to him. He hopped over the back of the couch, landing next to her with a plop. He put his arm around her neck and closed his eyes, the two of them exchanging kiss after kiss. He pulled himself back a few minutes later.

"So does that mean-"

"Yes."

"Damn it Rebecca, let me finish my question!" He sighed, kissing her before starting again.

"Does this mean that we're together? I can call you my girlfriend and all that?"

Rebecca bit her lip as he looked at her nervously, "Do you want to? Call me that that is?"

"Do you want to call me your boyfriend?" He countered, inching closer and closer to her lips.

"Yeah, I'd really like that." She whispered as he kissed her more passionately than before, pulling her bottom lip into his mouth before pulling back again. 

"Let's say we call that day in Hogsmeade, in the Hog's Head? Yeah, let's call that our first date."

She put her hand up and traced his jaw line gently, "Let's."

She pushed herself up and kissed him with the ferocity he had her a moment earlier.

They continued to kiss until Hermione came up nearly an hour later with George and Angelina behind her, catching them red-faced, out of breath, and their lips interlocked.

Hermione punched the air, remembering she and George's wager from the year before. "I do believe that will be 15 galleons."

Fred and Rebecca stood up, straightening their clothes and Fred flattening his hair from where she'd mussed it up.

"What?" Fred asked confused.

Hermione looked between Fred and Rebecca and winced, explaining their wager. "George and I may have had a small pool going...on when you two would...get together."

Fred looked at Rebecca and winked with the eye not facing them. "We're together?"

Rebecca caught on immediately, "We are?!"

George rolled his eyes and told Hermione he'd pay her tomorrow. "How was I supposed to know they'd get over that awkward phase so quickly!"

Angelina reached up and scratched the back of her neck. "Well...That wasn't the only pool going."

Rebecca and Fred looked at her. Angelina continued, "Katie and I may have had a similar wager going..." Angelina looked at George. "I really didn't expect anything until next year, either."

George grinned and walked Angelina to the girls' stairs, leaving Hermione to climb the stairs and watch as Fred turned and held Rebecca's hands. "Well..."

"Well..."

Fred wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. "Good night, love."

She walked with him to the boys' stairs where she hopped up the first two stairs so she was level with him and pecked his lips. "Good night."

*******************************************

Ginny stumbled into their room ages after Hermione and Rebecca had washed their faces and gotten into their pajamas.

"So, young lady. Where do you think you've been all this time?" Rebecca said, crossing her arms and acting serious.

Ginny rolled her eyes, "Neville and I, we snuck out to the greenhouses and we named them all."

Hermione looked at her shocked, "Well, that's certainly one way for you to study, I guess."

Ginny poked her head back out of the bathroom before closing it, "Not exactly. He named them by their scientific names...I came up with name-names. Jon, Louis, Georgina..."

Hermione facepalmed and looked to Rebecca after Ginny closed the door, "You two...You're going to say something one day and I'm just going to drop dead."

*******************************************

Neville stumbled into Ron and Harry's similarly to how Ginny had, loudly and excitedly. "I'm only getting back now!" Neville said to Harry as he waltzed around the room. "Me!"

Harry rolled over, wishing Neville didn't have to be so obvious about how well his evening had gone. Ron put his pillow over his head as Harry closed his eyes, ready for sleep as it was past two now.

Across the hall, Fred wandered out of the bathroom with his pajama shirt in hand. George mimed like he retched over the edge of his bed. "What is the matter with you?" Fred demanded, pulling his shirt over his head before jumping onto his bed.

"You." Lee rolled his eyes at George's response.

"He's just bitter because you cost him 15 galleons."

"I cost him? I didn't make him bet anything!" Fred put his hands behind his head and looked up at the ceiling.

"Well, there is absolutely nothing about you that would make someone think you were going to have the stones to do anything this year!"

Fred tuned George out as George continued on, letting his mind wander over how beautiful Rebecca had been that night.

"Girlfriend. I've got a girlfriend!" His excitement stalled, "Damn. I've got to write mum and dad tomorrow."

*******************************************

Author's Note:

Whew, what a relief. This has been a chapter in planning for ages, pretty much since the storyline first formed. I hope you enjoy it. I did take some liberty in changing how the Yule Ball ended up for Hermione. I always hated how Ron ended up spoiling it for her in the book and movie and knew from the very start I didn't want that to happen.

<3


	64. Chapter 64

The Great Hall was adorned with curtains of red and pink, paper hearts spread out along the tables. Fred and Rebecca walked into the smells of breakfast hand-in-hand like they had every morning since the Yule Ball.

Harry rolled his eyes and looked back down to his oatmeal at the sight. "They don't have to be together every...single...second..." 

Ron scoffed, "I know, it's disgusting."

"You two are just worried your going to die alone." Ginny said as she passed them to her seat. Hermione nodded, agreeing with her but saying nothing. 

"Good morning, sourpusses." Rebecca said, seeing their faces.

"Just bloody peachy." Ron said, taking another bite of his massive breakfast plate.

Rebecca looked to Hermione and raised her eyebrows. Hermione shook her head and looked between Fred and Rebecca, "What exactly are your plans for the day?"

Fred shrugged, "We're planning on spending the day in Hogsmeade sans plans."

Rebecca smiled at him and looked back to Hermione, "Yep, we're going to catch the carriage and see where we end up."

Hermione looked down, sad she had to be the one to pass on what Harry had revealed as the three walked to breakfast that morning. "Well...um..."

Rebecca held up a hand. "Your tone indicates that this is bad." Hermione nodded. "Hold for one moment."

Fred handed the teapot next to him to her and tossed a sugar cube into it, tossing one into the air and crunching on it as he caught it. Rebecca took a sip. "I'm ready."

"Harry has not, in fact, cracked the egg."

Ron looked at Hermione. "You did not just make a pun about this."

Hermione looked down, ashamed. "I thought it would soften-"

"Harry. James. Potter." Rebecca closed her eyes and took another sip of her tea. Fred reached over and patted Harry's hand solemnly. Rebecca took a deep breath before she spoke calmly, "This is a problem that needs solving. We have ten days and-"

"And naught." Cedric said from behind her. He looked away as Rebecca turned in her chair, remembering Harry's scolding when he'd warned him about the dragons. "Harry, take a bath with the egg. I think you'll find the answer. Here, the password to the Prefects bathroom, should be empty today with the Hogsmeade trip." He slipped a piece of paper across the table. Harry took the paper begrudgingly, remembering Cho at the ball with him.

Cedric looked at Fred and then back to Rebecca. "And, I'm sorry."

Rebecca was taken back, "Sorry? You just saved the day!"

"No, I'm sorry for how I spoke to you before the first task. That was wrong and rude of me, and for that, I apologise."

Rebecca nodded her head once. "That is kind of you, Cedric. I accept your apology and I will," Fred nudged her, knowing what she was going to say. "I will admit that I may have been harsh when I said you did not have any loyalty..." Her voice lowered. "Like a Hufflepuff should." Fred nudged her again and she nudged him back before finishing quickly. "But I will say nothing about your friends. I meant what I said about them."

Fred nodded, glad she finally got this off of her chest. Fred had spent many, many afternoons listening to her go back and forth about whether or not she was too mean when she'd shouted at him and if she should find him for an apology or not.

Cedric left, leaving a shell-shocked Ron. "Did you...you did...you really bloody did...You just apologised TO THE ENEMY!" He bellowed at the end.

Harry ignored them as Ron continued to scold Rebecca in elevating volume as he pretended she couldn't hear him. "A bath? How is a bath going ro do anything?"

Rebecca turned to Fred and started a conversation, Ron's face growing more and more scarlet as he shouted on. George walked up to them with his hands held over his ears. "Ronald, we've talked about the difference between our inside and our outside voice. Let's take a moment." George held his hand up and put five fingers up, putting one down for each passing second before continuing, "Let's look where we are rethink our decision."

Harry snorted, causing Ron to turn on him. "What? You have no problem with this?"

Harry shrugged and looked at Rebecca and Hermione, "Ron, the point of the tournament is to cooperate internationally with relations and wizards." Harry looked to Hermione, knowing he'd butchered what she'd said before.

Ron stood up and left the hall, ignoring Nigel who was chasing after him. Harry stood up slowly, sighing. "I'm going to take a bath, apparently. Just ignore Ron, you know he'll be back to normal by supper." Harry looked from Fred to Rebecca before leaving without another word.

Rebecca winced at his brisk exit. Fred leaned over and grabbed her around the shoulder, making her sway from side to side on the bench with him as George hopped on the other side and watched them, grabbing a handful of grapes and popping them into his mouth.

"Do you want to stay today? There's always next time."

"Nope, I hope Harry is able to run a bath by himself by now. You've been excited, I've been excited, let's go see where we end up, okay?"

Fred nodded, grabbing another pancake and standing up, pulling her up with him. "Then let's go!"

George watched them leave and grabbed another handful of grapes. "I'm good, a little too chilly for me. Thanks."

*******************************************

"Woah there!" Fred called, grabbing the hood of Rebecca's winter coat as she slipped on an ice patch.

Her coat slipped up over her face, her body held up only by the coat holding her up by her underarms. "Look, a headless person." Fred said as he released her hood and put his hands at her waist, pulling her coat down. "Oh, nevermind"

They both turned back in the direction they had been going in and looked at the intersection. Rebecca turned to Fred and shuffled her feet closer to him. "It's your turn. Left, right, or straight?"

Fred looked at each pathway, sighing and looking at Rebecca as he took an eternity like he had every other time it was his turn. "Hmmm...Left?"

Rebecca took a step to the left. "Or right?" He smirked as she looked up to him. He looked back down each pathway and grabbed her hand. "Let's go this way."

They walked and slipped as they made their way to the right, finding themselves back on Hogsmeade's main road at the end. Rebecca looked across the way and saw Cedric and Cho outside Madame Puddifoot's. Cedric waved to them, Cho doing the same.

Fred put his arm around Rebecca's shoulder and pulled her closer to him, waving back. "Are you..."

"No, I have no idea what you're talking about." Fred said.

Rebecca rolled her eyes, "Well, Mr-I'm-Not-Being-Possessive-in-a-Moderately-Endearing-Way, would you like to head back to the castle."

Fred turned them and started walking back to the carriages, "Moderately endearing?"

Rebecca shrugged, "Jealousy isn't a good look on anybody."

Fred leaned down and looked at her a moment before facing forward and muttering. "I'm not jealous."

"Not even an inch?"

He shook his head. "So, you just...pull me into you in front of everyone?"

Fred reached over and pulled her back into his side, "There, look, there's no one and I did. Am I jealous of air now?"

"You have mentioned that your super power of choice would be invisibility."

"You use my dreams against me now?"

Fred opened up the door to the carriage and held his hand out. "Speaking of invisibility..." She said, hopping up and into the carriage as Fred climbed in after her. "I do have access to an invisibility cloak..." She took her gloves off and turned on the bench, sitting across from him and leaning closer to him.

"Are you saying-"

"Maybe we should use it before everyone is back. Did you bring your swimsuit by chance?"

*******************************************

Fred giggled uncharacteristically as they watched Harry run out of the Prefects bathroom. "Oh my god, he can't see us!" He whispered, tapping Rebecca's repeatedly.

Rebecca looked back over her shoulder and smiled at his excitement. Fred whispered the password, the door popping open. Once inside, they saw that the bath not only covered most of the room, but that the bottom was covered in a thin layer of residual bubbles.

"Did Harry really take a bubble bath?" Rebecca asked, hanging the cloak on a hook and unbuttoning her school shirt she wore over a t-shirt and some shorts.

Fred pulled his shirt off and pulled his pants down, revealing his boxers underneath. Neither of them had, in fact, brought their swimsuits as Rebecca didn't have one and Fred had never imagined he'd need his trunks and they had pieced together the next best thing: Fred's underwear and a pair of shorts Rebecca had found in the common room lost-and-found and then cleaned with the scourging charm.

Fred turned the tap at the spout and clapped his hands as the water poured out. 

"Oh my, two now? And here I thought my excitement was over!" Fred and Rebecca looked at each other before looking to where Moaning Myrtle poked her head out of the quickly filling tub. "So, what's going on here?"

Rebecca put her hands on her hips. "You are aware that we're children, right? I understand that spectres don't age physically, but you're mentality has lived on longer than we've even been alive."

Fred crossed his arms in front of his chest, Myrtle staring at him lewdly. "Fine, I see. Privacy's important to the Potters!"

Myrtle shot out of the tub and dove into the toilet, a splash of water flooding out of the toilet with her exit. Fred turned the tap back and nodded at the tub holding his hands out like an olympic diver before cannonballing into the water. Rebecca sat at the edge and stuck her legs into the water.

Fred emerged in the middle of the tub, pushing his hair back as he looked around and saw her at the edge. "Too deep?" He asked, swimming over to her. "I can let some water back out."

She shook her head and put her hands back, letting her head fall back. "I am perfect right here."

He put his back on the wall between her legs and put his head back. "Can you even believe we got here invisibly?"

Rebecca sat up and combed her hands through his hair. "I cannot." He sighed as she took a section on the side of his head and started to braid it. He opened his eyes and looked at her, her bottom lip sucked under her teeth as her fingers worked.

"Have I told you how pretty you look today?"

She looked into his eyes and smiled, "Yes, I believe you mentioned it once."

"Well then I must mention it twice." He turned around and put his arms on her knees, wrapping his fingers together behind her back.

"Can I try something?" He asked softly, standing up and putting his face closer to hers.

"What is it?"

He pulled her towards him, her legs linking around his back as she grabbed his shoulders. "Fred! Fred, no, please!" She pushed on him, lifting as much of as she could out of the water.

"Look, look." Fred stopped where he was and took one arm out from behind her and went to grab the wall, to show her how close it was.

"Don't let go!" She closed her eyes and put her head against his. "Fred," It occured to Fred at the sound of her voice that this may not have been his brightest idea.

"Rebecca, put your hand on the wall." Fred turned his head and pressed his lips to her cheek. "It's right there."

She dragged her hand down his arm and grabbed the lip of the tub. Keeping her eyes closed, she grabbed it and put her face down in the crook of his neck. "You can stand, if you put your feet down."

She shook her head, "Let's not go crazy." She cracked open one eye and looked at him, a grin spreading across his face. "What?"

He shook his head and bent his knees, putting the water up to their shoulders. "Fred!" She squeezed him tighter. "When I find out what you are afraid of, I am going to use it to destroy you."

He put her back against the wall and tilted his head at her. "Destroy me?"

"Absolutely, entirely, completely destroy you."

He took a step backwards, closer to the middle of the the tub where it got considerably deeper. "Fred!"

He sighed and put his head against her shoulder, putting his lips against her neck as he said, "I guess I'll never have to worry about a Durmstrang boy sweeping you away."

"What?"

Fred looked at her, "Get it? Cause they're on a boat?"

Rebecca looked at him for a long moment, "No one's sweeping me away. Not now, not tomorrow, not ever." She looked across the tub and felt her heart pause as she looked at the expanse of water he'd put her in. "But I will either die or kill you if you don't let me out."

He kissed her neck again stood up, putting her back where she had been. "Talk about progress though."

She took a shuddery breath and laughed loudly, "Let's not!"

He jumped backwards and backstroked to the middle of the tub. Rebecca laid back, resting her head on the floor and letting her legs kick in the water before she over thought it and pulled them out as well.

*******************************************

"Fred, how could we forget towels? We came to a bloody bathroom!"

Fred sighed, "I was distracted by the cloak. It's powers proved to allusive!" Fred took his shirt and dried his face on it before handing it to her. "Here, face and then feet. We don't want to leave footprints."

She did as he said before handing it back and handing him her button shirt. "Love..." He held the shirt up against his chest, the bottom of the shirt falling above his bellybutton and the sleeves hardly passing his elbows. "Something tells me this isn't going to work."

She tossed the cloak to him, "I did not think that through."

He nodded, "Nope." He grabbed the edge of the cloak and put his head under it. 

"At least we'll be invisible." She muttered.

"What was that?" Fred asked, putting the other edge of the cloak over her. "That sounded almost...possessive?"

Rebecca turned around under the cloak and opened her mouth to say something. Fred looked over her shoulder and reached forward, pressing his hand to her mouth as Percy entered the bathroom.

"They're supposed to empty the tub." He sighed as he waved his wand to the tub, raising the plug. Fred shooed Rebecca to the door, knocking one of her shoes out of her hand. Percy turned towards the noise and reached for his prefect badge on the robe he'd just discarded. "I am a prefect and I deserve a modicum of respect! Especially in the lavatory!"

Fred snickered waved his wand at a sink across the bathroom, sending a sink shooting water. The second Percy's back was turned, he opened the door and pushed Rebecca out of it, easing it closed behind them.

"That was close, wasn't it?" He whispered.

She jumped back, pushing him back into the wall as Percy threw the bathroom door open and ran into the hall, looking around wildly. Fred reached his hand up and stuck his finger into his mouth, making a loud popping noise.

Rebecca leaned back further, looking over her shoulder and looked at him with her eyes wide. "What the hell?" She mouthed. He shrugged and watched Percy turn the opposite direction and march off.

Rebecca leaned off of him and turned to face him entirely. "What was that? Are you sick? Feverish? Mental? Plain ol' crazy?"

He shook his head at each of her offerings, "Nope." She turned away and took a step forward, stopped as he grabbed her wrist and pulled her back. "Crazy about you? Definitely."

"Did you do that just too use that line?"

"I would never."

*******************************************

They snuck their way back into the common room, relieved to finding it empty. "Oh thank you!" Rebecca shouted, pulling the cloak off of them. "You put off so much heat you literally made it humid."

Fred laughed, "I'm not kidding, I was fogging up in there!" She said, folding the cloak up. Fred hopped over to the stairs, "Complain all you want now, but I know you'll appreciate me as soon as there's a cool breeze somewhere."

Rebecca went to the girls' stairs and walked up them, Fred matching her step by step. "Hey!" He shouted, winding his arm back. "You forgot your dwarf shirt!"

He threw it across the common room, Rebecca catching it and tossing it over her shoulder. "It is not for dwarves!"

Fred waved from the door and walked down to his room as she did the same, both smiling until the exact moment they opened their individual doors.

"Why are you wet?!" Hermoine and George demanded.

*******************************************

After assuring Hermione that she and Fred had, in fact, not been in the still-thawing Black Lake and refusing to tell her where she had been, Hermione leaned back in her bed. "Fine, keep your secrets. Have you seen Harry yet?"

Rebecca peeled off her wet shirt, "No, why did he crack the egg?"

Hermione nodded, tapping the parchment in front of her. "He copied over what the egg sang, though I can't figure out anything other than he's going to fetch something from the Black Lake and he's got an hour to do it."

Rebecca tossed her shirt into their laundry, eliciting a sigh from Hermione. "You can't toss wet clothes in the hamper, they've got to be dry first."

Rebecca fished out her wet clothes and tossed them over the shower ball. "Will you read it to me? I'm not showering, just changing."

Hermione recited the lines, 

"Come seek us where our voices sound,  
We cannot sing above the ground,  
And while you're searching ponder this;  
We've taken what you'll sorely miss,  
An hour long you'll have to look,  
And to recover what we took,  
But past an hour, the prospect's black,  
Too late, it's gone, it won't come back."

"That's menacing." Rebecca said, racking her mind over each individual word. Rebecca laid on her bed, putting a towel under her wet hair and hugging a pillow to her chest.

"I just want this stupid tournament over with already. It was almost..."

"Peaceful?"

Rebecca nodded and rolled to her side so that she was looking at Hermione, "Exactly. Peace."

Hermione put her book and the parchment to the side. "How did you exploring go?"

Rebecca rolled her eyes, "We played Left, Right, or Straight until we'd made a big circle and Fred-It was ridiculous-He literally took over a minute on all of his turns!" Hermione watched her friend talk about where they'd gone and running into Cedric again to hanging out in the afternoon.

"How'd you even get wet?" Hermione asked, realising that she'd been fairly damp and knowing she didn't, and couldn't, swim.

"He did it. I don't know who sees water and is like 'Hey, why don't I just get on in?'"

It was Hermione's turn to roll her eyes, "Swimming is a valuable skill, what if you were skating on a lake and the ice cracked, sending you in."

"I'd freeze and die. Or die and freeze? Whichever."

"Nice."

Rebecca sat up and checked the time. "You know where Harry is?"

"Said he was stopping by the library to research the bubblehead charm. Ron went with him though."

"He's still being a git?"

"Ever so, why'd you think I was up here working?"

Rebecca jumped up and slipped her slippers on, grabbing the long, old stretched out house jumper off of where she kept it. "Let's go help then. Ron can stuff it."

Hermione watched Rebecca go to the door and cleared her throat. 

"Pants, got it." Rebecca turned back around and went to get the vital piece of clothing she was missing, pulling them on over her underwear and gesturing to them dramatically. "Fully dressed."

"For bed!"

"Really? Judge much. I've had a tiring day."

Hermione closed the door behind them, folding up the poem as she turned back to Rebecca who had forgotten her glasses back in the bathroom. "Rebecca! That's it. I'm making you a checklist you can look over before you leave, this is absurd!"

Rebecca reached up and felt her face, "That's why you're so blurry!"

*******************************************

"Okay, so the charm isn't going to work." Rebecca said as Harry's charm wore off in less than a minute for the third time in a row. "Let's keep looking."

Harry put his wand on the table Ron, Hermione, and Rebecca were spaced around and watched her get up, pushing her glasses up her nose and brushing her hand across the spines of the books as she looked them all over.

"Libraries are just collections of answers, you know." She said, pulling a book on aquatic ecosystems native to Scotland. 

"Where'd you read that?" Ron said snootily.

"I made it up, Ronald." She said, not even turning around. 

Ron mouthed her words back at her. "Very, very mature." She said as she grabbed another book and turned back to them. Ron watched her sit back down, saying nothing else. Harry reached into the table and looked at the poem again.

*******************************************

The week after the Hogsmeade trip passed quickly, no answer found for Harry's predicament and no further ideas about what he would be searching for. They had the same books they had been pouring through all week spread out around them, Ron bickering with anyone who suggested an idea.

Ginny had Neville by the sleeve and was dragging him into the library, talking to him quickly, when Madame Pince shhed them and waved her wand at the sign above the door.

"If I talk in the library, I submit myself to any and all punishments deemed fit by the librarian."

Neville gulped at Madame Pince's glower and motioned for Ginny to lower her volume. "I've got it guys!" Ginny said, stopping behind Rebecca's chair. "Go on, tell them what you were telling me about in the greenhouses after the ball."

Ron's eyes widened, "You went to the greenhouses...after the ball?" He stood up and narrowed his eyes at Neville. 

"We were looking at the bloody plants Ron, sit down and shut it." Ginny commanded, eliciting another shh from Madame Pince.

Neville cleared his throat. "Well, I told you that there were no plants named Maleficen-"

"The breathing-underwater plant, Neville."

"Oh, well, there's this plant Gillyweed where if you eat it, it lets you breathe underwater."

Harry looked up from the page on merpeople. "Where's it found Neville?"

Neville looked up a moment, thinking before he answered, "South America."

Harry turned back to his book, discouraged, as Neville continued, "But it's a popular potion ingredient."

Ron looked at Harry, who then looked at Rebecca.

"We're going to get expelled one day." Hermione sighed.

*******************************************

Luckily, for Hermione's peace of mind, they did not end up pilfering Snape's stores. A jar was placed on Harry's bed during the night, a ribbon tied around it and a card attached to the lid.

"Master" The word was scribbled out and then continued, "Harry Potter will live, Dobby will make sure."

Harry smiled and opened the jar, gagging at the stench that came out of it. Ron sat up, woken up by the not-leaving smell. "What died?"

*******************************************

The evening before the second task, Harry was in an extended state of hysteria. His mind was going over nothing but the defensive and offensive spells he'd been practising, especially those that increased light and those that propelled swarms of enemies.

Rebecca was at his side all day, leaving Fred to occupy himself with the homework he'd let pile up. "Oh Harry!" She said, far too loudly for the post-supper occupation of the common room. "Sorry!" She said, holding a hand up in acknowledgment of her volume to those who turned and looked at her. "We need to waterproof your glasses!"

He took them off and handed them to her, trusting her to do it. She tapped each of his frames before using the bottom of her shirt to clean off the dust and smudges. He thanked her and watched as Nigel entered the room and told Rebecca that Professor McGonagall wanted to see her. "Is Hermione in your room?" The young boy asked.

"I think so, why?"

Nigel looked at the stairs, seeing an issue with his task. "Professor McGonagall wants her too."

Rebecca smiled, easing the rising anxiety in the boy, "I'll fetch her and be right there. Any idea why?"

Nigel shook his head, "No, ma'am." And left quickly.

Rebecca looked at Harry slowly, "Ma'am?"

Harry shrugged, looking back to his paper. Rebecca stood up and kissed the top of his head. "Harry, it's already almost ten. I don't know how long this will take, but go to bed soon please? Don't wait for us."

Harry nodded, not really listening. "Harry." He looked up at her. "I'll be awake on time tomorrow to walk with you, okay? Swear."

He smiled at her, "If you say so, I don't know if I can count on you after last time."

"Ha ha. You're hilarious. Have you considered stand-up?"

Harry pointed to the stairs, "McGonagall's waiting."

Fred bounded down the boys' stairs just as she disappeared towards their room, considering grabbing a warmed jumper for the halls. "She head up to bed?" Fred asked, taking the chair she had been sitting in.

Harry shook his head and continued to read, feeling Fred continue to look at him. "Professor McGonagall's asked Nigel to bring her and Hermione to her."

Fred nodded and opened his mouth. "No, Nigel doesn't know why." Fred pursed his lips and sat back in the chair, glancing at Harry's tapping foot.

"If you're even half as prepared as RJ says you are, you've got nothing to worry about." He offered, hoping it came off as encouraging and not condescending. 

Harry shook his head, "She has too much faith in me, frighteningly too much."

Both boys fell silent as they heard Hermione and Rebecca come down the stairs. Fred and Harry walked to where Nigel waited by the portrait hole. "I'll walk with you." Fred offered, reaching for the door handle. Nigel stepped to the side, blocking his hand.

"Professor McGonagall explicitly forbid it. Only they're to go."

Fred's head went back a notch. "Are you going to stop me, Nigel?" Fred's voice took on an edge as he said the boy's name.

"Fred, please." Rebecca said, stepping between the boys and looking up at him. "Fred, he's a child. Can you," She gestured to him, "Take it down a couple notches or something?"

Fred rolled his eyes, "Yes, I can." He stuck his hand out to Nigel and shook his hand, nodding his head to the young boy who was relieved that Rebecca stood between them.

"We'll be back, you'll up in bed." Rebecca said, pointing to Harry. Hermione hugged Harry as Rebecca hugged Fred. "Can you please, please behave yourself?" She said into his chest.

Fred held her tighter, "Yes, I shall be on my bestest behaviour from this point on."

"How about a kiss first, then behave." She said as she stood up on her tiptoes. Fred grinned and leaned down, pressing his lips to hers for a brief peck. 

"That's all a behaving gentleman can offer, unfortunately. Unless, of course, you want to retract the 'behave yourself' request?"

"Never," She pulled herself from him and stood next to Hermione. "Don't wait, I don't want you grumpy for tomorrow. I'll see you down there, I'm walking with Harry again."

Fred nodded, "I shall have a spot reserved then."

Nigel opened the door as Rebecca and Hermione waved to Harry and Fred, Ron coming down the stairs and asking where they were off to so late.

"More fraternising?" They rolled their eyes at Ron's finishing question.

Nigel closed the door behind them and lead the way, Rebecca and Hermione chatting quietly behind him.

"What do you think she even wants?" Rebecca asked again.

"I don't know, just as I didn't know last time and I won't know the next time you ask me." 

Rebecca looked at Nigel and rolled her eyes, eliciting a giggle from the boy. The last thing either girl remembered was Nigel opening the door to McGonagall's office. Had they been conscious, they would have seen Barty Crouch casting the charm on them that put them to sleep for the task in the morn and the way McGonagall brushed the hair off their foreheads and covered them on the floating beds that would take them to the water in the early hours of morning.

Upstairs, Ginny climbed into bed and read the note on her bed. "Staying out, see you in the morning!" Ginny turned the paper to the side, not recognising the handwriting as Rebecca's print or Hermione's cursive.

Ginny pulled her blankets up to her chin after showering and found the room quiet, too quiet. She rolled to her side and looked at the wall, pretending that they were in their beds where they were supposed to be. 

*******************************************

Ginny woke up to Hermione's alarm ringing incessantly. She sat up in bed and crossed the room, whacking the alarm into silence before noticing another note on her bed in the same unfamiliar writing.

"Left early, see you there!"

Ginny put the note with the other and got dressed quickly, heading out to figure out what was really going on. Harry paced at the portrait hole, Fred at his side. After their scheduled time had passed, Harry ran up to see if Fred had seen them last night.

"No, I went up to bed after midnight, figured they'd poured a cup of tea and ended up chatting. Why, she's not here?" Fred asked, looking around the common room.

"No, she's not. Hermione's not. Ginny hasn't-"

"Look, there she is." Fred said, waving to Ginny. "Where're-"

"I don't know. I don't know where they are or what's going on. Do you?"

Harry checked the time, seeing that the task began in fifteen minutes. "Oh no..." Fred watched all colour drip from Harry's face.

"What?"

Harry whispered, "'We've taken what you'll sorely miss,' That's what the egg said." Fred was moving an instant later, shouting up the stairs for George to get Ron and meet them at the docks where the task was supposed to start.

Harry threw the portrait door open and held the jar of gillyweed in one hand, breaking out into a sprint and shouting for anyone in their way to move as he and Fred pounded down the halls, sliding with every turn.

*******************************************

Author's Note:

Whoops, a cliffhanger? I'm headed to the beach tomorrow, so I may or may not get another chapter posted. I've kind of been on a one-a-day thing now before term starts for me again, they'll have to slow back down then.

<3


	65. Chapter 65

Fred's longer legs quickly overtook Harry in their sprint, his lungs burning as he ran faster and faster out of the castle, pushing anyone out of his way as the crowd got larger the closer they got. "Move!" He bellowed waving his arms ahead of their path.

There was a line formed for the little boats that were taking the students off to the rigging built over the lake's center, the rigging where Harry had to be for the task to start. Fred and Harry hopped into the first one, cutting through the other students and ignoring their shouts.

"Don't these damn things move any faster!" Fred shouted, reaching over and pushing the water with his hand, ignoring the icy temperature of it.

Harry leaned over on his side and did the same. 

"Welcome to the second task," Both boys looked at each other as they heard Dumbledore's voice begin the opening announcement from halfway there. "Last night, something was stolen from each of our champions, a treasure of sorts."

Fred paddled faster, pushing the boat to get there soon even though he didn't know what he was going to do once they'd gotten there. "These treasures, one for each champion, now lie on the bottom of the Black Lake."

Harry stopped paddling as they got closer, unscrewing the cap to the gillyweed. "In order to win, each champion need only find their treasure and return to the surface. Simple enough--except for this. They will have but one hour to do so, and one hour only." Harry jumped from the boat and ran towards the lineup of other champions, shoving the foul gillyweed into his mouth as he pushed his way through.

"You may begin with the start of the cannon." Filch lit the fuse and the boom reverberated through the riggings, the champions diving into the water. Harry ran the last few steps, feeling his neck as his skin prickled painfully, finding new slits as he dove headfirst into the water. The effects of the gillyweed made themselves abundantly clear as he began to swim madly in the water, his hands and feet now webbed and him able to breathe freely underwater.

*******************************************

Up above, Fred was restrained as Professor McGonagall spoke to him quietly, looking around as his shouts attracted the attention of every person on the rigging.

"She can't swim! She can't bloody swim!" His voice cracked as he shouted louder. "She's afraid of bloody water!"

"Mr Weasley!" Fred looked at her, his cheeks red from exertion and emotion. "It is out of our hands now, the tournament commands it."

George and Ron made their way to the dock, Ginny following behind them. They all heard, as everyone in a wide radius had, Fred's screaming replaced by his heartbreaking sobs. "Fred," George said, motioning for the boys holding him back to let go so he could hold him himself. As soon as Fred felt himself moderately freed, he launched himself forward to go into the water.

"No," George said, grabbing his twin and holding him at his side. George wanted nothing more than to go into the water after her too, but he knew he wouldn't be able to get to the bottom of the lake in one breath.

"Fred, breathe." Ginny said, grabbing his other arm as Fred sobbed on. 

"She can't swim." He said softly. Ron stared out over the water, hoping Harry was making well on his time as his heart pounded in concern, realising the last thing he said to Hermione was cruel. 

Seamus and Dean were crouched next to water, their hands brushing against each other's as they had recently decided to test the romantic waters between them. "Where'd he go?" Seamus asked, glancing at Fred briefly.

"I don't know, I can't see him." Dean leaned closer to the water, nothing but his own reflection peering up at him.

*******************************************

Harry had made his way to the bottom of the Black Lake. There was no sight of any of the other champions, just the bottom-feeding fish swimming about. Reaching the end of the section he was swimming against, he saw that the lake's bottom jutted downwards sharply, a steep trench in the middle plunging down into the darkness.

He kicked off of the higher section he was on and pushed himself to swim faster, his wand in the sheath on his ankle so that he could use both hands to paddle. Going further down the trench, the rocks curved to the right into the opening of a kelp forest so thick he couldn't see through it.

He heard voices begin to sing the tune that he'd heard in the egg and he knew he was on the right track. He dove into the kelp, weaving in and out of the green leaves and tearing through if he found any group in front of him too thick. He heard a noise behind him and looked over his shoulder, not stopping his movement.

"Fleur's going the wrong way!" He pushed the thought to the back of his mind and faced forward, not seeing the grindylows swarm around her and pull her lower. A mermaid darted past him, brushing the rough scales of her tail against him as she beckoned for him to follow her. 

*******************************************

"The Beauxbatons champion, Fleur Delacour, had unfortunately been forced to retire. She will take no further part in this task."

Fred and George had moved to the end of the pier, George keeping a hold of Fred who was no longer crying. Fred watched every ripple that moved over the water, knowing it was too soon to be Harry and Rebecca but also unable to stop his heart's jumping with each one.

"How much longer?" Fred whispered hoarsely, his voice gone from his earlier screaming.

"Thirty-five minutes." Ginny responded from the other side of Fred, her arm having not left his side since she'd put it there.

"Oh..." Fred groaned, grabbing at his stomach. He hopped up and pulled himself away from George, Ginny, and Ron, running to the rubbish bin nearest to them and vomiting in it. Ron was at his side in a second, patting his back as his older brother stood up shakily.

"Mr Weasley, we can give you something until-"

"No!" He said sharply to Madame Pomfrey as she offered him another calming potion until the champions returned, taking the water that McGonagall offered and shaking his head as he repeated himself again. "No, I won't be muddled." Fred left the women and returned to his spot on the dock, those on the pier watching and murmuring amongst themselves quietly.

*******************************************

The mermaid had led Harry to a set of stone monuments under the water, different merpeople pictured in each one until they passed under a tall archway. Harry gasped as he saw their treasures, their stolen loved ones tied down at the end of his vision in the murky water.

The mermaid took pity on him, Fred's screaming having been heard even by the merpeople of the Black Lake. Harry swimmed faster, pushing his limbs harder and ignoring the searing of his muscles. He looked as he saw Gabrielle, Cho, Hermione, and Rebecca floating lifelessly.

He went to Rebecca first, grabbing her face and holding her forehead against his before turning to Hermione. He flipped backwards and pulled at the ribbon around her ankle and finding it tied too tightly to undo. The merpeople hissed as Cedric entered the clearing, flourishing his wand at the rope holding Cho down and severing it. 

Cedric used his wand and tapped his watch, gesturing to Hermione and Gabrielle before taking Cho up to the top. Harry remembered watching Fleur turn back and realised that Gabrielle wasn't being saved.

"But past an hour, the prospect's black,  
Too late, it's gone, it won't come back."

Harry's stomach dropped as he remembered the last two lines of the egg's song. He certainly was not going to let someone's sister die from this blasted tournament, not his and not Fleur's either. Harry took his wand and went to sever Hermione's binding. A mermaid was in front of him before he could, its triton held against his throat.

"Only one," It hissed before shrieking away as Viktor entered, his head transformed into a shark. He bit right through Hermione's rope and swam to the top with her. Harry used the distraction of the merpeople to look around a moment before severing Gabrielle's rope before Rebecca's, linking his arms with one of theirs and kicking towards the surface.

*******************************************

Fred was on his feet the second Cedric breached the water. He pushed his way through the crowd to where Cedric was swimming, Cho swimming alongside him. "Harry? Has Harry gotten to her?"

Cedric nodded, taking a breath before he answered more in depth. "Yes, he's there. He was there before me, trying to get the other girl first."

"Hermione?" George demanded.

Cedric shook his head and pointed towards Fleur, "No, her sister."

The cheers from the crowd as Viktor and Hermione breached tore Fred's attention away from Cedric. Seeing that it still wasn't Harry, he glanced at the clock before running his hands through his hair and going back to where Ron and Ginny watched the water. "There's only nine minutes...nine minutes..." George looked over at Fred as he repeated himself, increasing George's worry both for Harry and Rebecca and for Fred himself.

George grabbed Fred's arm and pulled him into a hug. "Fred, look." Fred turned his head from the water a moment, following George's gaze to Bartemius Crouch, both boys blaming him for the current situation as he was the face of the tournament.

George looked to Fred and bent his head slightly, making sure got the message. Fred nodded back.

"He's a dead man if they don't get out of this. A very dead man." Fred thought as he turned back to the water, his stomach rolling dangerously.

*******************************************

Harry was halfway up from the bottom of the Black Lake almost done taking both Rebecca and Gabrielle with him when he felt his fingers and feet shrink, the effects of the gillyweed vanishing quickly. He put as much air as he could into his mouth before they had fully left him, but he felt the burning of oxygen-deprivation too soon.

A grindylow grabbed his foot, halting his rising and scratching at him ferociously before jumping from him to Rebecca's foot. Harry kicked at it, trying to continue his rise as he ran out of air. He pushed the girls up with all his might, hoping that he had put enough power for them to continue their rise but not break the surface. The only plan he had been able to make was to keep Rebecca under the water as long as possible before surfacing her, praying that the enchantment was only broken once the prisoners breathed again and not when the hour ran out.

Harry sunk lower, the grindylows tearing him down with them. He grabbed his wand and sent a powerful shockwave throughout the swarm of grindylows and continuing to kick his way up, feeling his body start to fail him as his lungs ignited and his vision spotted.

*******************************************

Harry had sent them up with more power than he'd planned, both girls breaking the surface of the water over ten feet from the rigging. Fleur screamed, fighting her way back to the edge of the rigging as Gabrielle swam to her sister. Rebecca thrashed, breathing in water, her head slipping under the surface as she kicked and flailed uselessly.

Hermione launched herself forward to get to their side of the rigging, watching as Fleur pulled Gabrielle out of the water. "Cedric! Viktor!" Her French accented voice shouted, "Allez!" Though neither boy spoke French, her meaning was clear as she dove in the water over Gabrielle, kicking her way towards where Rebecca struggled on, inhaling more and more water.

Fred was restrained again, Dumbledore announcing that entrance of the water by any non-participating student was expressly forbidden. "Somebody do something!" His raspy voice tried to scream, "Please!"

Viktor swung a leg over the bannister where tears poured out of Hermione's eyes as they tried to push through the crowd, diving into the water as Cedric did from his closer position. Fleur took a deep breathe and plunged herself under the water, grabbing one of Rebecca's flailing legs and kicking forcefully up to raise her head above the water's surface. Rebecca's body fought against her rescue attempts, panic flooding her mind and water flooding her lungs. Her limbs began to still, sending Fred fighting against those holding him with everything he had.

Cedric took one side while Viktor took the other, both boys grabbing her by the upper arms as her fight slowed and her vision darkened. Fleur released her leg, unable to do anything to held except go to the ladder and grab the front of her robes, pulling Rebecca up as Gabrielle moved out of the way. 

Under the water, Harry raised his wand with the remnants of his consciousness. "Ascendio!" He mouthed. His body was propelled up and out of the water, landing in a crumpled pile at Dumbledore's feet. He rolled onto his side and coughed ferociously, his body shaken by the force of it. The cuts and bites on his legs bled, suction cups imprinted onto his chest and up his neck from where he had been dragged down.

"Rebecca." He whispered, trying to get to his feet and failing. Fred's restrainers released him at McGonagall's order, letting him go as Harry was now out of the water and she was allowed to do so. Fred sprang forward, slipping on the wet wood where Cedric and Viktor had moved as they watched Fleur's hands pumping over Rebecca's chest.

Fred jumped down to the lower pier they were on, the structure wobbling and tilting with the action. Fleur took her hands away as Fred took over, his pumps more forceful and faster as he had not spent the morning swimming as Fleur had.

He pumped for as long as thought he was supposed to, remembering only bits and pieces from Arthur's muggle-life-saving technique lessons from so many summers ago, long before Rebecca had found them. He stopped and put his head to her chest, hearing nothing. "Come on!" Ginny turned away at her brother's painful-sounding bellow as he did more compressions onto her chest.

George shielded her eyes, pulling her into him. Harry crawled at first before he was pulled to his feet by Ron. Ron helped him move through the crowd to where Rebecca was failing to be revived. "I want all the judges over here now!" Dumbledore's voice called over the silent crowd.

Ron wiped at his eyes as they stood and watched as Fred put his head to her chest again before turning around and looking at his professors who watched him, "Why isn't anyone helping!" Harry shouted, sending Fred back to compressions. Madame Pomfrey shook her head, no idea what Fred was doing and knowing that once the soul had moved on, no magic (that she knew of) could bring them back.

McGonagall looked away as Harry repeated himself, his voice echoing over the riggings. "WHY ISN'T AN ONE HELPING?!"

Gabrielle had scooted to the edge of the small area they were on and watch a small rivulet of water cours out of Rebecca's mouth. "Arrêtez!" She shouted, pointing. Fleur held her hand up to Fred and placed her head onto Rebecca's chest, a slow beating sound filling the silence that had been there moments before.

"Turn 'er over," Fleur commanded, grabbing the side closest to her and pushing her onto her side. Rebecca retched, the water that had collected in her lungs forcing its way out of her body painfully. Fred pulled her farther onto her side, patting her back as she began to breathe once more. 

The riggings shook as the students shouted and whooped and stomped and clapped, Fleur grabbing Gabrielle and pulling her sister's face against her chest. 

Rebecca reached a hand up and grabbed Fred's wrist weakly as she let her head rest against the wooden planks beneath them. Ron walked Harry to the lip of the ladder where Fred had his head bent onto Rebecca's shoulder.

Harry put a hand onto the handle and stepped off, his knees striking the floor painfully. He crawled along the floor, pulling himself to her side and grabbing her. He grabbed her head, putting his own next to hers, "I'm so sorry, so sorry. So, so sorry."

Rebecca moved her arm to sit up. Harry pulled his head up and scooted himself back enough so that there was room as Fred put his arm behind her back and helped her up. Coughs racked her body as she went to speak, sending her shaking frame into sharp, jerking motions with each cough.

Fred grabbed Rebecca's head and held it against his chest, his warmth seeping through the frigid chill that took over her. Harry grabbed her hand and held it against his mouth as he put his head against her shoulder as he continued to repeat his "I'm sorry, so sorry."

Her sobs filled the silence formed as Dumbledore waved for the attention of the quieting crowd, sending a fleeting glance to the pier Rebecca was on. "Attention!" he bellowed from in between Cedric and Viktor.

"The winner is--Mr Diggory!" Cedric nodded his head, accepting his victory but turning his attention back to where Rebecca had put her arm around Harry and held him against her as Fred kissed the top of her head endlessly, stroking her hair as he did so.

"However, as Mr Potter would have ended in first had it not been for his determination to rescue not only Miss Potter, but the others as well, we've agreed to award him second place--" Karkaroff spat in Dumbledore's direction, taking the amendment to the results as a personal affront, "For outstanding moral fiber."

Viktor looked to where Harry had lifted himself from Rebecca's chest, shakily standing to his feet and putting his hand out for Rebecca to grab to join him in standing. Harry caught Viktor's eyes and Viktor bowed his head deeply, acknowledging Harry's victory in the graceful manner the head of Durmstrang should have. 

Fred put one hand under her knees and left the other under her neck where it had been, lifting her as he stood up. He left his cheek pressed against her forehead as he set her up onto the main platform, George, Ron, and Hermione pushing back those who moved to step forward. 

"Towels, blankets, both of you." McGonagall commanded, her eyes misty.

Fred took it for her and wrapped it around her shoulders after pulling himself up onto the main rigging. He reached forward and grabbed the towel held in her hands, stilling their trembling and wiping the water off her face. 

Fred held the side of her head, her ear placed directly over his heart as she leaned against him. Hermione stood next to Harry and put the towel he held around him tightly. "I think you acted admirably well." She said, sniffling as she moved on to Rebecca and pulled her towel tighter as well.

Rebecca nodded and lifted her head, pushing herself to her knees as she and Harry made their way to their feet. "I'm certain of it." Her voice was nothing more than a hoarse whisper.

Harry grabbed Rebecca, Fred taking a small step backward as Harry buried his face into her neck and let the sobs that had been building since he'd first seen her lifeless escape him.

"Harry," She whispered, rubbing circles onto his back. "I'm right here."

"But you weren't," He whispered, his lips shielded by the curtain of her hair. "You were gone and I'm not like you. I can't just poof you back. I would have been-"

"Alone?" Ron said, putting his arms around the both of them. 

"Never." Fred said, doing the same. George and Ginny stepped forward, all of them wrapping themselves around Rebecca and Harry as they cried on.

When Harry was called to the middle, as well as the other champions, a few minutes later, they were forced to separate from themselves. Harry pulled the second blanket McGonagall offered around him tighter, not releasing Rebecca from his hand as he moved forward. Rebecca tried to pull her hand from his.

"Harry?"

He shook his head, offering no explanation and taking her with him as he limped to the second-place step he was offered. He stepped up onto it, Cedric motioning for Cho to join him on the first-place step and Viktor waving for Hermione to join him on the third. Fleur and Gabrielle were standing on the floor directly, both embracing one another tightly.

When the Daily Prophet snapped the photo, there they were: Champions and loved ones, side-by-side, Fred caught at the edge of the shot waiting for the moment he could be at her side again.

The very moment the flash dissipated, Fred moved forward and held his hand out to her as she turned to step down. The second her feet were against the floor, he tilted her head up to his and kissed her. Those around them cheered and whistled again as they were directed to the boats that would take them all back to the castle.

When he pulled his lips from hers a long, touching moment later, she leaned forward and closed her eyes against him, still shaking. Fleur made her way around the steps and stood in front of Harry as Gabrielle watched Rebecca turn towards them.

"You...saved 'er, even though she wasn't yours to save." Fleur said as she weeped in relief.

Harry looked at Gabrielle and back at Rebecca before nodding his head and answering, "She may not be your twin, but she is your sister. I can't-" Harry's breath caught in his throat and he had to pause a moment before he could finish. "I can't even imagine losing a sister."

Fleur reached forward and grabbed Harry's face, kissing both of his cheeks as she thanked him. Gabrielle thanked him as well, first in French and then again in English. Fleur kissed Gabrielle on the forehead as Madame Maxime beckoned for them, pointing towards the boat that waited.

Rebecca turned towards the clearing of someone's throat beside her. Dean stood next to a shameful-looking Seamus. "You look cold." Seamus said as he handed another blanket to her.

Fred unwrapped it and put it around her, staying at her side. Seamus nodded his head and turned to leave, turning back to Rebecca at the face Dean gave him. 

"And I'm sorry." Seamus said quietly.

Rebecca nodded, pulling the blanket tighter around her as her exposed skin began to hurt it was so cold. She was the coldest she'd ever been in her life, it felt like her very bones had been taken and replaced with ice. Dean led Seamus away towards a boat, offering Rebecca a warm smile as they left. Fred held his hands to her cheeks trying to fight away the chill that had her shaking.

Rebecca's teeth chattered as Fred guided the two of them after Harry and Ron, watching as those ahead of them climbed into one of the little boats with Ginny and were heading off the dock. Rebecca's breath caught as she saw how far they were from land. "N-no, please. T-there's got to b-be a different way." Her teeth clicked painfully as her trembling increased. Fred looked to Moody, the professor supervising the docks, who shook his head.

"Look, we're going to be just fine. I'll get in first." Fred stepped into the boat and held his hand back out to her. George put and arm around her shoulder and lead her to Fred's outstretched arms. Rebecca closed her eyes and leaned into Fred as the boat rocked twice more: Once when George entered and once when Harry entered.

Fred pulled her closer to him, putting his arm up around her face and whispering encouragements as the boat moved along. "We're already almost there, I can see the shore. You're doing so, so well. I'm so proud of you. So, so proud of you."

Rebecca pushed closer to Fred, out of the need for warmth and out of the fear gripping her again as she thought about the water around them. There was a splashing next to the boat accompanied with a metal tinkling as something shiny was thrown into the bottom of the boat.

George leaned forward and picked it up, "Oh!"

Fred put a hand out and grabbed the locket George held out to him: Rebecca's locket he'd helped pick out years ago. "Here," He said, undoing the clasp and threading it around her neck with one hand. Rebecca reached up to clasp it but was unable to grab the metal hook with her shivering hands.

Fred squeezed her tighter as George leaned over and did it in one movement. "H-How was your m-morning?" Rebecca asked, closing her eyes as the boat began to rock with the little waves at the shore.

"Um...Eventful?" George offered.

"Hellish." Fred countered. "Not even hellish, hell. Every second since the moment Harry grabbed me from our room has been pure, unfiltered, unsoftened hell." 

Fred stood up with Rebecca, helping her out onto the dock before taking her side again. Hermione asked for clarification as to what he meant as 'hell' and Harry did, indeed, clarify as he and those from the first boat began to walk with them. Rebecca shook her head, wrapping her hands around Fred's wrist as George took over the narrative as Harry finished his recount with him diving into the Black Lake. 

George added how Fred screamed, fighting against anyone who tried to stop him from going after her himself. Ginny sniffled, Ron pulling her under his arm and holding her tightly.

Rebecca looked up at Fred, him looking at her and then away fleetingly. She leaned up to him for a kiss. He obliged, leaning down and finding her lips to be icy. The doors to the castle were open, minimal warmth and light flooding out of them as the students of all three schools entered its stony interior.

"We need to get you three warmed." Fred said, talking about Hermione and Harry but looking only into Rebecca's eyes. "We've got three showers between us; Ginny, you get Hermione set up in yours. Ron, you'll get Harry into yours. Rebecca, you can use ours." 

George nodded and looked to Ginny, "Can you send some clothes down with someone? I'll bring them." Ginny nodded, stepping up onto the stairs and taking Hermione's side, letting the older girl put her arm onto her as Hermione's slowly-becoming-unnumb feet stumbled up the stairs.

Ron did the same with Harry, grabbing Harry's arm and putting it around his neck as they helped those half-frozen up the stairs. The Fat Lady gasped at the sight of them reaching her, swinging open without letting any of them stop to say the password. The Gryffindors already in the common room moved out of their paths as they went off, George explaining to Angelina that Ginny was going to give her clothes for Rebecca that he needed.

Rebecca paused at the bottom of the boys' stairs, her extended-frigidity making every movement harder and harder. "Rebecca, we're not done yet." Fred said, bending down and putting her arm around his neck, standing straight up and bringing her up the stairs, her feet pointed and barely grazing the ground.

Nigel watched from the bottom of the stairs, the only Gryffindor other than Angelina to break from the group in the middle of the common room. He ran up the stairs and took her other arm, helping Fred up the rest of the stairs.

Fred nodded at him, silently thanking him as Neville opened the door to the hall of rooms and then opening Fred and George's door. "Can you start the shower?" Fred asked Neville, Nigel running back down the hall as he sat Rebecca on his bed. "Rebecca? Open your eyes, you can't sleep yet."

Rebecca heard him and tried to open her eyes, but wasn't able to. "Fred," She said. "I'm so cold." Fred pulled the blanket and towel off her shoulders and took the jumper she'd had on off as well, leaving her in the pajamas she'd been in last night when she and Hermione were called to McGonagall's office.

"Neville, is it warmed?" Fred called, reaching up and undoing his shirt, pulling it off and slipping his pants off too, standing there in his socks and underwear.

"Yeah!" Neville called from the bathroom, moving out of the way as Fred entered the doorway, Rebecca's arm around his neck and her head hanging limply. Fred carried her to the shower and dragged her in, holding her under the warm water.

Her skin began to itch in the way one's does after coming in from the cold. Fred turned so that she was farther under the water, the water spraying on him as well. Neville turned to the door to the room as George ran in, clothes in arm. He dropped them on his own bed, seeing how Fred's was covered in wet towels and blankets, and entered the bathroom.

"Keep her talking." Fred said, focusing on turning her so that the water hit anywhere it hadn't been already, trying to warm her as efficiently as possible.

"Rebecca? Hey, you there?" George asked, pulling his jumper off over his head and reaching his arms into the shower, the water hitting her clothes and spraying back at him. He reached up and grabbed her cheeks, turning her head up. Her eyes were closed as she began to shake in silent sobs that wracked her body. "Rebecca?" George asked, looking to Fred.

Fred put her down so that her feet were holding her up more and leaned down, putting his forehead to hers. "Rebecca?"

"They were there, my mum and dad." She said between sobs. "They were there. I saw them."

George watched and stepped into the shower with them, soaking himself the rest of the way as he joined Fred in holding her tightly. "I had to choose Fred, I had to-" Her sobs broke Fred's heart. "I had to leave them."

The water coursed over down her back as Fred's hands traced circles onto the small of her back. "Rebecca, you didn't choose to leave them. You chose to come back to us. To Harry, Hermione, Ron, George, Ginny, mum, dad, Charlie, Bill, Percy...me."

Rebecca sniffled and took her arms from against her chest and put the around his middle, her sobs lessening gradually until the warmth of the water ran over the three of them as they held each other.

Fred and George held her against them until she lifted her head and took a deep breath. George reached behind him and turned the water off. Fred grabbed her hand and took it from his hip, "Alright, dry clothes." His voice rasped as he pressed his lips against her fingers.

George stepped out of the shower and dripped to the cabinet under the sink, pulling out a towel from Fred's pile and tossing it to Fred who then handed it to her. Fred grabbed his towel and stuck his face in it, drying his hair and face as he left the bathroom and picked up the pile of clothes George had brought for her.

Fred set them on the bathroom counter and dropped his towel to the ground, drying off the tracks he and George had made. "We'll be right out here, okay?"

Rebecca nodded and Fred closed the door behind him, his hair sticking up. Rebecca untied her pants, letting them fall to the ground with a wet thump. Her shirt joined the pile next. She dried off, looking over the pile of her clothes and putting on the pair of sweatpants and long-sleeved shirt she tended to wear on days spent in the common room or meandering about the castle. At the bottom of the pile was her thickest pair of socks, one of the pairs Molly had given her to wear through her chills as she got over the sickness in her very first week with them.

Thinking of how much of a maternal figure Molly had become to her caused tears to well up in her eyes again as she closed her eyes and remembered what she'd seen as Fleur and then Fred tried to revive her at the task. 

She had watched from aside her body, time slowing and two hands resting on her shoulders, sending her whirling around. Rebecca turned away from her body and saw her parents behind her, their arms wrapping around her. 

"Oh my sweet girl," Lily said, tracing her hand down her face. Rebecca closed her eyes as she felt her mother's touch for the first time she could even remember. James pulled her to her feet, wrapping her in a tight hug.

"I can't believe how big you've gotten." James sniffled as he put his head against the top of hers. "Lily, she's so big."

Lily smiled at her sadly, "I know, she's a young woman now, James. Our baby girl is no longer."

James stepped back and looked at her, "Just a beautiful as your mother."

Rebecca looked between them and glanced behind her and saw heard Harry scream for someone to help. Lily put her hand to her mouth and turned away, leaving James to answer her as she asked. "What is this? Am I...dead?"

"No, darling. Not yet. He's keeping you here, giving you the ability to choose."

Lily turned back around and stepped forward, holding Rebecca as she elaborated. "You..." A tear escaped Lily's eye and slid down her cheek slowly. "You have to choose between our world or yours, a decision only you can make."

Rebecca looked between her parents and stepped forward, grabbing them both. "There's only one true choice, and I'm-" Rebecca's word caught in her throat as Lily pulled her into her, James running his hand through her hair as he joined the two girls he loved most out.

"My mother's curls..." James smiled through his tears, "She would be so happy to know one of you got them."

Lily released Rebecca, leaning against James. 

"They're so young." Rebecca thought, always having imagined them older. "Only a few years older than Harry and I are now."

Lily nodded, "Darling, your window is closing. You have to go back if you're going." Rebecca felt a pulling sensation as she took a step backwards towards her body.

"Your father and I," Lily's breath hitched. "We love you both so much. So much more than you could ever know. We are so proud of how you've cared for each other, how you've taken care of yourselves."

Rebecca went to say something else, to say goodbye, but couldn't. Her lungs felt like they'd been doused in petrol and then lit as she was pushed to her side, the water from the Black Lake expelling from her body viciously.

Fred sat on his bed and put his head into his hands as he and George waited for Rebecca, putting his fingers through his hair. 

"Fred?" Rebecca asked from the bathroom door, hanging her towel on the metal bars around the fireplace in the middle of each room. His head shot up at his name, standing and rushing to her side as George did the same from his bed.

The fresh tears were clear, but neither boy mentioned them. She put her arms out and hugged them both again, their warmth much more enjoyable when they were all dry. Her hands still trembled, though less than before. Harry and Ron made their way down the hall from their room, Harry limping slightly, each step stretching his cuts.

Harry was swept with emotion as he saw her in their arms, the reality of how close his life had been to being without her scaring him senseless. Rebecca opened her eyes as Harry placed his hand against Fred and George's backs, both boys stepping aside so Harry and Rebecca were free to hug one another. 

Harry pressed his lips to both of her cheeks, her nose, her forehead, the top of her head, his hands held firmly against both of her upper arms. When he was done, he put his head back into the crook of her neck and his arms behind her back. Rebecca leaned her head against him, closing her eyes as he began to apologise again.

"Don't." Rebecca said after a moment and looked at him, "You can't keep saying your sorry, you saved me. You have nothing to be sorry about.."

"You were only there because-"

"Because you love me? That's not a thing to apologise for." Harry didn't know what to say to that. She was right, the only reason she was taken was because he treasured her so. Tears fell down Harry's cheeks again.

Rebecca nodded and said, "I love you, too."

Harry cried harder, both of them falling to their knees in their room as Fred, George, and Ron joined their crying as Harry whispered, "You were dead. You were really gone, and-"

She pulled away from him and began wiping the tears from his cheeks as they fell, telling him about her experience with their parents. "Was it real?" He asked as she finished.

"Yeah, I think so." She looked up at him sadly. "Harry, they knew I was going to come back, they knew." 

Harry nodded, "We're never leaving each other. That's the only thing in the entire world I'm entirely certain of."

Hermione and Ginny looked in the door of Fred and George's room a few minutes later, seeing the rest of their friends crying together on their knees. Ron sniffled and wiped his face as Hermione knelt next to him. Hermione shook her head and pulled him against her, putting her other arm around Rebecca.

"One more task." Harry said as he pushed himself to his feet and winced. "One more bloody task."

*******************************************

The group made their way down the hall slowly, Harry and Rebecca towards the front. Fred had his hand in Rebecca's and was using his thumb to trace a heart's outline on the back of her hand over and over. Rebecca lifted her chin as they exited the hall, every pair of eyes in the common room landing on them at the top of the stairs.

"Let's hear it!" Neville said timidly as he stood up and began to clap, the others joining him as they're applause turned into a roar. They were passed around to the Gryffindors that had collected in the common room, being hugged, congratulated, patted on the back...Fred stayed at Rebecca's side every moment, never once letting go of her hand. 

When the crowd dissipated and began to file towards the portrait hole, they pushed all of them to the front, making Harry lead them to the Great Hall. Not a single soul said a word about Harry walking slower than he normally would have, seeing how it pained him. Harry passed through the doors of the Great Hall, the room falling silent.

He paused, not expecting so many eyes. Hermione stepped forward, Ginny on the other side of her, and stood next to Harry, Ron taking his other side. Harry glanced behind him, watching as George took Rebecca's side that Fred wasn't on and grabbing her hand as well. He nodded, leading the Gryffindors to their table again. 

As they took their seats, Dumbledore stood up and held a hand at his podium, quiet conversation halting as it began again across the room. "Today marked the completion of the second task of the Triwizard Tournament, a trying, difficult day for both the competitors and the spectators."

Dumbledore turned around as Barty Crouch stood up and addressed the hall, "The Ministry would like to extend its sincerest apologies for any duress caused today and-"

"Duress?" Rebecca watched George stand up, his rageful tone uncharacteristic. Her eyes turned to Fred who watched his twin stand in a similar state of confusion. "Duress?" George repeated.

Barty looked away, trying to continue, "Unfortunately, the Triwizard Tournament does-"

"Hermione!" George shouted, turning to her. "What does tri- mean?"

Hermione looked at George a moment before quietly answering him. "Three."

"What?"

Hermione's jaw clenched as she repeated herself louder. "Three!"

"How is this a three-wizard tournament with FOUR BLOODY COMPETITORS and the INVOLVEMENT of FOUR OTHER CHILDREN!" George's voice echoed across the hall as McGonagall watched from the staff table with hidden pride.

Dumbledore looked to Minerva, who shook her head, siding with her student. "He is not wrong, Albus." Dumbledore turned away from the staff table, looking at George directly. "Silence."

George stood his ground, staring at the headmaster. Dumbledore nodded to Filch who had appeared at the entrance to the Great Hall and grabbed George's arm, dragging him out of the hall as the fight went out of George. "We're children, just children." Were the last words they heard him say as he was taken from them.

"I apologise for the interruption," Dumbledore said, nodding his head to Madame Maxime and Karkaroff. "As I was saying, the second task is completed. The third will take place on June 24th, more information will be given to the champions one month prior. You may eat." Dumbledore clapped his hands, the food appearing on the tables before storming out of the staff door at the back of the Great Hall, no doubt going to Filch and George.

Rebecca squeezed Fred's hand, "Why would he do that? In front of everyone?" Fred leaned like he was going to kiss her cheek as he whispered, "Don't look now, but there's a Prophet photographer on the other wall."

Rebecca fought the urge to turn around and looked at Fred, still confused. "Rebecca, this tournament killed you this morning." His voice cracked as he spoke softly, his throat paining him with every word. "It's not going to kill anybody else, we will make sure of that."

*******************************************

Dinner was a quiet affair across every table, across each school. Rebecca sipped at her water, not hungry in the slightest. "Eat." Fred demanded, handing a bowl down to the soup down the table. 

"Fred, I'm really not hungry." Rebecca's throat crackled as she breathed and ached horribly with each word.

"Something, anything. Please." Fred placed the bowl in front of her and put his hand on her leg. "Please?"

She picked up her spoon and stuck it in the soup, bringing some to her mouth. The hot broth trickled down her throat and caused her to wince. Fred looked at her so happily that she brought another spoonful to her mouth, and another, and another. When the bowl was mostly empty, he kissed her temple. "Thank you."

Rebecca looked in front of him at his full bowl of soup and nodded at it, "Now you." Fred sighed and began to eat, his throat screaming with every swallow.

Harry ate voraciously, eating even more than Ron did. Fred put one of his legs into the aisle, turning his body. Rebecca did the same, leaning her back against his chest as he wrapped his arms under hers and folded his hands over hers on her lap. He rest his chin against the top of her head, both of them watching their friends converse through supper.

*******************************************

Fred squeezed Rebecca's hand as they passed through the portrait hole before letting go of it a moment. He pointed to the other end of the couch and then at Ron, both boys moving to the ends and lifting it up, setting it back down much closer to the fire. Fred grabbed her hand again, entwining his fingers through hers. Fred sat at the end of the couch, Rebecca fitting perfectly under his arm as the fire warmed Harry, Hermione, and Ron as the others joined them.

Harry grabbed Hermione's hand and grabbed Rebecca's other hand, moving his aching feet closer to the warmth and sighing in relief. They sat there until the portrait hole squeaked open a while later, George being marched in by Professor McGonagall.

"Over here, Mr Weasley." McGonagall demanded harshly, Filch watching a moment before closing the door as he left. McGonagall's face lightened instantly, nodding at the four others by the fire. The professor sighed heavily before pointing to an opening at the other end of the couch. George moved and sat down, confused at the change in her attitude.

"It is always one of you," McGonagall said, smoothing the bottom of her dress out and sitting on the chair next to them. "George," George winced as she said his first name. "You are receiving a formal warning about disrespect of authority."

George nodded once, staring into the fire. "Not a single word you said was false, but your delivery was positively shameful."

George turned his head to argue, but was met with an outstretched hand. "I am not finished." McGonagall looked down the row of children and looked back at George, "Coming from the right place, but shameful still. I hope you are embarrassed to know that the Prophet was said to have recorded your every word."

George smirked a moment before miming shame. "I am so, very embarrassed."

McGonagall shook her head and stood, "Mr Potter, Miss Potter, I must congratulate you both. Those who love you do so deeply, although one could almost say too much so." McGonagall eyed George as she left the common room. 

Harry took his hand from Hermione's and held it out for George to shake. George shook it firmly, catching Fred's grateful gaze as Rebecca closed her eyes and put her head up against Fred. "Rebecca?" He asked, causing her to open her eyes and look into his.

"Yes?" 

He put his lips against her forehead, right against the lightning bolt scar. "I love you."

She pulled her head back and looked up at him, Harry turning as well, having heard what he had said and curious as to how she would respond. Rebecca looked up at him, his brown eyes staring back into hers as he chewed on his bottom lip, afraid he'd stepped too far.

"I love you, too."

*******************************************

Author's Note:

A long, long chapter. Lots went on, words were said.

<3

Also, funny thing: Wattpad said All I Ask Of You was 21h 21m long before this chapter was posted.


	66. Chapter 66

Hermione, Rebecca, and Ginny climbed the girls' staircase shortly after McGonagall's departure from the common room. The boys watched them disappear down the hall towards their room from the bottom of the stairs that they were unable to climb. 

"Alright, we're doing this once and only once. If either of us ever hears of you doing this without explicit permission, we will go straight to McGonagall." Angelina and Katie looked at each of the four boys and made them them all agree to their rules.

"I hate that you can all look so sad." Katie said as she and Angelia grabbed their wands. Fred and Harry tried to grab each other as they were lifted into the air unexpectedly, Katie lifting Fred too close to the ceiling and putting him onto the ground upside down. Ron and George were sent up next, Katie and Angelina giggling to each other as Fred and Harry grinned widely and made their way down the hall.

"How the bloody hell do we know which one is theirs?" Ron asked, confused as to how they'd know where to find them at the identical brown doors as they made their way down the hall. Fred and Harry looked at each other as they shook their heads at each other, knowing exactly which door was theirs. 

"Home of   
Hermione the all-knowing,  
Ginny the greatest,  
and Rebecca the ... " Harry leaned closer, unable to read the last word in the dark hallway. Squinting, he found that the darkness wasn't the only reason he couldn't read it--the words had been scribbled out and replaced by Hermione's writing. It looked like Rebecca had written something as a joke, something that Hermione replaced with the words, "the best."

Fred knocked on the door. Fred found it endearingly adorable that she put her roommates on such high pedestals. The door opened itself, Harry poking his head in and looking around for who opened the door. "What? How'd you do that?"

Hermione reached up and turned her lamp on, the boys nodding in understanding as they saw that her wand was in her hand. "Guys?" Rebecca asked, her voice coming from her bed but the source indiscernible.

The boys filed in, sitting on different beds as they extended their goodnights with chatter. Fred and George leaned over Ginny's bed, tucking the ends of her blanket ridiculously tight around her. Harry walked around Ron, who was sitting on Hermione's bed as she showed him she'd swung the door open. He laid down at the edge of her mattress, hoping she wasn't that close to the end. She poked her head out and looked at him strangely.

"Harry?"

"Well, I had to come back up. I actually remembered I had a bit of a bone to pick with you."

She furrowed her brow, confused. "What?"

"You've sworn twice now that you'd be downstairs in time for the tasks and you haven't made it either time."

Rebecca laughed loudly, the others in the room turning at the sound. "I don't see how this is funny." Harry said, his face faltering as he began to laugh with her, losing his serious façade. "I'm just joking, figured it was time we got to see your room."

Ron looked around and smelled, "It smells better than ours does."

Ginny looked at him, "That's because there's not normally boys in here."

Harry stood up as Ron and Ginny began to bicker, "You're warm enough under all that?"

"Oh yeah, nice and toasty." She watched how Harry grinned at her. "And you're making fun of me."

Fred climbed onto her bed, over Harry and herself and laid with his back facing the window, putting his head on her pillow next to hers. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, again." Fred leaned forward and kissed the end of her nose. Harry stood up and turned to tell Hermione good night again.

"I missed you." Fred said softly.

"Fred," She scooted over to him and put herself against him as he opened his arms and hugged her tightly. "Darling..."

Fred raised his eyebrows at her, liking the sound of the pet name. "I know, I know. The morning isn't that far." Fred said, sitting up and kissing her lips before standing and glancing at her empty teacup next to her glasses. 

Rebecca shook her head, "That's not what I was going to say," Fred leaned back down. She whispered into his ear, "I will miss you, too." 

George leaned over and patted the top of one of her blankets as he told her goodnight, interrupting their moment and went to the door where Harry and Ron waved, wishing them all yet another goodnight.

Heading back down the hall, the boys had to sit at the top of the stairs and slide down the slide formed by the stairs when a boy touched the case. Harry grunted as his feet hit the floor quickly, pain spreading through his injuries.

Ron stuck his hand out, helping him to his feet and slapping his back as they made their way to their rooms.

Back in the girls room, Hermione and Ginny snickered into the dark.

"What is so funny?"

"Darling?" Hermione said, mocking her as Ginny joined in. "Darling, I've missed you terribly although we've only just said goodnight half a minute ago."

"Y-You're jealous. Both of you." Rebecca rolled onto her side and pulled her blanket piles back over her before turning back over a moment later. "Was darling too much? You think it bothered him any? I don't know. Hermione?"

"I don't know if I can answer. I'm overwhelmed with jealousy."

Ginny laughed from her bed, "I think you could call him a dirt clod and he'd not mind."

"Don't overthink this." Hermione warned.

"I'm not." Rebecca sighed, laying back and putting her head back. 

Hermione turned the lamp off again, sleep taking them quickly.

*******************************************

Rebecca was back on the dock, Fred's arms pumping on her chest forcefully. She looked around, her feet slipping on the wet boards.

"Mum? Dad?" Her parents were nowhere in sight. She stepped forward and bent onto her knees, putting her hands near her body and finding that there wasn't the pull she'd felt earlier. Reaching forward further, her hands went through her body and landed on the floor under. Fred had tears streaming down his face as his hands fell still and he put his head down against her neck.

"I want to come back, I'm not choosing this! Fred, I'm right here!"

Rebecca was crying herself, pounding her fists against the floor as she fought to get back into her body. A hand reached up from the water and wrapped itself around her ankle, yanking her sharply.

"No!" Rebecca grunted, jamming her fingers into a crack between the boards and kicking her legs, trying to free herself. The creature pulling her yanked harder, her fingers coming loose. She tried to take a breath as she was pulled into the frigid water, but the scaled, teeth-baring monster at her ankle was too fast.

Her head was under the water, her arms clawing up at the light. She tried to hold what little breath she had, but it only lasted so long. Her arms stopped fighting and lowered, the last thing she did before her body forced her to breathe under the water.

*******************************************

Rebecca shot up in her bed, her heart racing. "Rebecca?" Hermione asked from her bed, Rebecca's muffled sobs waking her roomate closest to her. Hermione swung her legs off her bed and went to hers, sitting on the edge of the bed and putting her hand on her. 

"Dream or..." Hermione let her question trail away as Rebecca nodded. Hermione lifted her blankets and crawled next to her, Rebecca putting her head into Hermione's arms. Hermione rubbed her hand over the top of her head, soothing her quiet.

"I'm alright, I'm okay." Rebecca said after a few minutes, her voice giving away that she really wasn't. "I'm okay now."

Hermione laid her head on top of hers, "You don't have to be, that's always okay too."

"Then, would you stay?" Rebecca asked softly.

Hermione smiled and pulled some of the blankets onto her, scooting further onto the mattress and letting Rebecca close her eyes once more against her shoulder.

*******************************************

Rebecca slept fitfully, Hermione woken up in the early morning from her crying out again. Hermione put her hand against her friend's cheek and stroking it gently until she calmed again, not waking up through the second bout of terror. Ginny woke up first out of the three girls the next morning, expecting Hermione to have been in the bathroom getting ready since her bed was empty.

Ginny pulled her robes on and brushed her teeth, slightly confused as to why Rebecca wasn't up and getting ready. "Hey Becca?" Ginny called from the bathroom. "It's almost eight, you waking up?" 

Hermione's head popped up at Ginny's saying of the time. "Oh, I see. Sleepover and I wasn't invited." 

Hermione eased out of the bed and left Rebecca to sleep the few extra minutes she could while Hermione got dressed. Ginny leaned on the bathroom's door frame. "Hermione?"

Hermione slipped her shirt over her shoulders and turned, buttoning it up. "She didn't sleep well."

Ginny's eyes widened, "What did she say she saw?"

Hermione shook her head, "She said they weren't premonitions." Hermione saw Ginny's face, "And I believe her, she wasn't lying this time."

Ginny turned around and looked at her, "She's not a very good liar anyway, is she?"

Hermione pulled her tie around her neck, "No, she's not. I think she just needs a little extra right now."

"Extra?"

"You know, a little extra love and all." Ginny nodded and turned back away from the bathroom, walking to Rebecca's bed. 

"Hey there, Sleeping Beauty." Ginny shook her shoulder, "You're going to miss breakfast."

"I'm up," Rebecca said, opening her eyes and stretching. "I'm wide awake."

"Mhmmm," Ginny moved out of the way as Rebecca stood to her feet and walked to the bathroom, hugging Hermione as she thanked her.

Hermione shook her head at the haphazard way Rebecca threw on her uniform and told her to not be silly. Rebecca stuck her toothbrush in her mouth and patted the top of her head, rearranging and combing her fingers through different bits until her curls lay smooth. "It's not silly," Rebecca said after bringing a handful of water to her mouth and rinsing, "I..."

Hermione put her arm around her shoulder, "It's okay."

Rebecca nodded gratefully and put her toothbrush back in her spot. "Feeling alright, Hermione?" Rebecca asked as the girls grabbed their bags and congregated at the door to leave their room.

"Fine, why?" Hermione answered without looking at her, not seeing Ginny cover her mouth so she wouldn't laugh. Hermione turned back to them and rolled her eyes. Rebecca had her tie around her forehead.

"How does this still amuse you two? I really can't wrap my head around it."

Rebecca and Ginny laughed madly. "Ha! 'Wrap your head around it?'"

Hermione sighed and tightened the tie to the top of Rebecca's collar before giggling with them. The sound of Fred shouting from the common room hurried the girls down the hall. His voice was scratchy, a constant reminder to those who'd heard him the day before of his anguish. 

"Not a bloody fucking chance Nigel! Yeah, go pass that on! Word-for-word!" 

"What's going on?" Rebecca asked as she jogged down the stairs, stepping in front of Nigel as Harry stepped towards the younger boy with his hands outstretched. "Harry!"

Harry shook his head at her astonished enquiry, "Go on then, Nigel. Tell her."

The second year repeated his task, "You've been excused from classes and asked to report to Professor McGonagall's office-"

Rebecca stepped away from Nigel, "What?"

"-All of you. All Weasley and Potter children. And you as well, Hermione."

George crossed his arms and raised his voice above the rising clamour as Rebecca scolded Fred and Harry for being such, "callous and rude prats" while Fred and Harry argued for caution. "Why Nigel? Why are we being called?"

"Your parents are here, George. As well as your brothers. If I'd been able to explain-"

This sent the children scurrying, Fred refusing to apologise to Nigel as Rebecca told him he was being absurd.

"No, you know what's absurd? Not saying that they're here first. That should have been the first thing out of his mouth!"

Rebecca looked at Fred as Nigel turned to defend himself, "Did you give him the chance?"

Fred turned his head away from her and faced forward, his jaw rippling as he clenched and unclenched it. "That's what I thought. It's unhealthy, you know?"

"What is?" Fred demanded. 

Rebecca slowed her steps so that Nigel gained some distance ahead of them. "Fred, he's twelve years old! You can't just go about threatening people. Twice now, just with him!"

Fred stopped completely, stepping closer to her so that she had to turn her head up to him. He shook his head slowly, "No."

"No?" She asked as he resumed walking and she chased after his quickening pace.

"No!" Fred shouted, his shout turning the rest of them who had gone ahead with Nigel, unaware of their stopping. Rebecca flinched at his tone as he continued with it. "You would do the same thing if you were in my position! You have done the same thing!"

Rebecca shook her head, "It's different! I've-"

"Held wands against throats? Sabotaged school work? Threatened others?"

"But-"

"But nothing!" Fred interrupted her quieter. "This is what people do for those they love, Rebecca. The fight for them and against anything that can, will, or has hurt them. Especially when..." His voice trailed away before he said something he regretted immediately.

"It's not my fault you've never been loved."

Rebecca's mouth snapped shut. She crossed her arms in front of her and turned away from him. "I can't believe you just said that." She looked to where Nigel was hopping from foot to foot from the tension and walked past Fred without another word.

Fred put his hand over his eyes and ran it down his face roughly. Ginny walked back to him as the others followed Rebecca and Nigel. "That was something."

"I'm so damn stupid." Fred muttered as Ginny shrugged. "Sometimes." 

Fred sighed and looked at her. Ginny continued, "That was pretty stupid. Really stupid. I mean, what were you even thinking? That level of stu-"

"Thank you, Ginevra. That will be all."

"But you're not stupid."

Fred put his arm around his sister's shoulder and pulled her into his side. "You going to pass that on to her?"

"Oh no, you get to fix all that yourself."

*******************************************

The adults in McGonagall's office fell silent as Nigel knocked on the door and Rebecca filed in first. Molly had her wrapped in her arms before even one second had passed. Harry entered the room next, rushing ahead of the others.

"Oh Merlin!" Arthur said, grabbing Harry as he passed him and tilting his head towards the light. The suction cup bruises from the grindylows were dark, his other various cuts along his face from the task freshly scabbed over. "Son..." Arthur pulled Harry into an embrace, pulling Ron into his arms when he entered as well.

Harry's heart warmed at the affection, particularly being called 'son.' It had been week since they'd heard from Sirius and it was seeming less and less likely that he'd be cleared enough to file for guardianship by the summer.

Molly put Rebecca's an arms-breadth away and looked her over. "We got here as soon as we saw the paper, apparating to Hogsmeade and marching from there." 

Fred and George were the last to enter the room, George's opinion on what he'd said identical to Ginny's. Bill and Charlie left their spots behind the now-seated Rebecca, Molly, and Arthur in front of McGonagall's desk as McGonagall recapped yesterday for them. "Had you read everything arriving by owl this morning, you would have found a request for a meeting..."

Harry shook Bill and Charlie's hands as they joined Harry and Ron at the back of the classroom, asking why Fred stood alone staring out the window. "What's up with Fred?" Bill asked, Charlie agreeing in his enquiry. 

"He," Harry shook his head, "I don't even know. Rebecca was telling him to stop being so protective, stop threatening and such."

Bill and Charlie nodded, following along. "And he said something about her not knowing how love works because she's never been loved."

Charlie's hand clapped to his mouth, looking to Fred again. Bill winced, sucking in a sharp breath. "That's, um...a predicament to solve?"

Ron shook his head, "Predicament? Now that's an understatement." The four boys were joined by George a moment later and continued to discuss what Fred said, Harry explaining why it was such a big deal.

"He's not wrong, that's the problem." Ron looked at him confused. "Rebecca and I...You know love isn't something that's just always been there like it has for you lot." Harry nodded to where Arthur had Molly's hand in his as McGonagall got to the part where the both appeared at the water's top. "That's why she's hurt, I'd reckon. No one likes being confronted with the cold, hard truth."

Hermione excused herself from Ginny, saying that someone had to talk to Fred while Rebecca was still trapped with Molly and Arthur. She made her way around the room and stood next to him. Fred glanced at her as she stopped, though his eyes quickly returned to their gazing out the window.

"What'd the Prophet even say?" He asked, hoping she wouldn't talk about what had happened.

Hermione had the page that brought the Weasley adults to Hogwarts in hand, planning on giving it to Harry to send to Sirius in case he didn't get it so he could read the coverage on the tournament.

Diggory takes first, Death strikes

Fred skimmed through the article, noting the sections on his reviving of her by using 'muggle-magic' and George's outburst at dinner. "You're going to know how to make it up to her." Hermione said when he looked up.

"How the hell do I make that up Hermione? That was so goddamn low. So low. I literally don't know what else I could have said or done to make that any worse."

Hermione turned around and leaned against the stone beneath the window. "I don't know if you could have, in perfect honesty."

Fred looked at her. "I know Ginny's already told you, but she's right: You weren't wrong. Could have said it differently, but the message was true. She and Harry both, they don't know how to accept love. They can only give it."

"Yet, I knew that and I still said what I did."

Hermione caught Rebecca's gaze from across the room, "She's different than other girls, Fred. She always will be. If you can't do that then..."

"I know she's different. There's not a single person in the world like her; kind, brave, smart, beautiful...I never should never have shouted. I saw her face when I shouted at her and I will never forget it, the fact that I scared her. I feel like a beast, a monster."

"That's all you have to do, all you can do. All anyone can do really. You have to use the past in the future."

Fred turned around and leant with her, watching his mum pull Rebecca back into her as Arthur looked at Fred proudly, McGonagall now telling how Fred brought her back. Charlie and Bill clapped Fred on the shoulders, Harry waving Hermione and Ginny over to them.

"Alright, Freddiekins." Bill started, using the nickname he knew he hated. "Here's what you're going to do."

"And don't worry, we're both experts in making things up to women."

*******************************************

Fred looked between his older brothers as they finished laying out his path to redemption. "I don't know..."

"Mate, It doesn't seem like you could make it much worse."

Molly and Arthur stood up, calling for their children as McGonagall gave them the privacy to be with one another. "Harry, how did this even happen?" Molly asked, pulling him into a hug.

"I have no idea," He said as he stepped back and glanced at Rebecca's downward gaze. "Did Professor McGonagall tell you everything."

Arthur nodded, offering his congratulations to Harry on saving both girls and moving to where Fred stood on the outer rings of his family, far from Rebecca. "Fred?"

Fred shook his head, not offering any explanation to his behaviour. "You know the problem with Weasley men? We feel deeply and we care deeply. Blessing and a curse, I promise." Arthur lead Fred on a lap around the large classroom. "Your old man happens to be quite wise, if you care to share."

Fred filled his father in, telling him what Bill and Charlie had told him to do. "I'm an idiot. I'm actually considering listening to them."

Arthur shook his head, "I think they're right, son. I really do."

*******************************************

Across the room, Molly had Rebecca sitting on a chair while Ginny and Hermione were occupied by Bill and Charlie trying to top the other's stories of bravery. "You're looking at him again, love."

Rebecca's eyes shot back to Molly's knowing stare. "Sorry."

"You don't have to apologise, I hear things are going quite well between you."

Molly noticed Rebecca's shoulders fall a notch. "At least, it seemed so from Fred's last letter."

"It is, better than fine. Perfect really."

Molly sat back in her chair, "Tell me. And sweets, I'd never encourage someone to practise lying, but it can be useful sometimes to tell the whitest of lies. Perhaps its something you should work on."

Rebecca took the suggestion into consideration and told Molly what had happened. "Oh, I see."

"See what?" Rebecca said morosely.

Molly leaned forward, "Do you know what Harry and I had to talk about this summer? How to love within-reason. You know why? Because he was going absolutely mental when you slept in late."

Rebecca sighed, "I'm never loving anyone again, I've turned my heart off, that's it."

"You can't. Love is inevitable; Love is what makes a life worth living." Molly looked to where Arthur led Fred back and smiled at her. "Love is everything."

Molly stood up and clapped her hands, the children headed to her as she and Arthur began their goodbyes. McGonagall called them back up to the front and handing them a large envelope with files. "This is all I was able to gather, I hope it helps." McGonagall said quietly.

Molly and Arthur were escorted out of the castle by Moody, Arthur trying to talk with the man about their collaboration between muggle security systems from years before and finding that he only grunted, seemingly not remembering.

McGonagall addressed them as a group, "I have found that I must reiterate the common room rules regarding acts of violence, promised, spoken about, or acted upon..." McGonagall talked to them for a few minutes, making sure they all understood before letting them leave. Hermione put her bag onto her other shoulder and checked the time. "Would you like to come to the library with me, Rebecca? Viktor and I were meeting there."

Rebecca looked to the exit of the castle, disappointed to see Fred and George disappearing down the path to the table at the lake's edge. "Yeah, I guess."

Hermione started talking about the order of the topics she wanted to study, knowing Rebecca wasn't listening but not wanting to walk in her pensive silence. Watching the two girls disappear down the hall and turn down the stairs, Harry and Ron looked at each other before following Ginny out of the castle.

"Herme-o-ninny!" Viktor called when they were in the library, Madame Pince shushing him like she would any other student. Viktor raised his hand in apology and stood up, pulling Hermione's chair out and pushing her chair in for her before doing the same for Rebecca.

"In Bulgaria," He said with his accented voice, "We have word for those who breathed water." Rebecca watched him as he struggled to translate what he wanted to tell her. "Dishalka za voda."

"What's it mean?" Viktor shrugged, "In English, means nothing. In my land? It means you defeated death."

Rebecca slunk lower in her chair, "Nothing new then." She muttered.

"I thought we'd start with Potions and then move onto Charms?" Hermione asked as Viktor put his head onto his folded arms and gazing at her, understanding precious little of what Hermione said as she read the texts aloud but loving the glint in her eye that she got as she understood new material.

Rebecca watched Viktor's attentiveness, turning and gazing out the window as she had to face the reality the day had brought up to her.

"What if I don't know how to be loved?"

Hermione watched her friend zone out and closed her book with a noise loud enough to jolt her to the present. Viktor sat up and waved to the door, Fleur entering the library whispering to each other.

"Good matin," She said as she took a seat across from Rebecca. "'Ow are you after yesterday?"

Hermione looked at Rebecca as Rebecca eveaded answering by answering with a question, "How are you? Gabrielle alright?"

Fleur took the opportunity and began to talk about being shaken by the task from yesterday and how brave Gabrielle was being. "It is my fault, that she was under the water and...that I didn't finish."

Viktor shook his head, "It is not you." 

Fleur turned to Rebecca, "And you, are you upset at 'Arry?"

Rebecca looked up at Fleur's question. "What?"

"Because of the tournament and-"

"Of course not. Fleur, Gabrielle doesn't blame you in any way. I know that for a fact. When you love someone..." Rebecca couldn't finish her sentence, confliction rising in her stomach. 

"What? When you love someone...?"

"You wouldn't blame them for something like that. Something they had no control of, no part in. I've got to go." Rebecca pushed her chair back and left the library quickly, not saying a word.

"Was that good?" Fleur asked after she left, "'Arry was very concerned about where she would go after. I could hardly read his handwriting, is it always like this?"

Hermione looked over her shoulder at the script Harry'd written for Fleur, "No, that's how it always is. You did exactly what we needed, thank you."

*******************************************

Having watched Fred and George leave the castle, she had an idea on where she could find Fred. She pulled her robes tighter around her, the sky misting ever so slightly in the cold, overcast afternoon. Her trainers squeaked on the stones of the path. The path was empty, outside classes having been cancelled due to the weather, and by the end of it, she saw, what she'd come to think of as their table, empty.

Empty, at least, she thought from the path. Walking through the grass, she found a piece of parchment stuck under a rock on the table's top. The rain made the ink bleed slightly, but the words were still legible.

RJ,  
Please turn left and walk 60 paces. 

Fred's writing, but no sign of Fred. She faced left and went off into the trees. "One, two, three, four...fifty-eight, fifty-nine, sixty!" On her sixtieth step she stopped, turning a full circle in the clearing she'd ended up in. The clearing was empty.

"Fred?" She lifted her hand to her mouth and called, "Fred, I'm here." There was no response, so she continued walking through the archway of trees ahead of her. "Fred, you said 60..." A blanket was next to a crouching Fred and being smoothed out from under the huge umbrella he was holding over his shoulder.

"I was what?" He asked, stepping forward and holding the umbrella he held over her as he walked her to the blanket. "I didn't think about how your steps are smaller than mine..." He muttered to himself before continuing, "I was an idiot. That's what I was."

Rebecca shook her head and tried to continue, but found that Fred had was pouring her a cup of tea and not giving a single pause she could get a word in. "I was wrong. It was wrong to threaten Nigel. And, it was wrong of me to have said that about you."

"Fred," She wedged in, but he persisted and carried on talking as he lifted the umbrella he had to have increased in size magically above her so she could sit next to him. "I shouldn't have brought up how you've defended Harry to justify my actions because Nigel himself, didn't do anything. Not yesterday and not this morning, either. Whenever you've done something in the name of defending him, it was to the threat itself."

"Fred?" He paused and looked away, letting her get a word in. "Fred, you were right."

He tried to shake his head, but she reached across the blanket and held his hand in both of hers. "I don't know how being loved works. I know how to love, loving is easy. So, so easy compared to being loved and," She took a deep breath, "Yes, that could be from my past." She took a deep breath before continuing quietly. " I..I love you. And I know I love you because if we had been swapped yesterday, if you were the one, if I had to see you lying there. I would have done what you did--I'd do everything I could to bring you back to me because..." She had to look away.

"Because life is infinitely better with you in it."

Fred brought his other hand to hers and wrapped his around them. "Rebecca..." They looked at each other as he continued. "There is one other thing I have to apologise for, and I want you to listen to me entirely first. Please?" She nodded. "Rebecca, I never should have shouted at you. I saw how you looked at me when I raised my voice, I saw the fear and I swear to Merlin, I swear to God, I swear on my life, mum's life, I swear on everything. I swear on absolutely everything, I will never hurt you. I would never hurt you. I will never, ever do anything to earn that look, ever."

"Fred, you can't swear that. You're human, we're human. We're going to get mad at each other. We're going to shout sometimes. I can't help fear itself, but I do know you would never hurt me. Don't think for a single bloody moment I think you would."

Fred leaned forward as she did, their lips meeting in the middle under the umbrella over them both. "I love you, too." He said when he'd pulled apart, looking down at her hands in his and studying their feature.

"Fred?" He looked up at her as she continued. "You're not going to leave, are you?"

His eyes widened, "Leave? Leave where?"

"Just in general. Out of nowhere. Gone."

He let go of her hands and leaned forward, lying her on her back gently as he propped himself up on his elbow and stared down at her face. "I'm not going anywhere."

Rebecca closed her eyes as he laid his head into her neck. "That's all I ask of you, really. Don't let me give you my heart only for you to take it away."

"Rebecca," He said, lifting his head and placing his lips onto her neck, lightly kissing his way up her jaw line and stopping before would have kissed her lips. "I couldn't go anywhere even if I wanted to--You are my heart."

*******************************************

Ron was fuming next to Harry, George, and Ginny when Hermione made their way to the overlook shortly after Rebecca had left the library. "How's it going?"

None of them took their eyes away from the little glimpse of Fred and Rebecca they could see under the umbrella, but Harry answered. "Fleur did it, didn't she?"

"Exactly as we needed." Ginny scoffed as Hermione crouched next to her. "At least she didn't break a nail."

"It's going well," George said, leaning closer to the ground and looking through the binoculars he'd summoned from his room. "Here, you can look."

"You-She just got here!" Ron gasped as he watched George hand off the goggles. "I was next!"

Harry stepped closer to Hermione to avoid the rumble as Ron jumped on George's back. "It is going well!" Rebecca had her head resting on his shoulder and a hand resting on his stomach, his arm wrapped around her as her mouth moving in silent conversation.

"Looks like they're just chatting."

"Cuddling still?" Ginny asked as she moved to stand behind Hermione, the misting growing obnoxious. 

"Still?" Hermione asked, handing the binoculars back to whoever would grab them.

Harry chuckled, "Yeah, still. I think everything will be okay."

Ron peered through the binoculars that were finally in his hands and grunted, "Eh, they do that all the time." Before handing them Harry. Harry focused them, looking for himself. The misting slowly turned to a light drizzle, Hermione and Ginny pulling their robes over their head and calling for the boys to come back to the castle with them.

Harry paused a moment and watched Fred launch up and roar, plunging his head down against her neck and shaking his head wildly. Rebecca screamed and laughed, rolling out from under the umbrella. The last thing Harry saw before joining his friends was Fred minimising the umbrella and standing, leaning down and kissing Rebecca in the quickening rain.

*******************************************

<3


	67. Chapter 67

The rest of the afternoon passed happily. An owl was waiting for Harry and Rebecca when Harry and the others returned to their rooms to change out of their damp uniform robes, an owl from Sirius which told them where they could find him on their next trip to Hogsmeade in March which was only a few short weeks in the future, and asking for them to bring him some food. 

Hearing back from Sirius eased Harry's worries, though his focus was still not on the game of wizard's chess in which Ron was utterly destroying him in again and again.

"Mate, what's going on?" Ron asked as he reset the board. "I'd say I felt like I was playing with Rebecca, but you haven't asked me which way the pieces move."

"He's just distracted," Hermione answered for Harry from where she sat on the couch as she wrote to her parents. "They've been a while." Hermione flipped her page with a laugh as Harry lost again.

"That's it, I'm done." Harry said, pushing himself to his feet. "Is it time for dinner yet? I'm starved."

Ron hopped to his feet, "That's what I'm talking about!"

Hermione checked the time, "Dinner's not for another hour."

Harry and Ron crumpled back to the ground in a pile of groans and moans about starving to death.

*******************************************

"We really do have to go back," Rebecca said into Fred's kiss. "Really, really have to. I'm soaked to the knickers and-"

"What did you just say?" Fred asked laughing.

"Soaked to the knickers? I'm sopping and," She reached forward and put her hand against the side of his leg. "You are too! What?"

Fred shook his head and grabbed the blanket he and George had brought down to the woods earlier. "That's an old-person saying!"

"Fred!" Pausing in his laughing at her, Fred bent to his knees and scooped her up off the ground. He put his arms around her legs and stood back up, sending her dangling over his shoulder. He hopped about, spinning and twirling until her laughter distracted him and he himself was growing dizzy as well.

He set her back down gently, his hair falling wetly into his eyes. "We'd better go, McGonagall's going to be pretty steamed if we show up to dinner like this."

Winking at him, Rebecca pulled her wand out of her robes, "Maybe, maybe not."

"You learned the spell!" Fred said excitedly, opening the umbrella again and holding it over their heads as they left the clearing.

"Statum siccum!" Rebecca tapped Fred's shoulder with her wand. His robes were instantly dried, just as McGonagall would have done but without the added scolding. After drying herself, Rebecca walked closer to Fred.

"Cold?" She shook her head, but Fred knew she was. "Probably should have known better, honestly. Fred, how daft can you be? Cold and wet was the last thing she-"

"This was amazing Fred, thank you." Rebecca's sweet voice broke him out of his self-deprecation. "Really, this was brilliant."

Fred shook his head, "It wasn't all me, Bill and Charlie gave the idea of in the forest with the blanket and George was the one who thought to make the umbrella larger and Har-Harry didn't do anything actually." Fred didn't want Rebecca to know about Fleur's involvement. He wasn't sure why, but he felt like Rebecca wouldn't like it.

Rebecca looked at him, "You're a horrible liar like I am, but I don't care. It's sweet how they all helped."

"You're sweet, love. They only did exactly what you would have for any of them."

"I like it when you call me love." She said softly as he leaned down for a peck.

Fred smiled, "I liked darling an awful lot." The two continued to talk on their way to the Great Hall where supper seating was beginning to take place. Fred took a piece of parchment out of his pocket as they passed through the large doorway, stopping at the end of the table with the first and second years where Nigel eyed him warily.

"Nigel, I have two things to say. One, I admit that it was wrong to have been so, um..."

"Scary?" Nigel offered lightly as he leaned in and lowered his voice. "It's alright mate, if I had a girl like that, I'd do that same thing."

Fred grinned at the twelve year olds admiration, "I'm sure you would, but that doesn't excuse anything. That leads to my second point, Ron's debt." Fred slid the parchment that Harry signed and added his own apology.

"Wicked!" Nigel whispered as he held the parchment up to see it better. 

"We're solid then?" Fred asked, pushing up from the table to go back to where Rebecca was standing back a ways watching with a smile.

"Well...You have done this twice now..." Nigel trailed off, feeling braver than he normally would have with Harry's autograph in hand. Nigel beckoned for Fred to lean down to his ear where Fred's smiled faded as he stood back up. 

"I see. All I can do is ask-"

"That's fine." Nigel turned back to his table, effectively dismissing Fred to wander back to Rebecca as he scratched the back of his neck. Rebecca laughed as Fred told her Nigel's final request and took Fred's hand, guiding him to their normal spot and passing Nigel and his friends again.

"Nigel," Rebecca said as she put her hands on his shoulders and bent her head around his. "I heard you wanted something from me. What was it again?"

Nigel burnt a bright scarlet as he stammered. "F-Fred didn't tell y-you?"

Rebecca giggled and leaned forward, pecking his cheek lightly. "He did, I'm just messing with you."

Nigel's friends laughed as Nigel froze at the peck, he'd expected her to say no. Joining Fred again, she grabbed his hand. "Thank you."

"The only one who needs thanking is you," Fred said, sitting down at their empty area and looking to where Harry and the others were waving to them. "For making me be the best that I can."

"I love you." She said, the last thing they were able to say to each other as Harry and Ron tried to get them to settle the argument between them on whether or not oatmeal could be considered a stew.

*******************************************

As February faded to March, classes had started to climb the peak of exam preparation. Rebecca wasn't worried about Charms or Potions, but Transfiguration was kicking her arse.

"Here, try this one." Fred took the last drink from his cup and slid it in front of her. "Try the colour changing one."

Rebecca looked at the cup and imagined every part of it red instead of the grey it was. She tapped her wand to it as she was supposed to and said the incantation. The cup remained grey with a minute pink tint. "Bloody hell, I'm going to get a T."

Fred shook his head, "You won't, we'll just practise. What about Saturday? It's Hogsmeade day, but we can stay and nab an empty classroom."

Rebecca shook her head, "We can't, remember?" She looked around and caught Harry's eyes as he made sure she was still going. "Snuffles is in town?"

Fred nodded, "Ah yes, I do remember now. Sunday then. We'll get it down. I know you can do it."

Ron rolled his eyes, "Where was this help when I could have used it?"

Hermione looked over at the parchment in front of Ron, "You still don't?" This sent Ron into a frenzy, hiding his work from Hermione and telling her that she couldn't judge his school work just because he wasn't a 'know-it-all genius' like she was.

Hermione paused and looked at him a moment, knowing exactly how she was going to win this argument before it could really start. "You really think I'm a genius, Ron?" She said it like he'd given her the best compliment in the world. Ron scowled at his parchment and said that he knew what she was doing.

Harry sighed and looked down at the list of offensive and defensive spells he'd started compiling for the third task, wishing the 24th would come quicker so he would know what it was already. Rebecca used her not-writing hand to pat his back, sensing his stress. "It'll be okay, Harry. Just think about it--Two days and then it's Snuffles time."

Harry nodded and rolled the parchment, "You want to skive?"

Rebecca pursed her lips, "More than anything, but..."

"I know, I know." Harry shouldered his bag, "Let's go then, got to get going then."

*******************************************

"Ah, Miss Potter." Snape spat as she took her usual seat next to Harry the next morning. "And Miss Granger!"

Hermione looked up nervously, she'd done a fairly well job evading Snape's scrutiny this year. "I want to read an...excerpt to the class." He paused in the middle to smirk, pushing his hair out of his face.

"In the words of their classmate Miss Pansy Parkinson, Potter and Granger, two unremarkable girls, have managed to snag two of the most strapping lads. A Viktor Krum for Durmstrang and a Fred Weasley from Hogwarts. Miss Granger is seen with Viktor Krum in the library more often than not, would have been quite easy for her to slip him a love potion. And Miss Potter, she lives with the Weasleys as they took over guardianship due to unknown reasons nearly five years ago. Has she tricked them all? Bewitched them? Where does the depravity and the lies end?"

The classroom dissolved into cruel laughter as the Slytherins cackled. "There's a mentioning of love potions in here by Miss Parkinson, do you two have anything to say to that?" Snape said, putting the page out of Rita Skeeter's article on his desk. 

Rebecca looked up at Snape and tried to keep her tone calm. "Not a word."

"Is Granger going to cry?" Pansy crooned, leaning into the aisle between their desks and putting her hands to her eyes like she was wiping away her own tears.

"No, she's not." Hermione said, looking up and facing the board. "Jealousy-fueled slander from a sly, evil, ugly little gremlin does not make me cry."

Rebecca smirked, still staring at Snape. "10 points from Gryffindor for name-calling. Get your cauldrons out and make your antidotes, it's time to test them. I do believe that Miss Potter just volunteered to go first."

Harry paled at the idea of her purposefully drinking poison, a disagreement he made all too clear while they began the preparation of the ingredients. "This is stupid, just go to the bathroom and don't come back! A detention is better than this!" Harry hissed as she flipped to the page in her book and began to read the instructions.

"No, Harry."

"What am I supposed to do? Sit here and watch?"

She put her finger to where she'd read in step one, so to not lose her spot, and turned to him. "No, you're going to help make the antidote so we know it's done right."

Harry sighed and started cutting the horn into slivers, hatred burning deep in his stomach for Snape. Rebecca followed the instructions exactly, every step, every quarter turn of the spoon, every gram measured out perfectly. Harry watched on and did whatever she asked, but was confused over the massive amount of steps in the procedures for antidotes.

"Are you sure?" He asked, putting his hand between hers and the cauldron she was reaching for.

"Yeah, look right here." She pointed and underlined the text. "Add four-oh." She had five in hand.

"Rebecca!" Harry scolded loudly.

"What's the matter Mr Potter?" Snape asked, appearing at their table front. "Are your skills...not up to the task?"

"His skills are perfectly sound," Rebecca snapped, racking her brain as she tried to walk through every thing she'd done already to make sure her previous steps were correct.

"Five more points for tone, Miss Potter."

Ron's muttering grew louder at more points lost and only continued until Snape called for the class' work to stop. Rebecca stood at her chair as she was told. "General poison for the general antidote you all were supposed to have made, although..." Snape peered down his crooked, long nose into her and Harry's cauldron. "I'm not exactly sure what this is."

Rebecca smiled sweetly, "Poison, please." Snape looked at her with a glare as he held the vial out to her. Harry held his breath as she turned the bottom to the ceiling and swallowed once, twice, and then thrice before handing the vial back to him. Hermione and Ron leaned forward in their seats as she lifted the spoon from their cauldron and drank from it.

She stood back up and let her hand drift to her pocket, tracing the stone shaped lump in it, the shape that she had because she nicked it from his supply closet while they were gathering what they needed. The classroom watched in tense silence as she turned to them and stared at them a moment before throwing her hands up above her head. "WOO!" She shouted, taking a step back and dancing in place.

"5 points for...whatever that is." Snape said as he stalked away angrily. 

Rebecca hopped up onto her stool, her legs kicking in front of her happily. "That was the dumbest thing I've ever seen you do." Harry hissed. 

"Yeah, well you weren't there when I held the burning pin, were you?"

Ron leaned across his desk and patted her shoulder. "Probably wouldn't use that as a counter."

Rebecca shrugged him off of her. "I'm not reckless!"

Hermione joined in the scolding. "You just drank poison."

"After making the antidote! And besides," She reached into her pocket and slammed the bezoar between them. "I'm not a total idiot!"

"A bezoar? Hmm!" Hermione was literally taken back by her ingenuity. 

"A bee's whore?" Harry asked quietly, "What in god's name are you talking about!"

"Not a bee's whore. Really Harry? What would that even be? A bezoar. It's the stone from a goat's stomach."

"Cures most poisons." Ron finished for her, eliciting another shocked look. 

"Oh my, you guys do listen to me sometimes." Hermione put her hand to her forehead like an old movie star would before fainting.

Harry knocked the stone back into her hand as Snape made his way back to the front of the classroom. "Another beautiful day of Potions done, shall we make our way to lunch?"

Hermione shook her head, "So you're not upset by anything in the article?"

Harry watched Rebecca's response carefully, knowing she couldn't lie to save her life. "No, I'm not. Well, a little. But not a lot. Maybe a lot. I'd really just like to get to lunch."

"She means she just wants to get to Fred." Ron said to Harry and Hermione softly, thinking she couldn't hear him from where she walked ahead. 

"Correct! I am in desperate need of a smoochin'." She said with a silly accent on, something American.

Harry shook his head and followed after her, still feeling queasy from stress.

*******************************************

"Poison. You drank poison." George intoned quietly as Fred looked her over head to toe, holding his hand against her forehead. "Like poisonous poison?" 

Fred put his hands on either side of her face and turned her up to him, "Why?"

Rebecca winked at him, "Making sure our antidote worked."

"What were you thinking?" He put his forehead against hers and closed his eyes. "Really, what were you thinking?"

"I was thinking that I trusted in Harry and my skills!"

"Your skills," He opened his eyes and stared into hers, "Your skills are undoubtedly excellent. But poison?"

"It's a longer story, but I did have a backup plan. It wasn't needed, but it was ready."

Fred closed his eyes and sighed again, "You're nuts."

"Good thing you're not allergic...to nuts." She winced as she finished. "That sounded so much better in my head."

Fred let her turn back to her lunch, but she caught him looking at her in disbelief. "No, Fred. It did not taste horrible."

Ron's mouth dropped open and his food fell back onto his plate, resulting in a disgusted sigh from Hermione. "What did it taste like then?"

Rebecca tapped her hand to her chin, "It wasn't really a specific taste, really. But it wasn't bad."

"And you'll not be trying it again?" Fred asked worriedly. 

"Probably not."

Harry's head shot away from Cho across the hall. "Probably?!"

*******************************************

Harry and Ron were up with the sun the day of the Hogsmeade trip. They'd both volunteered, well, Harry volunteered them both, to fill the bags they were all bringing to Sirius from the kitchens. Ron had been, understandably, upset at the idea of having to wake up so many hours earlier than he wanted to on their outing day. But, he perked up quickly once Harry had mentioned the ability to eat breakfast so early.

Rebecca, Hermione, and Ginny had given Harry and Ron a backpack from each of them to fill. "What're we supposed to say if we get stopped?" Harry asked them, not looking to Rebecca.

"Alright, this is absurd. I can lie, you know!"

Fred patted her on the head from where he sat next to her on the couch, "Love, it's not a big deal! We all have our strengths and weaknesses."

Rebecca pulled away and hopped up, looking to them all. "Professor Snape is my favorite professor." She couldn't help bringing her lip into her mouth, nibbling on the bottom one lightly. "No, damn. Okay, try me on this one...I'm an excellent swimmer."

Even she could feel how her face burnt. "Nevermind." She said darkly before plopping back on the couch. Harry moved on, "So, what're we saying?"

"What about a hike? We could say we were planning on a picnic at the end?" Ginny offered.

"With that much food? We're all bringing a bag each, that's a little more than just a picnic." Hermione contradicted.

"We're bringing Ron though." George piped up. The kids all nodded, seeing how that would work. Ron scoffed and slammed a pillow back against George, telling him to shut it. Fred whispered to Rebecca, "Don't be cross, lying's not an achievement."

"Fred, everyone can tell a little lie!"

"I can't." Fred said with a smirk. "Watch: Rebecca, I do not like when you call me your darling." He shook his head as soon as he'd finished. "Look! Involuntary seizure!" She smiled and turned her face into his chest.

Fred's head jerked up, startling her. "What?"

"'Lying-Lollies! We should do a sweet that makes it so you can't tell the truth while you're eating it!" He hissed, making sure no one else heard him.

"That's genius!" Rebecca said. "And I'll be the best guinea pig since it's not like I could do it without the magic." She laughed at her own expense as Fred pecked the top of her head.

"I'll toss it in the idea book tonite and we can have a look-see next time all three of us are together. George really wanted to get another shipment out by end of term, but it doesn't look like it can be done."

"Why? I thought the Christmas boxes went really well."

"They did," Fred sighed, "But the cost of ingredients for these new pranks is more than what we made!"

"Fred, you've made me apart of this. Please, let me help. I don't mind and all of our money was all split in two, so Harry's got naught to do with it."

"Rebecca, we can't. It would be one thing to borrow from you if you had any intention of letting us pay you back, but you don't."

Rebecca sighed and leaned against him, bring her hand up and stroking his jaw. "I can't possibly understand you two, but I respect that. I won't ask again."

Fred frowned and looked at her. "You're lying."

*******************************************

"Finally!" Harry shouted as Hermione came down the stairs. "I don't know what took you so long!"

Hermione looked at Harry before slowly turning to Rebecca, "Care to share?"

"Nope! Let's not be rude Harry, she's here now!" Rebecca jumped up from the couch and tried to run to the portrait hole.

"Rebecca!" Hermione shouted, watching her disappear out the door. Harry pulled his bag on and slid one to Hermione as she began to tell what his twin had woken her up to. "Singing Harry, she tried to sing me awake."

"That doesn't sound so ba-"

"Like a strangled cat. I don't know if she was trying an impression or something, but Harry, I swear. Strangled cat is the only description I can give you."

Ginny slapped her leg, "The one day I'm out first!"

The Fat Lady chuckled as the rest of them exited the common room. "So anyway, then I was saying..." Rebecca had run out in an escape, but the Fat Lady had quickly started a conversation with her most talkative Gryffindor.

Hermione linked her arm through Rebecca's and excused her from the portrait, forcing her to walk to the top of the stairs. "What was that this morning?"

"Oh that? Guess."

"Infant who's done nothing but smoke since exiting the womb?"

Rebecca looked at her friend in horror, "No! What's the matter with you? It was supposed to be a niffler. You didn't get that?"

"No, I did not." Hermione said after a pause. "And that was most certainly not a niffler." They began to argue over what a niffler would sound like if it was able to sing.

"Ladies, ladies," George called as he opened the carriage door. "Niffler, not a niffler, does it really matter?"

"Yes!" Both girls said in unison before starting again.

"That's enough!" Ron shouted as the carriage came to a stop. "Bloody hell, don't you two ever have to breathe!"

Ginny answered for them as they headed towards the western exit of Hogsmeade where they would find a nature path that lead to where they could access the cave Sirius was in. "They did breathe, Hermione three times and Rebecca four."

Harry shook his head and turned on them both. "Just stop! No one cares! Now can we please get a move on?"

Rebecca conceded, seeing how she'd ignored Harry's anxiety towards getting to see their godfather again. "You're right. I-" She giggled in growing intensity. "This is so stupid." Harry nodded, and hurried back to the front of them, urging them to go faster.

"Aren't you in luck!" Fred said as she joined him towards the back of the group.

"Why?" She asked, grabbing the straps to her backpack and holding them. "Besides walking with you, of course."

He chuckled, "I happen to be a judge on the international, national, domestic Niffler singing competition talent show spectacular."

Rebecca laughed into the wind that was blowing against them gently, the air crisp, yet not cold. "You are?"

He nodded, "I am. It's a prestigious job I like to keep underwraps, don't want the press to find me."

He reached down for her hand and she grabbed it tightly, swinging it as they walked. "And what does this...position of yours have to do with me?"

"Well, if you were to share your rendition, I'd be able to tell you how accurate it was."

"Really? You don't just want to hear for yourself?"

Fred didn't get the chance to answer because Harry turned a corner on their incline and saw the opening. His feet kicked up rocks as he broke into a sprint, leaving the others to chase after him. "Sirius?" Harry called as poked his head in. "Sirius, it's us!"

They heard Sirius' voice as he cast a spell that lit all of the various lanterns he had across the cave, a familiar beaked face appearing in the shadows. "Buckbeak!" Rebecca cried, passing Sirius and Harry's embrace to bow before the magnificent creature.

Buckbeak returned the bow and allowed her to stroke his head. "I've got to go chat, don't want to leave Harry to it all. If I'd known you were here, we would have brought more meat." Rebecca left the back of the cave and joined the others in Sirius' coordinated emptying of their bags. "Sirius!" Rebecca said happily as he opened his arms for her to hug him. Sirius hands cradled the back of her head. After he had hugged her a long while, he pushed her back from him and looked her over entirely. "Where's Fred?" Sirius called over his shoulder.

"I'm right here. What's the matter?" Fred asked worriedly as he saw how Sirius was examining her.

"Nothing's the matter, son!" Sirius stuck his hand out and shook Fred's hand strongly, thanking him for his actions after the second task. "Goddaughter's aren't brought back to life everyday, you know."

Fred's face fell as he remembered that day, that day he still dreamt about. "I only did what anyone would have done for their love." 

Sirius turned to the side and gagged, "Ugh, gross. Are they like that all the time?" Sirius asked to the others who were sitting against the wall Sirius directed them too.

"All the time," Ron answered. 

"What's with the papers, Sirius?" Harry asked as he gestured to the piles of loose pages scattered about everywhere.

Sirius sighed and lead Fred and Rebecca away from where he was done teasing them to where he had tried to make the cave as nice as he could for the children to chat with him. "I've got to keep updated on everything one way or another. Turns out, another ends up being the rubbish."

Fred zoned out as Rebecca and Harry alternated between telling him about them while Hermione, Ron, George, and Ginny helped where their memories faltered. He watched the way her fingers played with the edge of her shirt, the way her hair was bouncing as she gestured wildly.

"Yeah, so then I take the poison vial and just bottoms-up, you know? Just to the ceiling, down the hatch."

Sirius laughed heartily, "And the bezoar? That's your mother right there. She had such a knack for Potions." Sirius turned the conversation from the friends of the past to the meeting at the end of March where they'd learn what the third task would be. "You've got to watch Crouch, he'll turn on you in a moment."

Fred glowered darkly, "He's a dirty bastard. 'Duress.'" 

George joined his darkening mood, "I see him in a dark hall-"

"You'll do nothing." Sirius said sharply. "None of you should be going out anywhere, let alone after Crouch."

"Why Crouch?" Harry asked, leaning forward as Sirius began to talk of his trial, or lack thereof.

"Barty Crouch Snr is one of the reasons I went to Azkaban." The adult's eyes grew distant. "Sent me away without a trial. He was aiming for Minister and needed the people to like him, so he made a decision. Aurors were able to use the unforgivable curses on those suspected to be Death Eaters." Sirius shook his head and continued. "Made him quite popular until his son was caught in a group of Death Eaters. He got a trial and ended up being sent to Azkaban where he, unexpectedly, died a year later."

Rebecca squinted her eyes, confused. "What does this have to do with Crouch now?"

Sirius sighed and looked at her sadly. "Losing someone like that, a child. It skews common sense. I fear he's not remembering that some people still have something to lose."

Fred reached over and laid his hand on Rebecca's, smiling weakly at her when she looked at him. "We'll be careful."

Sirius nodded and began to ask Harry about what he was doing to prepare for the third task preemptively as the kids began to mill about. "Sirius?" Rebecca asked once he was done telling Harry about another book he might find different defensive spells in. 

"Yes, zombie?"

"Zombie?" 

"Yeah, you know. Back from the dead?"

Rebecca winced, "Grossly accurate after the unicorn, I guess, if I brought back another."

Sirius was utterly lost. "Unicorn?"

Rebecca sighed, "It's a really long story."

Harry checked the time sadly, "And there's not enough left before we have to make our way back."

Sirius pulled Harry into another hug, "Then I expect an owl. Borrow from the school and send it off tonight."

"You will have questions and we don't have answers." Rebecca warned. Sirius pushed her lightly, "Don't tease me with it!"

Harry said something about guardianship and Sirius began to talk to him quietly. Rebecca made her way back to Buckbeak and bowed once more. Fred came up behind her as she crooned into Buckbeak's ear stroking his feathers lovingly.

"May I?" Fred said.

"You've got to bow to him. He'll bow back if he wants you to approach."

Fred lowered his head down to the ground and looking up at him. Buckbeak snorted and looked at Rebecca. "He's good." Buckbeak's golden eye narrowed at her. "I'm serious!"

"No, I am!" Sirius called from where he and Harry were hugging again.

Buckbeak lowered his head to Fred, allowing him to step forward. Fred raised a hand slowly and gently patted the side of his neck. Rebecca smiled at Fred's reaction: Wide-eyes and looking to her to make sure she was watching.

"Rebecca?" Hermione called from the exit of the cave. "Fred?"

Fred patted Buckbeak once more before leaning down and kissing her gently. "Time to go, love."

"Yes, it is." She made no indication of moving and motioned for him to come down for a kiss again.

"Anyone who's not out here gets to help me clean up Buckbeak shite."

Fred grimaced and grabbed her hand, both of them bowing to Buckbeak as they made their way to the others. "Just saying goodbye." Rebecca said to the look Sirius was giving them.

"I didn't know it was possible to say anything with your mouth against another's." Sirius winked and put his hand out for Fred to shake again. Sirius didn't let go and pulled Fred closer, forced to look up at his tall frame. "I don't have to tell you what I'll do if she ends up hurt, do I?"

Rebecca scoffed, "Fred, don't listen to him."

Sirius let go of his hand and turned to her sassily. "And why not?"

"'Vous-les vous coucher avec moi?' That's why." Sirius broke into guffaws and slapped his knee.

"You didn't know that? I really didn't know if that was going to work!"

Rebecca crossed her arms, "I said that to the Beauxbatons champion's sister!"

Sirius laughed them down the mountain, saying goodbye once more while still in the privacy of the mountain's shadow. Late afternoon was quickly turning into early evening, a chill settling. "Harry," Sirius put his hands on both of his shoulders. "This tournament is meant to test every strength about you. Your physical, your mental, and also the strength of those who are on your side." He turned and looked at the rest of them. "There's not a greater group of friends he could have."

Harry nodded and hugged Sirius sadly. "I know. They're the best."

Sirius gave them all a parting show of affection: Ginny and Ron took fist bumps and Fred and George handshakes. For Hermione and Rebecca, he took a different approach. "I read that snippet about the love potions."

Hermione's face pinched. "No, no. Don't do that." Sirius laid a hand on a shoulder of each girl and turned to the view off the mountain's walkway. "Don't show them that it upsets you. It's not true, you know that, your friends know that."

Rebecca looked to him, his face thin and the tips of his tattoos poking out through the opening of his jacket. "The only way to deal with that is to ignore it completely. If you act as though you don't care, you take away their power."

The girls nodded and thanked him as they turned back to the others. "You haven't heard from Professor Lupin, have you?" Rebecca asked.

Sirius tried to hide his sadness at the question, but he failed. "No. Not in quite some time. He's gone to Albania, as I said, tracking down sightings of Voldemort and such. Why?"

"I had a few questions I wanted to run by him about some things for Harry."

"Alastor not the type to accept questions?" 

Rebecca shook her head, "I would rather research further in the library. I don't get a good feeling around him, something feels off."

Sirius nodded, "That would be Alastor. He's a dark, dark man. Had to become one with some of the wizard's he's put away." Sirius sighed and stepped back, waving to them all as they left him, their bags emptied and their hearts heavy for Harry.

"He's said there's no way he's going to be able to take me this summer." Harry said softly as Ron motioned for Rebecca to take his spot next to Harry as they walked on. 

"That's fine then, I wanted to run something by you anyway."

Harry's intrigue brought him out of his grey momentarily. "What?"

"I think I should spend a few weeks with you and dear old aunt and uncle."

*******************************************

<3


	68. Chapter 68

Rebecca opened the letter from Sirius in response to hers from a few days earlier frantically, catching her finger on the end of the envelope and slitting the skin. "Bloody hell!" She hissed as she sucked on the cut, still opening the envelope with one hand to read it.

"Would you like some help?" Fred asked from beside her, watching her struggle with a small smile.

"Please." Fred had the letter out of the envelope a moment later. "Just read it to me, I can't look."

"I don't know why you're so nervous, it's Si-Snuffles. He's not going to care." Rebecca shook her head and Fred sighed before beginning to read.

"So you are a zombie then. We shall talk about this on a later date."

"And?" Rebecca asked, inspecting her finger.

"That's it." Fred turned the letter over, "Nothing else. Told you so."

Rebecca harrumphed and turned back to her breakfast. "Told you so." She mimicked before turning and looking at him. "Stress leaves me in need."

"In need of what?"

"A kiss."

Fred grinned and pecked her lips, "Well, I'd never wish for you to be stressed but..."

*******************************************

Rebecca's breath fogged her glasses underneath the invisibility cloak as she followed Harry out of the castle on the night of the 24th of March. Harry was glad that she was coming, he'd been ill with nerves in the hours leading to the summoning and didn't want to go alone.

"She can't be involved again. I won't let it happen." He and their friends had already discussed what was to happen if this third task involved the taking of anything dear to them, as well as with Fleur, Cedric, and Viktor. Even the slightest insinuation of another taking and all of them would bring those who had been taken last time to the Room of Requirement where they would stay hidden until the task was completed.

Cedric fell into step next to him on their way to the quidditch pitch and Harry's heart jumped, praying for him to not say anything with Rebecca following behind them. "Ready?" Cedric said at last, looking to the younger boy tiredly.

"Ready." Viktor and Fleur were ahead of them and first onto the pitch where Ludo Bagman was standing in the center.

"Champions!" He called, waving them over. "You are currently standing on what will become the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament." Harry and Cedric looked around what was once their pitch as Ludo continued. "A maze is to be grown and filled with obstacles and creatures, things that you will have to evade, outsmart, or defeat in your trek to the centre. Once you find yourself there, the tournament is ended when the first champion lays his hand against the cup."

"Or 'ers." Fleur said, scoffing.

Ludo smiled condescendingly, "Or hers."

Rebecca scowled from under the cloak where she lingered near the edge of the pitch, thinking to herself, "As if I needed another reason to hate that prat." Ludo spoke a few minutes more before allowing the champions to disperse and ask questions individually.

"Harry." Viktor said gruffly, walking to the edge of the pitch in front of Rebecca. "I vanted to speak vith you." 

Harry nodded, slightly intimidated by the sheer size of the man in front of him. Viktor looked him over once, head to toe, before continuing. "Vat is vith you and Herm-oninny?"

Harry was shocked for a moment, realising that Viktor thought Hermione and he were something more than friends. "Hermione? We're just friends."

"Zer is nozing else? Nothing romantik?" Viktor crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes.

"No, not at all." Harry shook his head quickly. A thought occurred to him as Viktor turned back to the center of the pitch. "Viktor?"

The Durmstrang boy turned back. "You should tell her not to worry about the mail."

"Vat mail?"

Harry scratched the back of his neck, "The hate mail? You know, the curses and letters she and Rebecca have been getting since that article about the whole potion thing."

"No, vat 'potion-sing?' I do not read your papers here." Viktor closed the distance between he and Harry as Harry explained.

"Oh, well it just said something about Hermione having to have given you a...love potion. For you to spend so much time with her."

Viktor glared at him. 

"Of course, it's false. They tried to say Rebecca did the same with Fred."

"Ze red boy? How stupid." Viktor thought a moment, wishing Harry spoke Bulgarian. "Istinska. They are istinska." Viktor shook his head and looked at Harry, hoping he understood.

Harry nodded, telling himself to remember the word and he'd look in the library next time he had a moment. "I know, it's all stupid. But...I think Hermione would appreciate hearing you say that, too."

Viktor nodded, turning back to the others and joining them. "That was nice of you." Rebecca whispered, Harry fighting the urge to turn towards her voice. "Go on, in case he gives any more clues." Rebecca pushed him back towards the middle of the pitch, following and staying at his back.

"That concludes the announcement of the third task, which shall take place June 24."

"Harry, ask about those who have exams!" Rebecca hissed.

"Mr Bagman!" Harry called as he jogged towards the leaving man. "What about the students who have exams? How will they attend?"

Ludo smiled, "Not to worry, Mr Potter. Exams are being scheduled before such a momentous event."

"And no one is to be taken this time, are they?" Harry's voice took on an edge as Ludo narrowed his eyes at the tone.

"No." Ludo resumed his exit before turning back to Harry and saying one more thing threateningly. "I think you'll find the maze to be filled plenty, no need to add additional incentives to better your...performance."

Harry was the last champion to leave the quidditch, stuck in a procession that quickly became only he and Cedric as Fleur and Viktor went off to their schools' quarters. "One more task, then everything will go back to normal."

Harry nodded at Cedric, wishing they could walk in silence so he could gather his thoughts. "As normal as things have ever been, at least."

Cedric pondered on that. "There's something I've been meaning to ask you, talking on the topic of normalcy. What did that article mean exactly?"

"Which one?" Harry asked dryly.

"Where Skeeter said something about Rebecca living with the Weasleys. Why is that?"

Harry narrowed his eyes, still bitter at how close the older Hufflepuff had grown with Cho, "That's not about me, now is it?"

Cedric raised his hands, "Retracted, sorry."

The boys split at the conjunction to the Hufflepuff and Gryffindor corridors, Rebecca pulling her head from underneath the cloak next to Harry. Harry was looking on his other side and spooked himself. "Oh damn!" He whispered, whacking towards where her arm should have been.

Rebecca giggled, "Whoops, didn't mean to get you there." The twins quickly grew more serious as Rebecca clarified what she'd heard at the meeting. "So a maze."

"Yes, a great, big, obstacle-filled maze."

"Could be worse, I guess."

Harry looked at her incredulously. "How?"

"Could be an underwater maze."

*******************************************

Rebecca and Harry crept into their rooms quietly, their friends having gone to sleep at a usual hour. Rebecca scoffed as she turned the bathroom light on, her mug of tea set up with a note written from Ginny.

"In case you forgot, don't."

She cast the spell on the water to heat it and sipped at the beverage as she pulled her pajamas on. Across the tower, Harry was staring at his body in the mirror. He shook his head and tried to look away, but he couldn't. His eyes traced over the new scars from this year, the still-not-fully-faded grindylow marks. He turned away and leaned against the bathroom counter, distracting his wavering self-image with the revelations of the meeting.

"A maze..." His mind wasn't able to work past the word, his heart beating heavily. He jumped back around and turned the cold water on, bringing his now-shaking hands to his face and trying to calm himself down. He met his eyes again in the mirror, his hair plastered to his forehead with a window for his scar. Harry looked away quickly, not knowing who was staring back at him. 

He put his pajamas on quickly, not looking into the mirror again. Both Potter children turned the lights off before opening the door, as to not wake their roommates. Rebecca set her emptied mug on her bedside table with her glasses as Harry did the same. She piled her blankets about, moving around on her bed until she was comfortable and closed her eyes. 

Sleep came quickly for her, though Harry was awake deeper into the night. When he finally closed his eyes, rest did not come. He was transported back to the decrepit house he had been in earlier in the year, when he saw Wormtail killing the old man. He was deeper in the room this time, watching as Wormtail presented a man for Voldemort to torture.

"So you think you can deceit me?" Voldemort's voice echoed from behind the chair, Harry unable to see him. "Deceit is a single-edged blade, for you'll find you've tried to cut me and only cut yourself." 

The shadows showed Voldemort's thin arm raising as he hissed, "Crucio!" The room was filled with the screams of the man. Harry tried to wake up, tried to get himself to get out of there, but he was unable.

"REBECCA!" He thought loudly, not knowing what else he could do as the man writhed on the ground. Little did he know, he was not just thinking, he'd sent his call into the middle realm, pulling Rebecca's sleeping consciousness towards him. She was watching from above, watching Harry watch the scene in horror. Her vision began to flash.

The room was momentarily replaced with a graveyard before returning. Then there was a statue of an angel with wings black as night. Finally, all Rebecca saw was a severed hand. Harry could feel a change in the room, a new presence. He had just begun to consider the possibility that Rebecca was with him when he sat up in bed, holding his hand to his burning scar and looking around. It was early in the morning, his mates slept on.

Rebecca woke up at the exact moment Harry did, her scar burnt but the discomfort was overshadowed by the throbbing of her head. "Hermione," She whispered, the simple sound of her voice sending knives of pain throughout her skull. "Hermione!"

"What?" Hermione asked tiredly, sitting up. Rebecca bent forward, holding her head against her knees as the world began to spin. Hermione opened her eyes to the sight, waking up in an instant.

"It happened again, didn't it?" Hermione asked. 

Rebecca went to answer but was unable to, the nausea peaking as bile raced up her throat. Rebecca threw herself out of bed and towards the bathroom, retching all the while. Hermione got up with her, reaching her as the first bout of sickness coursed through her. Hermione reached forward and grabbed the two ends of her hair, pulling it back behind her shoulders. Rebecca was sick twice more, heaving by the end as her stomach was emptied.

"Your tea, didn't you drink it?" Hermione asked as she looked around the bathroom for her mug to see if she'd forgotten it. Rebecca's stomach settled slightly, lessing the immediacy of another bout of illness, and brought her hands to her temples as her head continued to pound.

Rebecca let her eyes drift closed, the darkness doing nothing to soften the pain. "Water," Rebecca whispered, "Water, please." Hermione filled up a cup on the sink and handed it to her. Rebecca's hands trembled as they reached for it and held the cup to her lips, sipping it slowly. Hermione lowered herself to the floor as Rebecca scooted away from the toilet and curled onto her side in the fetal position, her hands still pressed to her head.

"I drank it." She said softly, keeping her eyes closed. "I think Harry brought me, he took me to him."

"In his dream?" Hermione asked as she stepped out of the bathroom and brought back her and Rebecca's clothes. 

"No, it wasn't a dream. We went somewhere, it was a real place." Rebecca pushed herself up so that she was sitting on her knees and grabbed the edge of the toilet, the world spinning as she moved. When she'd felt strong enough a moment later, she pulled herself to her feet and stood a moment.

"Hospital wing, now." Hermione demanded, putting a pile of clothes onto the counter. Hermione got dressed in the bathroom with Rebecca, watching how the fatigue settled over her like a blanket of snow on an empty field. "Rebecca?"

Rebecca's eyes opened further as she put her arms through her shirt and tried to button it. She'd had her shirt buttoned up entirely and failed to notice that she'd started them off oppositely, one collar left higher than the other. She pulled her pants up and left the shirt uneven, her tie untied. Hermione reached for it, but Rebecca pulled back and snapped as a hand gravitated back to the side of her head. "No! Just leave it. I'll do it myself later."

Hermione watched as Rebecca brushed her teeth before making her way out of the room, holding onto the edges of pieces of furniture to steady herself as she went along. At the door, she cursed and turned back, forgetting her glasses. Hermione grabbed them from the table and handed them to her. "I'm sorry." Rebecca said before turning back to leave. "I'm just-"

"Hurting. I'm not upset." Hermione said, grabbing the door handle and opening it for Rebecca. "Take Harry, too. If he saw something, he should go with you."

Rebecca nodded and used the wall as an anchor as she walked down the hall, wincing at the pains the squeaking of the door to the common room evoked. "Rebecca!" Harry shouted.

Rebecca held a hand up to him, motioning for him to lower his voice. "You were there too, at the end. Weren't you?" He asked softer as she joined him at the bottom of the stairs. 

"Yeah, I did. I drank the tea, too. I think..."

"I brought you there, didn't I." Harry stated, not asking. "You saw something, didn't you?"

Rebecca nodded and put her arm on his shoulder as he lead them out of the empty early-morning common room. "Very little, but this is bad, Harry." She motioned for him to stop as they exited the portrait hole, leaning her head against the wall as she tried to settle her stomach again. "Only time worse than this was at the Cup."

Harry watched her carefully as she took another moment before slowly leaving the wall. "Harry, this isn't the wa-"

"We're not going to the Hospital Wing."

Rebecca watched the corridors become more and more familiar until the stopped outside of the statue the marked the entrance to Dumbledore's office. "You do know the password, don't you?"

Harry's face was all the answer she needed. She walked to the wall beside the archway and slowly slid to the ground, taking her glasses off and holding her hand over her eyes as the headache narrowed itself into two, agonistic points behind her eyes. Harry started to guess quicker.

"Lemon-lollies. Sherbet lemon. Chocolate Frogs. Acid Pops. Um..." Harry paced a few minutes as he thought further.

"What about Candy Quills?" Rebecca asked, the thought rising from the haze the headache was leaving her with as it faded bit by bit. The statue moved instantly, turning itself anti-clockwise and revealing the stairs. Harry helped her up and motioned for her to stay quiet, voices falling down the stairs as they crept up them and perched out of sight at the top.

"What do you mean Barty Crouch is missing?" Dumbledore's voice demanded. 

Moody's gravelly voice answered, "Missing: Not knowing the location of and no indication of where that might be."

A third man's voice scolded strongly. "Alastor, this is not the time for wise-arsery! A Ministry official is gone!"

Dumbledore spoke after a momentary silence. "Now, we don't know that for sure, do we Cornelius."

"Cornelius Fudge?" Harry mouthed to her. She shrugged, not knowing any other Cornelius who would be caring about Ministry workers.

"I bet it had something to do with that she-giant you have here." Cornelius spat angrily. "Fueled by the rage of Miss Skeeter's words, she's probably killed him. You can never trust a giant anyway."

"Cornelius, your prejudice gets the best of you. You are well aware of the fact that Madame Maxime is a guest of honour at this school. What's next? Shall you try to indict my gamekeeper as well?"

Moody interrupted Fudge's angry response. "You have guests, Albus."

Harry and Rebecca quickly had all three sets of adults eyes on them as Albus beckoned them into his office. "Come now, children."

Rebecca followed Harry closely as Cornelius narrowed his eyes at her, blaming her for the slew of parents Arthur and Molly had worked tirelessly on gathering to fight for the disbanding of the tournament. "What is it?" Dumbledore asked, peering at them from over his half-moon spectacles.

"Whatever they want will wait," Cornelius stood and walked to the exit. "You both are to accompany me on a search of the grounds for Bartemius."

Albus sighed and raised his eyebrows at the two Potters, "As you wish. I shall be back shortly, please have a seat." Harry pulled a chair out for Rebecca and dragged another one closer to her. Dumbledore and Alastor followed Fudge as he quickly went down the stairs, the statue spinning back behind them.

"Fawkes," Harry said after hopping back up out of his seat to look at all the baubles Dumbledore had around his office. "How are you?"

Fawkes cooed as Harry began to stroke his feathers. "How do you know a phoenix?" Rebecca asked, following behind him. Harry smiled as Fawkes nudged his head under Rebecca's hand and continued to chirp, Rebecca marvelling over what a handsome phoenix he was.

"Fawkes brought the sorting hat to Ron and I when we were in the Chamber second year while you were-"

"Petrified." She spat. "Absolutely useless."

Harry shook his head, "Fawkes tears' are what save me from the basilisk's poison."

Rebecca looked into Fakwes' intelligent eyes, "Then, I have the world to thank you for, Fawkes."

The twins fawned over him a few minutes longer before the allure of Dumbledore's trinkets tore them away. Harry watched Rebecca carefully, noting how she winced and held her head occasionally, but said nothing else. "What is this Harry?" She asked, her wand out and poked into the ornamental basin with strange symbols and runes carved around the edge. Her wand pulled out and was covered in the substance inside.

"I don't know, strange though." Harry said as he met her side and they both leaned closer to peer into it. The effects were instantaneous: They were both swept away in the sensation of falling while their surroundings turned grey and took shape.

"Look! It's Dumbledore! He's so..."

"Not old?" Rebecca offered to Harry's exclamation. "That's Karkaroff, the Durmstrang head." Rebecca said, pointing to the man in the middle of the courtroom they'd found themselves in. 

"Hey!" Harry shouted, moving to Dumbledore's side and waving in front of him. "Where are we?"

"He can't hear you, I don't think." Rebecca said, turning in a slow circle. "I think this is a memory. We're living a memory."

"How? How can that be?" Harry's question went unanswered as the dementors left Karkaroff's side and Barty Crouch began to speak from the desk risen at the front of the room.

"Bartemius Crouch Senior, acting judge in the case against Igor Karkaroff. How do you plead?" Barty leaned forward in his chair, peering down at the Bulgarian on trial.

"I wish to be of use to the Ministry. I wish to help. I – I know that the Ministry is trying to – to round up the last of the Dark Lord's supporters. I am eager to assist in any way I can." Rebecca scoffed as he began to list off names. "Antonin Dolohov. Evan Rosier. Mulciber." Karkaroff looked around the room and found that they were uninterested.

"Dolohov was captured and Rosier was killed at the time you were captured last year. The Ministry has no need for useless information."

Karkaroff looked around the room, panicking. "Severus Snape!"

Dumbledore stood up in his spot next to Harry as Barty spoke. "Severus Snape has been cleared by this council. He has been vouched for by Albus Dumbledore."

Dumbledore spoke, "Snape is now no more of a Death Eater than I am."

Rebecca reached out and held Harry's arm as the room spun around them, a new court appearing when the room stilled. Rebecca scowled as Ludo Bagman appeared in the same seat Karkaroff sat in a moment earlier.

"I know, I know," Ludo smiled sheepishly at the court. "I've been a bit of an idiot." The court laughed, save Moody and Barty. Harry looked around, his head whirling about madly as Rebecca watched those in the court continue to laugh at Ludo's self-deprecation. 

One woman, a narrow-nosed, fair-haired woman, stood in the jury's box. "The Jury would like to congratulate Mr Bagman on his splendid performance for England in the quidditch match against Turkey last Saturday."

Mr Bagman raised a shackled hand to his heart and bowed to the woman, winking as he did so. "Ugh, he's been gross for forever apparently." Rebecca whispered to Harry, forgetting that those around them were completely unaware of the two of them. Harry and Rebecca had to sit through the rest of the short-lived trial, watching Barty get angrier and angrier as the Jury voted to clear Ludo unanimously.

The room spun once more, the court taking place much more solemn than the two previous. A boy who couldn't have been much older than Fred and George took the cage in the center of the room with three other adults in the cages behind him. Barty Crouch's face was pinched and wrinkled, his hair much greyer than it had been for Bagman.

"The court is now meeting in the case for Barty Crouch Junior." 

Harry gasped as Barty read the case they were meeting on. "That's his son! The one who died!" Rebecca nodded, leaning closer to the court as the charges began to be read. 

"You are charged with the use of the Cruciatus curse against Alice and Frank Longbottom, both to the point of insanity. How do you plead?" 

The boy shook his head quickly in the cage, "No, no father! Please don't send me back to the dementors!" The boys voice took on a frantic tone as he watched his father's face remain reactionless to his begging. "Please, it's worse than death! Just kill me here, don't send me back!"

"Longbottom, he said Longbottom. You think those two were Neville's parents?" Rebecca asked as the court continued, Barty laying out the proof present and adjourning the court for five minutes as he made his decision.

"I don't know how common the last name Longbottom is. Plus, he does live with his grandmother. That's awful."

Rebecca nodded, "Explains how he reacted the the Cruciatus curse in class though."

Barty Crouch Senior exited the room behind the judge's stand, taking his seat and grabbing his gavel. His knuckles clenched white over the wooden handle. "The accused is charged with life in Azkaban."

"FATHER NO!" The boys voice peaked and echoed through the room.

"You are no son of mine." Barty Crouch Senior said as the room began to fade and Harry and Rebecca fell away from where they'd glimpsed into the basin. Dumbledore was standing beside it, watching the two of them curiously. 

"Curiosity is not a sin. But you should exercise caution." Harry put his hand out for Rebecca to grab and pulled her to her feet as they walked to the basin once more, Dumbledore explaining what it was. "It's a Pensieve. Very useful, if like me, you find your mind a wee bit stretched. It allows me to see once more things I've already seen."

"Those were memories?" Rebecca asked, seeking clarification.

Dumbledore nodded and crossed the room, talking as he peered into one of his numerous cabinets. "I've searched and I've searched, looking for something. An explanation as to why these terrible things have happened." He turned back to them, his eyes taking on a mad light. "Every time I get close to an answer, it slips away."

"Sir? Mr Crouch's son, what exactly happens to him? How does he die?"

Harry walked to where Dumbledore had perched himself on a stair, Rebecca following. "Destroyed Barty to do it, truly. But he had to. The evidence was overwhelming. Why?"

Harry sighed and looked back at Rebecca. "I had a dream with him, over the summer. I was in a house. And Voldemort was there, but he wasn't human, not fully. Wormtail was there too. And Mr Crouch's son, he was the last person."

Rebecca stepped forward. "No, the snake. The snake was there too."

Harry looked at her incredulously. "How do you know about the snake?"

"I saw this too, you were the old man watching, weren't you?"

Dumbledore watched curiouser and curiouser as the twins revealed they'd not only had the same dream then, but explained to him what had happened that night, the reason they were there. "It happened again last night, I went back to the house and brought her. I only saw the house, but she-"

"I saw images, inexplicable until they pass like I do. A graveyard, a statue of an angel, and a hand."

"A hand?" Dumbledore asked.

"Cut off, but a hand." 

"Have there been others like these dreams?" Harry looked to Rebecca who answered.

"No sir, not together."

"And the premonitions, they don't occur usually. Do they?"

Rebecca shook her head, "No, not as long as I drink the sleeping tea. I did last night though, that's what's concerning. Harry managed to get me there with the tea."

Dumbledore scratched at his beard, Harry grimacing as the truth was said. "But that's not all. Both times I've woken up with my scar hurting."

Rebecca stood silent, not willing to impart the information on how ill she was left. Harry turned and looked at her, nodding his head for her to continue. She shook her head. "What? What aren't you telling me?" Dumbledore asked.

"They make her ill, very."

Rebecca scowled at him. "I get a tummy ache and my head hurts."

Harry shook his head, "No, Hermione said she vomits for ages and her head hurts so badly she can't walk straight, can't think, can't talk. She ceases to function."

Dumbledore looked to her. "Child, why would you hide this?"

"I'm not hiding it! But it's not a big deal, it's certainly not our biggest concern!"

Dumbledore nodded at that, standing and walking back to the Pensieve. "I don't think you two should linger on these dreams." He raised his wand to his temple and extracted a shimmering memory. "I think you should cast them away."

Dumbledore turned to the Pensieve and asked if they were able to find their own way out. "Yes sir." Harry said with an attitude, storming out of the office. 

"Oh, sir?" Rebecca asked before they exited. 

Dumbledore looked to her once again, nodding for her to continue. "I was wondering, perhaps you could write an owl to our aunt and uncle. I'd like to strengthen the bond between us, me and them, for a few weeks over the summer. I fear asking myself would only garner an immediate no. But from you? Well, a touch better chance."

Dumbledore agreed, "Very well, I shall write when I have a chance. Good day." He dismissed them quickly. Once out in the hall, he turned on Rebecca and scolded her heavily. "I brought us here to get help, to get answers. We can't do that if you're not telling them what's going on."

"What is going on?" She asked, shouting in response. "We don't have a bloody clue, Harry. Not a single bloody clue. I will continue to drink my tea, you will continue to prepare for the final task. We do not have a second to spare on such trivial matters."

"Your health is not a trivial matter!" Harry shouted, stepping towards her. "How am I supposed to prepare if I'm wrapped up worried about you?"

Rebecca stepped back, her back hitting the wall. "I don't know." Her voice was soft and she looked up at the ceiling, the conflict teasing the return of her headache, although lesser than the sheer force it had been that morning. "Harry, I just don't know." She closed her eyes and leaned back against the wall, repeating herself once more. "I don't know what to do."

Harry shook his head, "I know we shouldn't be shouting at each other, that's for sure."

She winced at a sharp pang, "That would be appreciated."

"I didn't mean to. Shout, that is. But your wellbeing is the farthest thing from a trivial matter there is."

She shook her head and pushed off the wall, "And I will continue to disagree and say that your preparation is more important. But arguing is only going to bring the pain to a vomitous level, so I suggest we agree to disagree."

Harry nodded and pulled her against him, slowly walking back to the common room. "Shh, do you hear that?" He asked as they passed a corridor with voices. "That's Karkaroff, sounds just like he did in the Pensieve."

Rebecca and Harry walked down the hall slower, listening to him. "It's a sign, Severus! You know what it means as well as I." The door to their right squeaked open, Harry and Rebecca meeting the sight of Karkaroff and Snape in his secondary supply closet together, Karkaroff's sleeve pulled up to reveal a tattoo of the snake and skull that was in the sky at the World Cup: The sign of Voldemort and the Death Eaters.

Karkaroff's eyes widened at the sight of them as he pulled his sleeve back down and stormed away. Rebecca tried to pull Harry along, wishing to get away with out Snape talking to them. "What's your hurry, Potter?"

She turned back around slowly. "Which one?"

Snape sneered and ignored her. "Gillyweed, wasn't it? The herb that contributed to your...surprising performance in the second task. Ingenious."

Snape turned and walked back into his closet as he continued to talk, climbing the ladder to the higher shelves. "A rather rare herb, Gillyweed. Not something found in your everyday garden." He plucked out a small vial and descended the ladder. "Nor is this. Know what it is?" He held up the vial, revealing it to be dark green with a golden stopper.

"Want me to drink it, sir?" Her voice dripped in cheek.

"Veritaserum." He said, looking to her after he told Harry what it was. "Although the use of it on a student is...regrettably...forbidden, I think you'll both find yourself well-versed in its taste if I find either of you in my personal stores again. My hand might just...slip...over your morning pumpkin juice."

"I haven't stolen anything!" Rebecca said sharply, Harry agreeing. "And I certainly haven't either!"

"Don't lie to me." Snape enunciated before continuing slowly, as to imply that if he were to speak at a normal pace he and Rebecca wouldn't understand him clearly. "Gillyweed may be innocuous, but boomslang skin? Lacewing flies? You have been brewing Polyjuice Potion, and I'm going to find out why!" Snape reached to the side and slammed the door shut in Harry and Rebecca's faces.

Harry pulled her away from the door, noting how pale her face had gotten. "Tell me the truth, I'll know if you don't." He warned her as they began to climb the stairs to the common room. "Is this the worst it's ever been."

She stayed silent a moment before answering truthfully. "No, it's not. This is just the longest the headaches stayed. The match, that remains the worst. It was...indescribable."

The Fat Lady let them in quickly, seeing the state of them. Inside, Ron, Hermione, Fred, and George were sitting at the back. They all hopped up as Harry and Rebecca joined them. Fred grabbed her shoulders and turned her towards him, "Hermione said you were ill this morning, what's the matter?"

She brought her hand up to his that he'd laid against her cheek, "Perhaps Harry could tell you and I can just sit a moment." George leapt off the bench and pushed Ron forcefully over, clearing more than enough room. Ron turned and opened his mouth to shout, but Rebecca spoke quickly, "Ron, if you love me even the minutest bit, you'll not shout."

Ron took another look at her and saw how serious she was. "Here," Ron put the glass of water he'd brought down from their room into her hand. "Drink something."

She brought the cold glass to her lips and drank deeply before leaning her head against Fred and letting her eyes rest closed. "It was another dream." Harry began, Fred's heart stopping momentarily as he interrupted him. "You didn't drink the tea?" 

"I did." She said tiredly, the lessened pain in her head revolving like the light of a lighthouse. "Just listen. Please darling?"

Fred nodded. "We opted against the Hospital Wing, she had been feeling better. We went to Dumbledore's office. Fudge was there, apparently Barty Crouch is missing." Hermione gasped. "Yeah, he and Fudge went off to search the grounds, leaving us to wait to speak with him."

Harry told the others about the Pensieve and what they'd seen, leaving out the bits about Neville's parents. Fred's hand had crept up her back as Harry talked, stopping when it was against the back of her head. His long fingers rubbed against her head, under her curls, soothingly. Rebecca breathed deeply, letting her envelope herself in the comfort he brought her.

*******************************************

Author's Note:

Next chapter should be a touch of a filler leading up to the third task while the chapter after that should be the task itself. I hope you're enjoying! Term starts next Monday for me, so we'll probably be back to the once-weekly guaranteed updates and any in between if I find myself able to.

<3


	69. Chapter 69

"Repeat after me:" George commanded in the empty classroom Professor McGonagall had given Harry to practise for the impending final exam. "I am more than my exam scores."

Rebecca rolled her eyes, "I know that, George. Don't distract me."

"Love, humour us." Fred said from his seat beside her, concerned. She had three books opened up around her and her hand was scratching the quill into the two pieces of parchment she was writing on at a breakneck speed. "You haven't blinked in ages. Your concentration is worrying."

She looked up and pushed the hair out of her face, looking at them both as she tore her attention from her work. "Exams start tomorrow and the final task is Friday!"

"Pah!" George spat, leaning back in his chair. "Why do you study? If you don't know it already, are you really going to or are you going to confuse what you already know?"

"Your O.W.L.s start tomorrow as well." Rebecca looked to Fred, "You're not doing anything to review?"

Fred shrugged, "We feel that our minds are better put to other queries."

"Like what flavours the Lying-Lollies should be!"

"Grape, apple, strawberry, and...I don't know, pick something that's a different colour than those." Rebecca said immediately as she turned back to her books. One parchment was writing the incantations to memorise for her Charms and Transfiguration exams, the other were any spells she found that Harry should add to his studying list.

Fred looked across the empty classroom, at how Hermione was scolding Ron for letting his attention drift and how Harry stood facing the dummy McGonagall had provided, casting different spells on it over and over again. 

"You're no fun." George said, sticking his tongue out at her and letting his head fall to the table. 

Fred put his arm on her back and rubbed it, soothing her before she bit back at George. "Don't listen to him, he's just jealous."

"What do I have to be jealous of, Fred?" George asked, sitting back up and crossing his arms in front of him.

Fred leaned closer and whispered to Rebecca loud enough so he could hear, "Well, for one...he's the less handsome twin."

George scoffed and put his bag over his shoulder, warning them all that lunch was ending shortly. Hermione closed her books up and pulled the tall stack closer to her, preparing to carry them all. Ron reached over and grabbed the top of the stack, scooping the pile into his arms and putting them away himself. 

Rebecca's books were grabbed similarly, Fred stretching his hand from the top of the stack to the bottom and picking the pile effortlessly. "I want to prove that I can do well this year, that I will do well on my O.W.L.s next year. To prove that there is no doubt I belong at Hogwarts."

Fred shook his head and knelt down to her, "There's already no doubt in anyone's mind that you belong here." He kissed her quickly, the bells beginning to toll. "Besides, you're going to do well anyway. You always do." He winked at her after turning back to her, finding her gaze on Harry's back. He had his wand in hand and was standing in front of the window, muttering to himself. "I'll see you after class, alright? Might pop out of Charms early and be outside for you."

"Don't get caught." She warned. 

"Never!" He called from the door, putting his arm around George's pouting shoulders. "Why'd you say that? We're identical, identically dashing!" She heard George whine as they left.

"Harry?" She said softly as she laid a hand on his shoulder. "Are you alright?"

He took a deep breath and turned away from the window, burying his face into her neck and saying nothing. "Hey!" Rebecca said, squeezing him tightly. They were still embraced when McGonagall entered the classroom.

"I trust studying went well?" She asked as they separated.

Harry shrugged, leaving Rebecca to elaborate. "It went. I don't know, I think we're just ready for everything to be over."

McGonagall nodded in understanding and bid them a good day as they left the room. "I am too," She said once they'd gone to her empty room. "I am too."

*******************************************

"What a surprise!" Rebecca said, smiling as she left their last class of the day. 

"That's me, ever so surprising." Fred chuckled and grabbed her hand, spinning her in the emptying corridor before slipping her bag off her shoulder and swinging it over his own. "Now, where are you heading off to to study?"

"I think...you and George were right." She looked over her shoulder to where Harry walked between Hermione and Ron, his eyes distant. "If I don't know it by now, one night isn't going to help."

Harry felt her gaze on him and looked up, he tried to give her a reassuring smile but only managed a grimace. "We should do something fun." She said loud enough for them all to hear. "Something together that isn't studying."

Hermione opened her mouth to argue, but noticed Harry's growing excitement. "What do you have in mind?" Ron jumped and punched the air at her agreement.

"Anyone against a trip down to Hagrid's?" Harry offered. "It's been a while."

"That's a brilliant idea!" Fred smiled at Rebecca' enthusiasm, her own growing just because she was happy to see Harry showing some positive emotion. George jogged after them from the Charms classroom he was exiting. 

"Should have known. I should have known!" He shouted, pointing at Fred. "How could you just abandon me like that?"

*******************************************

Rebecca couldn't stop thinking about their lovely afternoon with Hagrid in the room where their final bout of fourth year exams was nearly through being administered. It was difficult, and had proven difficult through their other exams, for her to focus on the questions and magical trials they were given knowing that Harry was off preparing for the next day's task alone. She dipped the point of her quill back into the ink and began to answer the questions haphazardly, her caring having worn off exams earlier.

"A...C...D...True...False...True...True...Eh, how about B, haven't had one of those in a while..." When Professor Flitwick announced the end of their written exam, the end of their exams as a whole, the students stood up and cheered loudly as they filed out. Fred and George would be in their last O.W.L exam a while longer. They were to meet them all at their table by the lake's edge.

Hermione took a deep breath as they stepped outside of the classroom. "That's it, fourth year. We should start preparing for the O.W.L.s this sum-"

"Don't you start!" Ron bellowed, shaking his fist at her. "Don't you dare! The summer is for peace and relaxation, not studying." He said the word 'studying' like one would say 'bubonic plague.'

Rebecca lead their way through the crowds, trying to placate the growing argument. "I think that's a great idea, Hermione. We'll coordinate what topics and leave Ron to suffer, yeah?" This solution seemed to appease both of them. She only increased her speed as they left the stone confines of the castle, the fresh air fueling her.

"How does she move her short legs so fast?" Ron asked Hermione as they watched the distance between them grow farther.

"Anxiety?" Hermione offered. Ron didn't know how poorly Rebecca had been sleeping, even with the aid of the tea. She was up late into the hours of the night, staring up at the ceiling as different scenarios ran through her head. "Relief?"

Ron and Hermione turned the last corner and saw Rebecca launch herself at Harry, wrapping her arms around his neck. "We just saw each other at lunch!" Harry laughed, a laugh that hadn't been heard for many days.

"I know," Rebecca put her feet back on the ground and laughed with him. "You would have enjoyed that exam." Harry looked to Ron and raised his eyebrows. Ron's scowl returned and he shook his head quickly as he sat down at the table.

"Sure, Rebecca. If that's what you think." Harry said after thinking about how to respond. He pulled the day's letter from Sirius out of his pocket and handed the secondary, smaller envelope to her. "Addressed solely to you."

Rebecca took it and looked it over a brief second before sticking it into her robe's pocket. "What'd he say today? Another good luck?"

Harry nodded, "Sent along another variation of the four-point spell that he thinks will be better."

Hermione looked up in alarm, "Better than the one I found? What is it?" Harry slid the letter over to her and secretly relished the way she nodded as she read it over and handed it back to him muttering something about, "Must have missed that one."

Ron latched immediately. "HA! You don't actually know everything!"

"You've known me for four years and you have the opportunity to say that just now. Would you like to try again?"

Ron clapped his hands, "Nope! There's something you didn't know! I have to tell...everyone!" He went to stand up and sat down after thinking about it. "I'll tell everyone later. That exam was horrid."

Harry looked to Rebecca, "How do you feel about it? You're awfully quiet."

She chewed her bottom lip. "I'm hoping that my practicals cover up the paper part of the exam." Harry reached across the table and laid his hands over her arm. Fred and George came tearing around the corner of the path towards them. They skidded to a stop at the end of the table and looked at each other before putting their hands up and shouting together.

"WE KILLED THE O.W.L.S!" 

They jumped into open spots around the table and began to tell horror stories about the questions and spells they had to cast in increasing dramatic renditions until they had every one of their friends around the table laughing themselves to tears.

*******************************************

"Mr Potter!" Professor McGonagall called as she stopped him on his way to lunch the next day, the day of the final task of the Triwizard Tournament. "Miss Potter! You as well!" Harry had turned from the entrance to the Great Hall first while Rebecca had to pry her hand from Fred's before she could walk with him.

"Fred!" Harry and McGonagall heard her scolding him. "Fred, you have to let go! They're waiting for me!" McGonagall looked to Harry with one eyebrow raised as Fred's shout "NEVER!" reached them.

"I'm so sorry." She said as she jogged out of the hall to them. "Technical difficulty."

Professor McGonagall shook her head and turned towards her office, leaving them to follow after her. "As is tradition, the parents of each champion have been brought to accompany them to a luncheon with the other competitors."

Harry stopped in his tracks, "Oh, professor please. I don't want to see the Dursleys before tonight. Can I just go back and eat with-"

"Harry! Rebecca!" Molly called from the corridor ahead of them. 

"Mrs Weasley?" Harry asked, looking to the now-smiling McGonagall. Harry hugged their professor first, shocking both McGonagall and Rebecca. Harry let go quickly and hurried down the hall into Molly's outstretched arms. "Did you put this together?" Rebecca asked as she and McGonagall made their way to them.

"I would never, this is completely unallowed. But, if the contacts for two children with the name Potter were switched, how could I possibly know the difference?"

"You couldn't!" Rebecca said, failing to hide her smile. 

Another red-haired person peeked around the corner behind Molly, "Bill!" It was Rebecca's turn to run down the hall. She put her arms around the middle of the oldest Weasley who laughed heartily. "We saw each other just a few weeks ago!"

McGonagall put her hand on Harry's shoulder and guided them down the next corridor to an open door with light music and laughter flooding from it. "'Arry, Rebecca!" Fleur's voice melodically called them the second they stepped through the door. "You must meet my maman, Appoline!"

A woman, somehow even more beautiful than Fleur followed behind her, Gabrielle at her side. "Fleur, c'est lui?" Fleur nodded at her question, letting her finish before translating. "Monsieur, tu as sauvé mon bébé, merci. Merci beaucoup, un mille fois merci."

"She says zat you 'ave saved her baby. She thanks you a thousand times." Molly looked over the blonde girl in front of her with the same distaste Rebecca had seen Ginny look over her with. Harry had grown accustomed to the allure of Fleur's veela ancestry, but Bill had had little exposure and found himself enamoured entirely.

"Bill, Bill Weasley." He said, sticking his hand out too quickly. 

"And 'ow are you and 'Arry related?" Fleur asked, shaking his hand and holding her hand out to Molly as well.

Molly shook it once before letting go and turning to Bill, "Save your drooling for another time, remember what you're here for."

Bill grimaced at the public chastisement, but Fleur only giggled. "You must be Mrs Weasley," Fleur smiled at Rebecca, "Rebecca 'as said many sings about you, about your ability to solve all problems."

Molly was struck back by the kindness of her statement. "Well...Thank you, I guess. That's very kind of you. She's mentioned you as well, mentioned how the love you have for your sister is very much like the love she has for Harry."

"Is zer anything stronger than family?" Fleur asked before she was pushed out of the way by the loud and boisterous Amos Diggory.

"Harry! There you are m'boy! I was just talking to Cedric about how you must have entered the contest to follow in his footsteps."

"Oh, I didn't enter the contest, sir." Harry corrected politely, looking to Cedric who grimaced as his father continued.

"Sure you didn't!" He winked obviously before continuing. "Anyway, as I was saying, I was trying to tell Ced here that you really played your cards right in that second trial. Really, saving two girls and then the debacle up top! Ced should have gotten his strategy from you! And the Prophet--You have been on the front page more than anyone else!"

"Strategy sir?" Harry asked, his hands clenching at his side. Molly stepped forward and put her hand onto his shoulder, pulling him back a step as Cedric's mouth dropped open. "Dad!"

"I think you'll find this to be a conversation best left unfinished, Amos." Molly's voice left no room for disagreement. 

"Amos, what trouble have you gotten yourself into now?" Cedric's mother called from where she and McGonagall were talking. "I am so, so sorry." Cedric whispered before returning to his mother's side where he was beckoned.

Molly's face was reddening with anger, "The audacity of that man! Please, tell me that is a rare occurrence."

Harry looked at Rebecca, "Well, only I could. You'd know Rebecca was lying."

Molly shook her head and brought them to the food, insisting that Harry eat seconds for his strength later. "A full stomach will keep your spells sharp!" Harry slipped the food she'd piled onto his plate to Rebecca, who then slipped it to Bill who looked at it and shook his head before returning to his 'sneaky' glimpses of Fleur that both Harry and Rebecca had noticed.

"She is right though," Rebecca said, putting her fork down. "You need your strength."

"I don't know if I'm ready." He said softly, only letting her hear how he felt. 

Rebecca grabbed his hand, "Harry." She bent her head down she he had to look into her eyes. "I know you're ready. You've got the spells, you've clearly got the food," This brought a small smile to his lips. "And Harry, you've got me. I'm going to be in the stands every second and, when you leave the maze, I'm going to be right there cheering for you."

"Sometimes I think you should have been picked," Harry looked away at the admission. "You're so much stronger than I am. Braver. Smarter."

She reached forward and picked up his cup, peering into it. "No, you weren't poison. You must have just gone mad then. Harry! Listen to yourself! I would never have gotten as far as you have or done as well as you have. Now, let's stop being stupid and eat. The other's will want to see you again before we have to head to the pitch."

"We?" Harry grinned as she whirled back on him.

"Yes, I bloody said we. I'm walking you to this task and heaven help whoever gets in my way."

*******************************************

Rebecca, Molly, Bill, and Harry, were huddled together in a group hug under the stands the students had filled and were now playing music loudly upon. Harry couldn't help but admire the oldest Weasley, the man Harry had labelled as the sheer definition of cool. When Molly pulled away at the announcement that the champions were needed, she held a hand to Harry's cheek and kissed him on the forehead. "Arthur sends his well wishes, as does Charlie. You have a team of your own rooting for you Harry, do not forget that." 

Rebecca plastered a smile on her face, trying to hide the tears threatening to form. "It's time!" Her voice splintered, "Everything is almost over, things are going to be normal again soon."

Harry nodded and pulled her into a tight hug. She turned her head against his chest and squeezed him for all she was worth. "I walked you here, didn't I?"

Harry put on his own fake smile, "Yes, yes you did. You've finally followed through on your promise."

"And, from Hogwarts, we have Cedric Diggory!" The announcer called as Cedric jogged out of the door, leaving Harry as the last champion to be called.

"Rebecca?" Harry called from where he'd moved to the door. "I love you."

"I love you, too," Molly heard the ache in her voice as Rebecca continued. "Now get your arse out there and do well on all this bloody practise we've done. You hear me?"

He nodded and looked away, back out the door at the hulking green walls of plants that had been erected over and across the pitch. "Harry Potter!" He moved forward, the grass crunching under his feet in the early evening. The crowd roared as he took his spot next to Cedric. 

Dumbledore called for silence from where he stood at a podium in the middle of the champions. "Earlier today, Professor Moody placed the Triwizard Cup deep within the maze. Only he knows its exact position." Rebecca followed Molly and Bill up the stairs at the back of the room to where they found themselves looking at the full stands. Fred and George stood up and waved their arms wildly, drawing scattered laughs from the crowd as the three moved to join them and Dumbledore continued. 

"Now, as Mr Diggory," Amos raised Cedric's hand up above his head and the Hufflepuff students stood and cheered, "And Mr Potter," It was Gryffindor's turn to support their own champion. Harry smiled up to where he saw Rebecca take her spot next to Fred and raise her arms to join the cheering. "Are tied for first position, they will be the first to enter the maze. Followed by Mr Krum and then Miss Delacour." Durmstrang and Beauxbatons cheered for their champions.

"The first person to touch the cup will be the winner. I've instructed the staff to patrol the perimeter. Should, at any point, a contestant wish withdraw from the task, they only need send up red sparks with their wands." The crowd was left to their murmuring as Dumbledore called for the contestants to circle around him.

"Quickly!" Dumbledore lowered his voice. "In the maze, you'll find not dragons nor creatures of the deep. People change in the maze. Find the cup if you can, but be wary. You could lose yourselves along the way." Dumbledore stepped back and addressed the crowd once more. "Champions! Prepare yourselves!"

Harry went back to his spot, looking over his shoulder one last time. Rebecca put a smile on the second his eyes met hers. "You can do this!" She mouthed with a thumbs up. He nodded and turned back to the maze. "One--" Filch let the cannon off too soon again. Dumbledore shook his head and motioned for the champions to enter. Harry stepped through the archway of greenery and found that, although he could still see the crowd, they grew softer and the air grew colder.

Rebecca's breath caught as the maze closed behind all four champions and the third task went underway. "Hey, it's alright. You've made sure he has every skill he could possible need in there." Fred said softly as the crowd took their seats. 

Molly looked at him, confused at this side of her son she was seeing for the first time. This mature man that had taken the spot of her boy. "I know, I know." Rebecca said, letting her head fall against his arm. "The end of this is so close, it's never felt further."

Hermione leaned forward from where she sat on the other side of Fred. "That's actually been proven to be not just psychological, it's physiological too. Your body ages faster when in a constant state of expectation."

Ron narrowed his eyes at her. "Wow Hermione, I know exactly who NOT to go to when I want to be comforted."

*******************************************

Inside the maze, the first think Harry did was cast the four-point spell that Sirius had recommended. His wand floated above his head, wavering back and forth before picking the direction he was to go off in. The leaves rustled and crunched around him, the maze seemingly in a constant state of motion. The first creature Harry came across was a Blast-Ended Skrewt, a creature easily dealt with after Hagrid's Care for Magical Creatures classes.

Harry followed his wand, turning left, right, left again, veering a certain way in a pod he'd found himself in with multiple exits. When he looked down the next aisle and could see his breath and the happiness leaving his body, he jumped back and grabbed his wand out of the air. "Expecto patronum!" He cast, his corporeal patronus leaping out of his wand and plowing through the dementor-shaped boggart. Harry found himself smiling as his stag pranced about. Rebecca was still unable to manage a corporeal patronus, a fact that drove her batty.

His attention was ripped away from his sister as a scream broke out across the maze, a pain-filled, terrified scream. "Cedric?" Harry asked himself before tearing off in the direction of the sound. He turned directly into the aisle, seeing Viktor casting spells at Cedric so fast Cedric could only block, never attack.

"Stupefy!" Harry cast, the spell hitting Viktor directly on the back and knocking him to the ground unconscious. Fleur lay ahead of Viktor's body and Cedric dropped to the ground and caught his breath. Harry ran to Fleur's side, reaching a hand up to her neck and feeling the steady thrum of her heartbeat. He stood and held his wand to the sky. "Periculum!" Red sparks shot out of the end of his wand. 

"Cedric," Harry's voice asked softly, not wanting to attract the attention of anything else in the maze. "Are you okay?"

Cedric nodded and pointed behind Harry. Viktor had gotten to his feet and was stumbling away, stumbling away like he couldn't see Harry or Cedric. Harry helped Cedric to his feet, the older boy leaning on Harry as they made their way deeper into the maze.

*******************************************

In the stands, the sight of the red sparks had the crowd on their feet instantaneously. Rebecca's hand was pressed against her chest as the champion who had backed out of the task was escorted out. "It's Fleur," Ginny said disdainfully from where she sat. "How am I not surprised?"

Molly smiled at her before reaching over and laying a hand under Fred's on Rebecca's arm concerned at her paling face. "He's doing well, love."

Fred nodded at his mother's gaze before sitting Rebecca back down and murmuring to her. "Rebecca, you have to breathe. He's doing f-"

"No," Rebecca's voice was strange, almost tinny. Her eyes bounced about wildly, searching for something she couldn't see, only feel in her bones. "Something's off. Something's not right. I don't...I don't know what."

"It's worry, you're working yourself up over nothing." Ron said, not looking behind him. 

Rebecca shook her head, feeling the pangs of something building in her head. "No, it's not. It's not nothing."

Fred took his arm from where it had stayed around her shoulder and grabbed both sides of her face, turning her to him gently. "What do you need? What can I do?"

She searched his face desperately. "I don't know if there's anything we can do."

*******************************************

Cedric and Harry stayed together as they made their way through the maze, Harry's the better meant to deal with the obstacles while Cedric was leading them through the turns expertly. "It's a Hufflepuff thing, we're finders." 

Harry looked down the long row they'd turned on to, a strange light at the end. "Is that..."

"Yes, it is. The cup." There was shouting and flashing as Viktor reappeared between them and the cup. Cedric pushed Harry to the ground, putting weight onto his injured leg and telling Harry to cover himself.

Cedric leapt back into the leaves, dodging Viktor's spell and casting one of his own. "Expelliarmus!" The spell hit Viktor, again. Harry scampered to his feet and ran to Viktor, taking his wand from his hand and throwing it into the distance.

Cedric began to limp, slowly and then faster, towards the cup. Harry hurried to his side, but Cedric reached back and pushed him away. Harry lunged forward, grabbing Cedric's shirt and pulling him back. His shirt ripped and both boys launched down the aisle of the cup trying to get in front of the other.

Vines and roots jumped out from under the tall bushes on their sides and tried to trip them, catching Cedric and forcing him to step wholly onto his injury. Cedric dropped to the ground with a groan and was quickly covered with vines. Harry looked back at him as Cedric called for him.

"Harry! Harry, please!"

Harry knew he couldn't leave him, despite his momentary hesitation. Maze or not. Tournament or not. Winning or not. He couldn't do it. "Reducto!" A light shot out of Harry's wand and severed the vines away from him as he rushed to him and helped Cedric back up. 

Cedric thanked him and looked back at the cup, the end of their anguish closer than it had been. "For a moment there, I thought you were going to let it get me."

Harry looked into Cedric's eyes, "For a moment, so did I." Harry put Cedric over his neck and helped him down the remaining few yards to the circle where the cup was. 

"You saved me, take it." Cedric demanded, a wind picking up behind them and blowing them fiercely.

"No, we do it together." Harry's voice was forceful. Cedric didn't argue as Harry began to count. "One, two, three!"

Both boys reached forward and grasped the cup's handles. The spinning sensation, the world in her entirety being sucked into a sickening vortex around them, was not a new feeling.

"It's a portkey!" Harry thought as he landed on the ground next to Cedric in an unfamiliar place. His heart sinking when he saw that they'd landed under a statue of an angel. A statue of an angel with black wings just as Rebecca had described.

*******************************************

Stopping in the middle of a scene?

Oops

<3


	70. Chapter 70

Rebecca's eyes squeezed shut as she felt a burning shot go through her scar. "Fred!" She hissed instinctively, knowing he couldn't do anything but calling for him anyway. Bill watched the exchange lost. "What? What's happening now?"

Rebecca shook her head, "It's Harry, something's happened to Harry. I don't-I don't know what. He's hurt. Oh," Her lamenting ended in a moan as she felt her stomach lurch. She leaned forward and put her head between her knees. Fred rubbed her back, trying to calm her down.

"That's it." Molly said, "We're going to go down there."

Hermione and Ron put their arms through Rebecca's as Fred was pulled back by Molly. "What is happening?"

"I can't possibly know if she doesn't." He said, pulling his mother to walk faster as they followed to the stairs back to the ground of the pitch.

*******************************************

"Where are we?" Cedric asked, his hands on his hips as he surveyed their surroundings with one leg bent to keep the weight of it. 

"I've been here before." Harry said as he confirmed his suspicions with the old, rundown house up on the hill. This was the place he and Rebecca had dreamt about. 

"A portkey, how interesting." Cedric mused from where he bent next to it.

"I've been here before, in a dream." Harry turned at the statue and saw the name of the grave it guarded. 

Tom Riddle

1905-1943

"What are you talking about?" Cedric asked confused.

A light flooded out into the body of the graveyard as a door to a mausoleum opened and a familiar, fat body stepping out into the darkness. Harry's scar ignited. The pain blinded him, drove him thoughtless and sent him to the ground writhing and shouting. Cedric bent next to the younger boy, reaching a hand out for him. "We've got...to get to the cup." Harry managed to get out between fits of pain.

Wormtail exited the mausoleum, a bony, skeleton-like body of an infant wrapped in black held against his chest. "Who are you? What do you want?" Cedric demanded as he stepped in front of Harry and held his wand out at them.

"Kill the spare." The bundle commanded.

"Avada kedavra!" Wormtail cast.

"No, Cedric!" Harry shouted, pushing himself to his feet as Cedric's body was propelled backwards towards the plot of land where the cup lay. Wormtail closed the distance between he and Harry, a bone-white wand held up above his head. The rat-man servant forced Harry back until he was against the winged-statue. The statue's arms, holding a scythe, opened and pulled back, effectively trapping Harry.

"Do it! Now!" The bundle, which Harry realised had to be Voldemort, spoke again. Wormtail turned to the cauldron in front of the statue and held the bundle above it before unwrapping the creature's body and dropping it in unceremoniously.

"The bone of the father, unwillingly given." Wormtail chanted, levitating a bone off of Tom Riddle's tombstone and dropping it into the bubbling cauldron.

"Flesh of the servant, willingly sacrificed." Wormtail's voice quivered as he took a knife out of the inside of his coat and held his hand up above the cauldron, slicing his own hand off in one clean motion. He screamed and grabbed at the stump until he'd managed to gain control of himself once more.

"Blood of the enemy, forcibly taken." Harry cried out as the knife dug into his arm and was taken away dripping in his blood. Wormtail shook the knife over the cauldron as he finished. "The Dark Lord shall rise...again."

The mixture in the cauldron turned from the simmering white to a boiling dark red before igniting itself and the cauldron as a whole on fire. The cauldron levitated itself a few feet above the ground before disappearing and revealing the decrepit figure of Voldemort as it began to shift and change: The translucent skin morphing and stretching from infant-like monster to snake-like man. 

Voldemort was lowered to the ground, he raised his hands up and traced them lightly over the top of his bald head, taking a deep breath and opening his eyes to the world as a man once more. Voldemort chuckled as he walked forward. "My wand, Wormtail." He asked softly, his voice joyous.

Voldemort took his wand from his bowed servant and asked for his arm. "Hold out your arm." 

"Thank you, thank you master." Wormtail began, holding out his severed hand and expecting assistance.

"Your other arm!" Voldemort spat. Wormtail did as he was told, Voldemort pushing his dirty sleeve up pase his elbow and tapping his wand to the Dark Mark. Harry watched in horror as the Dark Mark formed out of the clouds above them and Death Eaters began to appear in the clearing around Voldemort.

"Welcome, my friends. Thirteen years it's been, and yet, you stand before me as though it were only yesterday." He walked in a slow circle. "I confess myself...disappointed. Not one of you tried to fine me: Crabbe, Macnair, Goyle!" Voldemort walked to the Death Eater clad in robes of deep red. "Not even you, Lucius."

"My lord, had I detected any signs of your whereabouts-"

"There were signs, my slippery friend."

"I assure you my lord, I have never renounced the old ways."

Harry grunted from where he was hanging in the statue's grasp. "I returned." Wormtail said indignantly.

"Out of fear, not loyalty. Still, you have proved yourself useful, Wormtail." Voldemort flourished his wand on Wormtail's stump, creating a silver hand where flesh had been before.

"Thank you, master. I thank you." Voldemort left the blubbering Wormtail and walked to where Cedric's body lay. He pushed his face to the side with a gnarly foot. "Such a handsome boy."

"Don't touch him!" Harry cried, his scar ebbing and flowing like it was a dragon, the pain peaking every so often like it breathed fire.

"Harry! I'd almost forgotten you were here!" Voldemort looked around. "Where is your mirror image? Rebecca?"

Harry shook his head, "Far from here, out of your reach. Where she'll stay!"

Voldemort sneered, "Ah, brotherly love. Unfortunately, I think you'll find..." He stepped forward and put his face next to Harry's and whispered menacingly, "Nothing is out of my reach."

"The children who lived." Voldemort announced as he turned back to the Death Eaters. "How lies have fed your legend. Shall I reveal what really happened that night thirteen years ago? Shall I divulge how I truly lost my powers?"

Harry grunted and struggled against the statue as Voldemort continued on. "It was love. When dear, sweet Lily and James gave their lives for their children, they provided the ultimate protection. I could not touch them, it was...old magic. Something I should have foreseen. No matter, no matter. Things have changed." Voldemort rushed forward and raised a hand up above his head, one long finger sticking out towards Harry's forehead. 

"I can touch you...now." Voldemort plunged his finger against Harry's scar as he finished, sending molten pain shooting through his head as Harry screamed into the night.

*******************************************

In the room, standing with the finish line in sight, Rebecca dropped to the floor like a stone. "Rebecca?" Fred asked, the first to her side. He rolled her over. One of her hands was pounding on the floor as her body writhed, the other held against her scar. When she stopped a moment later, her eyes looked up into nothing.

"It's him. Voldemort. He's back."

Molly was crouched at her other side, a hand pressed to her mouth as Rebecca said it again. "He's back. He's back. He's back." Ron jumped forward and grabbed her legs, holding them still while Hermione and Ginny grabbed her arms. Fred put his hands on both sides of her head and tried to still her, to stop her rapid movements.

*******************************************

"Astonishing what a few drops of your blood will do, eh Harry?" Voldemort grinned maliciously up at him. "Imagine what I could do with hers."

Harry opened his mouth to tell him off, but Voldemort launched backwards and released him from the statue's hold. "Pick up your wand, Potter."

Harry knelt on the ground, frozen a moment. "I said, pick it up! Get up! Get up!" Harry scrambled backwards, scooping his wand up and pushing himself to his shaky feet. "You've been taught to duel, I presume? First, we bow. Come on, now. The niceties must be observed."

Harry stood straight, refusing to bow. "Dumbledore wouldn't want you forgetting your manners, would he now? I said: bow." He waved his wand at Harry and forced him to bend over painfully. Voldemort rushed him and flung him onto his back before raising his wand again. "Crucio!"

Harry writhed on the floor, the pain sending each individual cell of his body into agonistic spasms.

"That a boy! Your parents would be proud. Especially your filthy, Muggle mother." The insult sent Harry into motion, jumping to his feet the moment Voldemort severed the spell. "Expelliarmus!" Voldemort waved his spell away effortlessly. 

"I'm going to kill you, Harry Potter. Then, I'm going to hunt down your sister. I'm not going to kill her though, not right away. No, that would be too easy. To quick. I'm going to make her beg for it." He lowered his voice to a whisper as he enunciated each syllable carefully. "She's going to be dead long before her heart stops."

Voldemort thrust his hand over Harry's forehead and lifted him to his feet before marching away. Harry turned and ducked behind a tomb. "Don't you turn your back on me! I want you to look at me when I kill you!"

Voldemort sent multiple spells into the stone around him. "I want to see the light leave your eyes!" Harry steeled himself before crouching to his knees and eventually standing, he was going to die like his parents, upright, not cowering. He started walking over to where the Death Eaters had crowded around behind Voldemort. 

"Have it your way, but you'll still never touch her." Harry said before raising his wand. "Expelliarmus!" Just as the spell left Harry's wand, Voldemort's own met it in the middle of the graveyard between them. "Avada Kedavra!"

The green of Voldemort's met the red of Harry's and sent off a shower of sparks as they fluctuated back and forth closer to Harry and then closer to Voldemort. Harry summoned all the strength he could, pushing it all through his wand. "Stay back! He's mine to finish!" Voldemort commanded as a Death Eater went to grab their wand to help.

Harry's spell met the end of Voldemort's wand, sending multiple trails out of it that floated over to him. The first took the shape of Cedric. The second, Harry recognised, the old man from the house. The last two went to Harry's side, taking the shape of whom he knew was his mother and father from photographs and the Mirror of Erised.

"Harry, when the connection is broken, you must get to the portkey. We can linger a moment to give you some time, but only a moment. Do you understand?" James said sternly, looking into his son's eyes. 

"Harry, take my body back." Cedric pleaded. "For my father, take my body back."

"You're ready, my sweets." Lily said, in utter anguish at having to say goodbye to her other child so soon after having done so with Rebecca. "Let go and know how we love you. Let go!"

Harry cut the spell off, the four orbs pushing forward and blocking Voldemort's sight. Harry sprinted to Cedric's body and pointed his wand to the cup. "Accio!" The cup soared through the air, landing in Harry's hand and sucking him and Cedric's body into the travel vortex.

*******************************************

When Harry was released from the crucio spell, she felt the connection to him cut off entirely. Her scar went numb and her heart beat painfully, fearing that this loss meant Harry was gone. Her body was covered in a sheen of sweat and the room was filled with frantic Weasleys. There was a solid thump from outside, a thump that forced Rebecca to roll to her stomach and crawl forward, using her momentum to launch herself out the door.

The crowd began to cheer as Harry and Cedric reappeared in the center of the exit they'd left in hours earlier. Harry sobbed onto Cedric's chest. "Rebecca! Rebecca, where are you!" He cried out.

Rebecca fell to her knees in front of them, pulling Harry's face up so that she could see it in the light. One of the Beauxbatons girls looked at the state of Cedric and let out an unearthly shriek. Dumbledore pushed his way to the front as McGonagall did the same. The two adults looked to each other before erecting a makeshift wall of dirt between the crowd and the pitch, shielding the crowd.

The door where the Weasleys watched, unblocked by this wall, was shocked into motion. Rebecca looked over to Ron, "Get him off!" She shouted, grabbing the neck of Cedric's shirt and ripping it down the middle. She put her head to his chest and heard nothing. 

"My boy! That's my boy!" Amos' cries echoed across the pitch as the music faded out and the shouts grew louder in anger at the wall blocking their sight. Cornelius' voice rang out over them all, "For Merlin's sake, Dumbledore, what's happening?!"

McGonagall sent Dumbledore to the front of the wall to deal with the crowd as she turned and cast a silencing charm over the area behind the wall before she grabbed Amos as he tried to run past her to his son. "Let me go! That's my boy!"

McGonagall shook the man once, shocking him out of his hysteria. "He's not now, though he may still be." McGonagall looked to Rebecca who turned back to Cedric's still-warm body. Fred realised what she was going to do and stepped forward. 

"No! We don't know anything about this!" Bill grabbed Fred and fought him to the ground. "Don't do this, don't do this!" Fred shouted after her.

Rebecca shook her head and took a deep breath, closing her eyes and putting one hand onto Cedric's shoulder and the other onto his opposite upper arm. She blocked out the noise, the clamour, the people and tried to reach out with her mind for anything like she had with the unicorn. Her hands began to warm and she felt the slightest trickle of what had been Cedric still in his body.

"What is this?" She heard Cedric ask.

"This is life, this is a second chance." The simple act of communicating was strenuous enough, especially if she was going to bring him back. "It's a yes or no, Cedric. Yes or no. We cannot wait."

"Yes, yes! I...I don't want to die." 

Rebecca nodded and focused her energies, grabbing what she'd identified as Cedric's essence, his soul, and bringing it back to his body. The warming of her hands quickly grew to the inferno she remembered from the unicorn, the steam beginning to rise in a perfect circle around them. Harry's shoulders continued to shake from where he sobbed into Hermione and Ron's arms, repeating exactly what Rebecca had before. 

"He's back, he's back. Voldemort's back."

Images began to flit across the back of Rebecca's eyelids, Cedric's reasons for returning. She saw images of Cho and him in the library, him watching her study. She saw him and his father and mother sitting around a large table, a puzzle being put together between them, boys and girls in garbs of yellow and black laughing in what she assumed to be the Hufflepuff common room. She saw more images, memories of the things that made Cedric's life worth returning to as the heat in her hands reached its peak.

For McGonagall, Harry, and those who hadn't been present in the Forbidden Forest in their first year, the sight was frightening. For those who had been there, the sight was utterly terrifying. Fred fought harder and harder against Bill to go to her, to rip her away from him before she killed herself doing something impossible, something she'd never done before.

"What if a person is different?! What if-"

Molly reached over and pulled him into her chest, silencing him and stilling him at the same time. Rebecca felt the final wisp of Cedric return to his body, extinguishing her hands and the exhaustion taking hold. Harry saw the her handprints in the same ink-black colour that had been on the unicorn as she took them off of the Hufflepuff. 

Molly released Fred. Fred took off like a bullet, tearing up the grass as he pushed himself to his feet and took her side as Cedric's eyes shot open and he began to breathe again. Harry crawled forward, seeing how Cedric looked around. McGonagall let go of Amos' arm, the father blinking wildly as he watched his son, his boy, try to sit up.

"What are you?" Amos said, pulling Cedric into his chest. 

Rebecca's eyes rolled. She heard Amos speak to her, though the words didn't register. Fred grabbed her face and shook it until she looked at him through half-opened eyes. "Stay awake, do you hear me? Keep those eyes open!" Her head lolled back and her eyes closed again. He had his wand in a moment. "Aguamenti!" A stream of water shot out of his wand and landed on her face, jolting her eyes open for a moment.

McGonagall released the spell on the wall behind them. Dumbledore and Fudge rushed forward, seeing how Cedric was alive. Dumbledore looked to McGonagall who nodded. "Well then, he's alive!" Fudge cried, clapping his hands in delight.

"He's back! He's back! Voldemort's back!" Harry shouted, repeating himself so that all could hear.

Cedric nodded, "He's telling the truth, we were there. We saw him."

"There's too many people, Albus! They need to be moved!" Fudge shouted, ignoring their words.

Rebecca blinked slowly, her mind sluggish and her head light. Fred pulled her up, George taking her other arm and putting it over his shoulder as they began to follow McGonagall, Dumbledore, and Fudge off in the direction of the Hospital Wing. Moody walked behind Harry and wrapped his arm around him, pulling him to his feet and leading him away.

"This is not where you want to be! It's alright, I got you." Harry ignored his soothing words and tried to fight.

"No! No, I need to go with them!"

"I'll take you to them as soon as you've calmed down, how about that?" Moody offered, still dragging Harry off in the direction of the castle. Once inside, Harry saw that Moody was bringing him to his classroom. The door opened with a squeak.

"Sit." Moody commanded as he went about some vials on his desk, plucking one up and putting it in Harry's hands. "Drink this, it'll help."

Harry drank the vial without a moment's hesitation. The potion warmed his belly and pulled his mind out of the fog it had descended to from the duress of the evening. "Are you alright, Potter? Does that hurt?" Moody gestured to the blood oozing down his arm slowly.

"Not so much now." Harry said, honestly having forgotten about something so minor as a cut. 

"Perhaps I'd better take a look at it." 

"The cup was a portkey. Someone bewitched it." Moody tore his gaze away from Harry's arm and looked into his eyes.

"What was it like? What was he like?" Moody stood up to his feet and leaned closer.

"Who?" Harry asked, confused and having been sharpened by the potion, was growing more desperate to get to the Hospital Wing.

"The Dark Lord." Moody said like it was obvious, squeezing Harry's arm before walking a few steps away and turning his back to Harry.

"What was it like to stand in his presence?"

"I don't know, it was like I'd fallen into one of my dreams. Into one of my nightmares." Harry stared into the fire, not noticing how Moody began to tremor and seize. Harry's attention turned back to the professor when he stormed through a curtain to a box he threw open, lifting a collection of glass bottles and finding them all empty.

"Were there others?" Moody asked, looking back to Harry. "In the graveyard, were there others?"

Harry stammered, suspicions blossoming in his mind. "I...I never said anything about a graveyard, professor."

Moody stood in the archway, lowering his voice like Hagrid's. "Marvelous creatures, dragons, aren't they?" Moody tinkled through more vials. "Did you think that miserable oaf would'e led you into the woods if I hadn't suggested it? Do you think Cedric Diggory would've told you to open the egg underwater if I hadn't told him first myself?"

Moody clanked his way over to more bottles, still coming up empty. "Now, the second task was supposed to take care you Rebecca, a watery doom making an ironic end to that insufferable bitch."

Harry launched to his feet, "Don't you speak about her like that!"

Moody put his face close to his before turning back and searching again.

"It was you, wasn't it? You put my name in the Goblet of Fire."

"So it isn't true, the girl didn't get all the brains. Yes, I did. You won because I made it so, Potter. You ended up in that graveyard tonight because it was meant to be so." Moody stepped closer and closer to Harry, making the boy lean backwards. "And it's done! The blood that runs in your veins runs within the Dark Lord."

Moody crossed the room and spasmed sharply before turning back to Harry. "Imagine how he'll reward me when he learns that I have once and for all silenced the great Harry Potter. You'll be easy enough and Rebecca has gone and made herself easy enough to end now. There's whispers about her, you know. Whispers about powers unimaginable. What happened behind that wall tonight? No matter, I guess they'll stay unimaginable after I end her."

Harry launched himself over the table in front of him, ready to tackle the man to the ground, but the door was blown in, shattered to pieces and Dumbledore's voice rang in. "Expelliarmus!" Moody was sent flying backward, Dumbledore grabbing him by the neck and holding his wand to the man's throat.

"Severus!" Dumbledore called. Snape walked in and uncorked a bottle, a green bottle with a golden stopper that Harry recognised as the veritaserum and trickled a few drops into Moody's mouth. McGonagall entered the room and grabbed Harry, pulling him into her.

"Rebecca, what's happened?"

"She's breathing, gone unconscious like last time. Madame Pomfrey is watching her."

Both McGonagall and Harry turned at the sound of Dumbledore asking, "Do you know who I am?"

"Albus Dumbledore." Moody growled.

"Are you Alastor Moody? Are you?" Dumbledore shoved his wand farther against his throat.

"No."

"Is he in this room?"

Moody, or better, Not Moody, looked at the trunk behind Harry and McGonagall. "Get away from there!" Dumbledore shouted as Snape unlocked it. The trunk's lid opened, revealing another lid, then another, then another, then another. When the final lid finally popped up, Dumbledore leaned over.

"You alright, Alastor?"

The man at the bottom of the trunk, the true Moody, called back up. "I'm sorry, Albus."

"If he's Moody, then who's-"

Snape opened up the flask the Moody-impostor drank out of so regularly and smelt it. "Polyjuice Potion."

"Now we know who's been stealing from your stores, Severus." Dumbledore called back down to Moody that they'd have him up in a minute while Snape's gaze moved to Harry, who just put his lips together and said nothing about the now-proven false accusation.

The Moody-impostor began to scream as his flesh melted and moved, reverting back to its natural form after so many months of transformation. Harry bent closer to the floor to see the man's face. The man screamed and tried to jump forward, but McGonagall reached forward and pushed him back into the chair, holding her wand out in front of her as she put Harry behind her.

"Barty Crouch Junior." Dumbledore said slowly.

"I'll show you mine if you show me yours." Crouch said lewdly before pulling up his sleeve and revealing the Dark Mark in its darkend, renewed state. "You know what this means, don't you? He's back." Crouch's eyes took on a mad glint as he finished. "Lord Voldemort has returned."

"Send an owl to Azkaban." Dumbledore demanded, pulling Harry from the room. Outside of the room, Harry found himself reinvigorated, energy flowing to his exhausted limbs as he raced down the stairs and sprinted down the empty corridors.

"Harry!" Dumbledore called after him, but his calls fell on deaf ears. Harry only slowed once, and the was when he had to open the infirmary's door. The Weasleys and Hermione were standing around a bed at the back, a bed that Harry knew had Rebecca on it. Her eyes flitted underneath her eyelids.

Harry's pounding feet echoed loudly as he pushed his way through the group to her bedside, Fred at the other holding one of her hands. "Harry?" She asked weakly.

"I'm right here, I'm right here!" He said, grabbing her other hand and holding it tightly, shocked out how hot her skin was.

Fred's eyes shot up, unaware at the fact that she had managed to hold onto this sliver of consciousness. "I know." She said, losing the battle she was fighting to keep talking.

"Know what, love?" Fred asked, bringing the back of her hand to his lips.

"He's back." She said before her eyes shut entirely.

*******************************************

Dumbledore and McGonagall entered the Hospital Wing hours later, after having sent off owls to Azkaban and to Sirius. A black dog padded in alongside them, morphing back into Sirius when the door was shut. Sirius ran across the wing, going behind Fred and laying a hand on her leg.

Molly gasped at the sight of him while McGonagall explained his innocence.

"She did it to that boy, didn't she?" Sirius asked, gesturing to the sleeping Cedric, Amos, and Mrs Diggory down the hall. "Brought him back."

Harry answered, "Yes." From where he was still sitting next to her, despite both Molly's and Madame Pomfrey's insistence that he sleep. Sirius walked to the other side of the bed, embracing Harry. "I've heard what happened, what you saw."

Harry nodded, "Then you know that he's back."

Sirius nodded grimly, "Yes, I do. But that takes the back-burner, what about her? What happens now?"

"Now?" Fred said lowly. "Now we wait to see if she's going to wake up."

"When, Fred. We're waiting for when she wakes up." George corrected gently.

Fred stood up quickly, sending the chair he was sitting on sliding back loudly, loud enough to wake Amos and Cedric. "No, George! It's if!" His shouts garnered the full attention of everyone in the room. "We don't know how she does this! We don't know where she draws the power! Nothing comes from nothing, what is she giving up, what is she losing to do this?" His voice cracked at the end as it occurred to him how close his life was to being without her again in such a short time. "How can she do this?" He sat back in his chair as he began to sob. He considered for a moment, a moment he regretted as soon as the thought passed through his mind, to blame Harry. If he hadn't called her like that, perhaps she wouldn't have gotten to Cedric early enough to save him. 

"Do what, love?" Molly asked, crouching next to him and rubbing his shoulders.

Fred put his head down against her bed and held onto her body like she was being ripped away from him. "How could she do something like this when she had no idea what would happen to her?"

"That's who she is." Hermione said at the foot of her bed, wiping her own tears. "She'll always do what she can, it doesn't matter the cost."

Fred's sobs continued, the softer weeping of those watching her breathe slowly joining him as the night turned into early morning. McGonagall woke Sirius before the sun rose, telling him that it was time to go.

"Professor, have I ever been one to do as I'm told?" Sirius asked, making McGonagall remember how obstinate he was as a student. His voice took on a serious tone as he continued, "I'm not going anywhere until she wakes."

McGonagall sighed, but said nothing else. She knew how pointless it was to argue with Sirius Orion Black when he'd made a decision. Harry and Fred both slept with their heads on her bed, despite the fact that Madame Pomfrey turned down enough beds for them all to sleep. Fred's hand was still holding hers, their fingers entwined. McGonagall brought a hand up and wiped at the single tear that left her eye without permission.

Sirius said nothing as he put his arm around his old professor as she spoke softly. "These children..."

"They'll be the death of us, won't they?" Sirius finished, trying to lighten the mood. Harry sat up quickly, looking around the room as he reached for his glasses laying on the bed and grabbed his wand. Sirius and McGonagall's hearts panged ferociously, watching what would only be the beginning of the trauma the children would collect throughout what was quickly shaping into the Second Wizarding War.

Harry looked away from Sirius and McGonagall when he saw how they looked at him. "Has she woken at all?" He knew she hadn't, but he needed them to focus on something else.

"No, not yet."

Harry nodded and looked across the room to where Cedric lie shirtless, her hands burnt onto his skin forever. He looked to Fred across her bed, at how his head lie awkwardly so that he didn't have to let go of her hand. Madame Pomfrey went to the awake Harry and asked for his arm. "It needs to be healed, that cut will get infected."

Harry offered her his arm without leaving her side. When the need grew to great, he stood up and ran to the bathroom and ran right back, hardly gone for more than a minute. Harry felt himself drifting off again as Rebecca slept into the midmorning of the next day.

As it was a weekend, Dumbledore explained the delayed victory dinner over the medical attention needed by Cedric who, as Dumbledore and McGonagall had decided was best, was being said to have returned near death, not fully dead.

Fred stirred for a moment, saying only one word before returning back to his dreams.

"Rebecca?"

*******************************************

"Darling? Oh, darling?" Rebecca's voice echoed in Fred's head. "It seems I'll have to find someone else to kiss...what a shame."

Fred opened his eyes, realising that he was still asleep but cherishing the relief of seeing her awake, even if it was only an image in his head. He was lying in a bed, Rebecca leaning over him. "It would be silly to go off finding someone else when I'm right here." She leaned forward and kissed him, smiling when she pulled away slightly. 

"I guess you'll do."

Fred sat up and turned her quickly, putting himself over her. He leaned down and kissed her deeply. "You guess?"

She laughed the laugh he loved so much, the one that sang across his ears like someone playing their favorite song for the thousandth time, ready to listen to it a thousand more did. 

*******************************************

<3


	71. Chapter 71

It was early afternoon when she first stirred, nearly 24 hours from the time the third task had begun. Her mouth opened first, taking a deep breath as her mind tried to rouse itself from the darkness it had descended into. When she opened her eyes, she saw Madame Pomfrey rushing across the room towards the flurry of movement. Even just opening her eyes ached, her body blanketed in soreness.

"Mr Diggory," She scolded. "I think not! Get back into bed!" Cedric ignored her, his father taking his side and helping him as he crossed the room weakly, insistently.

Harry closed his eyes in relief as she woke, Hermione and Ron hugging him tightly. Cedric stopped at the foot of her bed, next to Sirius and McGonagall. "I was gone, Rebecca." He took a deep breath and closed his eyes a moment, remembering the darkness. "I was moving on and...you stopped it. You brought me back."

Amos reached up and wiped his face as Cedric talked about what had happened. "And now I'm here. I'm alive again--because of you."

Rebecca's head fell back against her pillow, "I wasn't sure it would work, in all honesty." Her voice was scratchy, Ginny handed her a glass of water before Cedric continued in his thanking.

"How do I even begin to thank you for this? It's life. You gave me my life back." Cedric shook his head once. "I'm alive. That's just not something that can be thanked for."

Rebecca's eyes moved slowly from Cedric to the concerned faces of Molly, Sirius, and McGonagall. She looked between her friends, Harry reaching forward and cupping her face as she looked at him. "I am, too. Alive." She looked down at Fred, his head still laying against the bed beside her leg with his arm sticking up to hold her hand where it lay. She laid her other hand against the top of his head, brushing his hair from where it covered his face. He stirred lightly, thinking it was his mother. "Fred?" Rebecca asked softly.

His eyes shot open at the sound of her voice. He stood up, looking at her as his eyes flitted over her face in its entirety. He leaned forward and kissed her quickly, pulling back only to kiss her again a second after. He brought his hand away from hers and cupped the back of her head, entwining his fingers through her curls and kissed every inch of her face from her cheeks to her forehead.

"Fred!" She said embarrassingly, watching how Sirius began to mock them and Molly smiled grandly.

"What the hell am I to do with you?" He asked angrily, his sweetness fading as he remembered what she'd done, "Really? What am I supposed to do!"

Rebecca shook her head and looked to Harry. "Are you okay?" 

Harry's jaw dropped. "Am I okay?" He lifted himself from his chair and climbed onto her bed, laying his sweaty, muddy, disgusting body next to hers and wrapping his arms around her middle tightly. "If you are, then I am."

Rebecca nodded and lifted her hand to Fred's face, tracing his jaw gently. "I'm okay."

Cedric watched them all fawn over her before Amos led him back to his bed, Cedric's body hurt more so than hers did, though he didn't dare complain. Instead, with every muscle, ligament, fiber of his being protesting each movement, he relished the feeling; thankful to be feeling anything at all. Amos pulled the blanket up to his chin like he did when he was a tot, Mrs Diggory kissing his forehead and stroking his hair.

"It was Barty Crouch Junior." Harry said for them all to hear. "Moody wasn't Moody, he was Barty Crouch Junior." McGonagall suddenly had all eyes on her. She explained what happened as Harry closed his eyes against her, listening to her heartbeat.

"He is being dealt with as we speak, although..." McGonagall turned away a moment. "Skeeter has already jumped on the events of last night."

George grabbed a copy of the Witch Weekly from Madame Pomfrey's desk and read over the front page. "What is it now?" Rebecca asked. Fred watched as George's eyes raced over it.

"Same old, same old. Harry, looks like you're deranged and dangerous and Rebecca...it says you're...This really isn't important, we all know she lies. Why fill our heads with this rubbish? School is for learning!"

Fred looked at George who subtly shook his head. "No, what's she said about me now?"

Ginny grabbed the paper from her older brother and read it over. "It says you're cursed. Death trails you like smoke after a fire."

Rebecca was silent a moment before letting her head fall back. "That's nothing. It doesn't even make sense really, how can death follow me if I've reversed it?"

George watched Ginny as she folded the paper so that the front page was hidden and replaced it back on the desk. Sirius listened to the children begin to talk as he saw how deeply they protected and loved each other, especially after having read the article earlier when it had been delivered.

Rebecca Potter--Attention monger and lesser twin?

Yes, it would seem that way. Potter was dragged from the scene of the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament limp and unresponsive. It seems to be that weakness is a trait that runs strong in our Harry-look-alike...

Dumbledore's entering of the Hospital Wing with Arthur in tow paused their conversations. Arthur ran around Dumbledore to get to his family quicker. He stopped beside Fred and grabbed both Harry and Rebecca into a hug, whispering how he came as soon as he could.

Dumbledore explained as Arthur looked them over, "The Ministry's gone into lockdown. Fudge is silencing all talk of Voldemort's return and claiming that Harry was simply confused."

"That's madness!" Harry said, sitting up and standing next to the bed. "That's lunacy! Cedric was there too!"

Dumbledore shook his head, "It doesn't matter, he's written you off because the words of the Prophet, and by extension, Rita Skeeter, and because Cedric came back 'unconscious.' The Minister will not listen to such heresy."

Dumbledore began to outline what Arthur was supposed to do when he returned to the Ministry: Begin gathering those who would listen to sense. Sirius was told that it was time for the Order to begin again, the Order of the Phoenix.

The adults began to talk about how important it was to keep what had happened underwraps, how no one could know. "If Voldemort hears of this, hears of how you did this, his hunting of you two will only increase."

Rebecca found that they were talking too quickly for her to follow, her head feeling like it had been stuffed with cotton while she slept. Fred felt her looking at him. He turned and returned her gaze. "What? Do you need something? What can I get?"

Rebecca shook her head, "I don't need anything, I'm just-" She yawned deeply. 

"Exhausted, yes. You were last time as well." Fred said shortly.

"Fred, you don't be cross with me. You can't." She said quietly, trying not to attract the attentions of the adults who talked on.

"I can. I will. I am!" He said at last, turning farther so that he faced her completely. "You had no idea what would happen. For all you knew, you could have had to give up your own life for his!"

Rebecca grabbed his hand, pulling it towards her chest and holding it against her heart. "Look, it beats. I breathe. I'm alive and I'm right here. Why argue about what 'could have' and not celebrate what did. Cedric's alive! Harry's alive! The tournament is through!"

"But-"

"But nothing Fred. If I sat there and did nothing. If I watched on as another person fell to Voldemort, how am I supposed to live with myself?"

"You're supposed to live with me!" Fred's voice rose, the adults stopping and looking at him as he continued, nearly shouting. "You're supposed to stay with me! Bollocks to Cedric! Bollocks to everyone else!"

Rebecca shook her head, "No, Fred. If I were to do nothing...I wouldn't be me. I won't watch helplessly, not when I have this ability--this ability to help." Her head swam, the conflict not helping anything. "That's me, Fred. Now either stop shouting or-I don't know. Figure out who it is you love, the real me or this idea you have in your head, because I'm tired and I'm sore and..." She took a deep breath and chewed on her bottom lip before continuing. "...I love you. I know I love you, but if you can't handle this, can't handle that I won't watch and do nothing--Well, that's something that only you can figure out."

The Hospital Wing fell silent as Rebecca's head wavered. "Move!" Madame Pomfrey called from behind Sirius. She went between the group and laid a hand on her forehead before handing her a vial, "Drink and rest. There's too much going on in here. Everyone who is not yet an adult needs to leave, you can come back later. You're not doing anything helpful by staying."

Harry watched Ginny and Ron try to argue as George grabbed Fred. Hermione saw the desperation peek into Harry's eyes and said loudly, "Gee Harry, that arm sure looks like it still hurts."

Harry looked down at the mostly healed cut and saw what she was doing, he looked to her thankfully as he took the bait. "You know, it does. Smarts horribly. I should stay a little longer, make sure it doesn't fall off or anything."

Madame Pomfrey grabbed the back of his head and pushed him towards the bed next to her, "Your own bed, Mr Potter."

*******************************************

Fred remained silent on their walk to the common room, the Gryffindor students inside falling silent as their group entered. Angelina and Katie rushed forward, wanting to know if they were alright, while Fred went straight to his room.

Ron and Hermione fielded questions, explaining that Harry, Rebecca, and Cedric were all fine, but as Dumbledore had already announced to the school as a whole, they weren't to be discussing these things. Upstairs, Fred stomped angrily. Stripping his clothes of quickly and turning on the shower, sitting on the floor of it as the warm water ran over him. George knew he did when he was stuck on a pranking issue or done with the world and needed to think. 

"Fred?" George asked, knocking on the bathroom door. He opened it when there was no response and sat on the closed toilet, seeing his brother's seated figure through the shower door. George said nothing for a long while, letting Fred gather his thoughts. "Fred, do you want to talk?"

"What's there to talk about?" Fred spat.

George sighed, "Fred."

"Don't 'Fred' me! You heard her! She thinks I don't love her, but an idea of her. How can she even say that? How have I not shown that I love her entirely? Every facet of her!"

"Fred! Listen to yourself!" George lowered his voice. "If you truly loved her, truly truly loved her, then you knew she was going to save Cedric, no matter the cost."

"But why?" Fred asked softly, sadly. "Why does she have to be so..."

George shrugged, "I don't know. But I do know you'd better pull your head out of your arse before you wreck the thing that's made you the happiest I've ever seen you." At the door, George turned back, "And turn the bloody water down! You've made a sauna in here and that can't be good for your skin!"

Fred stayed under the water minutes longer, George's word echoing in his head as he realised he was completely right. "To love someone so selfless, to love her as deeply as I do...That means she'll never stop fighting for those who need it, never stop defending those attacked, never stand by. Maybe I need to learn something from her..." His thoughts continued until the world made sense again and he knew what he had to do.

*******************************************

The potion Madame Pomfrey had given Rebecca put her back to sleep, a restful sleep she needed. Harry drifted off as well. Sirius looked over them both and turned to Molly. "Do you think James and Lily could have imagined any of this for them fourteen years ago?"

Molly shook her head, "No, I don't think anyone could have. I just can't believe he's..."

Sirius nodded, not letting her finish and speaking forcefully. "And he will fall again."

"I wish I had your optimism." Molly sighed, "We tried, you know."

Sirius was lost, "Tried what?"

Molly elaborated, "After we were able to become her guardians, we tried for Harry too. The Ministry said there was no point in taking him from three family members to place him with one. We didn't just leave him."

"I never thought you did!" Sirius smiled, "Look at what you and Arthur have done: A whole clan of smart, caring, loving children. Don't think for a moment I, or Harry, think you didn't try."

Molly sighed, "These two, they're almost hard to watch."

"I know. So sappy." Sirius mimed a gag.

"No, they're so in love. They literally only fight because they're love is so strong and runs so deeply."

Sirius looked at her sleeping figure and smiled to himself, "They're lucky. Love like that is hard to find. Some never do."

"And some find it taken too early." Molly finished, turning and looking at how Amos and Mrs Diggory were holding each other as they looked at their child, the child who's mortality was made all too clear. 

"She's right," Sirius said at last. "She would never be able to do nothing."

Molly nodded, "With this ability, could anyone?"

*******************************************

Fred pulled on fresh clothes and combed his hair, looking at himself in the mirror as he ran over what he wanted to say. "No, that's dumb. Is it though? I think she'd like it, it's so cheesy. Why is this so hard? I just want to say what I'm thinking!"

George was waiting on his bed in their room, tossing a balled pair of socks up and down as he waited. Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were waiting by the fire downstairs, all having changed and prepared for the dinner that was being held that night to mark the end of the Triwizard Tournament and announce the winner.

"Ready to head back?" Fred asked, ignoring the concerned look Ginny gave him. Hermione checked the time, "Fred, it's only been ninety minutes. Madame Pomfrey probably won't let us in and she's most likely still sleeping."

Fred plopped onto the couch, "Thirty more minutes then." 

Ron watched how Fred's finger tapped rhythmically. "Are you counting?"

"No!" Fred said, clasping his hands together and watching as Hermione began to smile. "Don't humour him!"

George rolled his eyes as Ron began to bicker with Fred, Ginny leaning over and whispering to him how they three were the only sane ones. 

Down in the Hospital Wing, McGonagall returned and put her foot down. "Sirius, it's time. Students are going to be making their way to the Great Hall and, one thing that has not changed since your time here is that we do not let mangy dogs wander about!"

Sirius stood and clasped his hand to his chest in offence, "Mangy? You just called me mangy! I'll have you know my coat is a luscious and as silky as all this," Sirius ran a hand through his hair.

"I'm sure it is." Rebecca said from her bed, reaching for her glasses. "McG's just jelly."

"Excuse me?" Professor McGonagall asked as she looked for Madame Pomfrey.

Madame Pomfrey caught her eye and went to her. "Something tells me the potion is having an adverse reaction."

Rebecca pointed up to the ceiling, "No, you're an a-aberse reaction."

Madame Pomfrey tutted as Sirius laughed and Molly tried to hide her amusement. "Yes, it appears you are correct Minerva. I have a wit-sharpening in the back that will quicken the exit of this...confusion. One moment."

"Wit-sharp? My wits are sharper than knives for green grass."

Sirius laughed harder, a smile growing on McGonagall's face as well. "What is she even saying?" Sirius gasped.

The Infirmary doors opened again, Fred leading the charge of students back in as Harry woke at Sirius' growing cackles. "Hey! My fav-my favorite to kiss! Such a nice kisser. Soft lips. Smells so good. Candle-worthy smell." 

Molly looked at Fred as he went to her bedside and turned back to the adults. "What's wrong with her? Why's she...loony?"

Molly shook her head, "Not loony, it looks like the potions wearing off slower than expected. Wonky reaction."

"Won-wonky, woop woop, wonky." She said, moving her hands in bed like she it was a song.

Fred knelt at her side, attracting her glazed-over gaze. "Love?"

She put her head back and sighed to the rest of them, "I love it when he calls me that."

Fred grinned, "Maybe I'll just wait then."

Rebecca reached up and put a finger to his lips, shushing him. "Shh, shh. Don't yell again. My ears work, no yelling." Fred looked to the others at the foot of her bed before looking back at her. "I'm scared of you."

Fred's heart stopped as the adults freezed at her words, "What?"

"You scare me," Her head lolled back before bouncing back towards him as she giggled. "I don't know how I can love you as much as I do. I-It's pretty scary!" She laughed like she'd told a joke before leaning her head forward and pulling him closer, still covering his mouth. "Sometimes, you're all I can think about! Did you know that?" She whispered loudly before letting him go. 

Harry pushed himself out of bed and watched as Sirius and Molly's laughter slowed as Fred reached up and grabbed her hand off of his mouth and held it between his. "It is scary. More so than anything else. That's why I got so..."

"Cross. Cross-eyed, crosswalk, crossword puzzle!" Rebecca offered, her own eyes crossing slightly.

"We'll have to continue this at a later time, but I just wanted to tell you that I love you. I love all of you, from the impressions, to your puns, to this...this saviour that you are. I love you."

She looked down the bed to where Molly, Sirius, and McGonagall were crowded by the others. "Ya ever hear a niffler sing?" She asked.

"No!" Hermione called, watching Madame Pomfrey turn away from her cupboard with another potion in hand. Harry winced as Rebecca took a deep breath to sing, remembering Hermione's dying-cat description from before, and found that he was preparing himself for no reason as Madame Pomfrey thrust the new vial into her hand and Rebecca pointed it to the ceiling.

"That's better than the poison," She said before the potion took effect. "Yes, indeedy."

Molly turned to Ron, "Poison? Did she just say poison?"

The warmth spread through her stomach, clearing the haze in her mind as she realised just how loopy she had been acting. Her cheeks burnt and she covered her face. 

"I've always wanted to hear a niffler sing!" Sirius called from the foot of the bed before bending over with laughter. McGonagall told Sirius to say his goodbyes so the students could prepare for the banquet. Sirius went to Harry and hugged him tightly, doing the same to Rebecca before morphing back to his dog form. 

"Changed and cleaned," McGonagall said over her shoulder, "End-of-Term Feast is at seven."

*******************************************

Madame Pomfrey refused to let Cedric, Harry, or Rebecca leave, instead having robes brought to them and having them bathe in the bathroom of the Hospital Wing. Cedric's mum doted over him, combing his hair and tying his tie before Dumbledore returned and told them that it was time for the students to join him in the Great Hall.

Amos and Dumbledore spoke quietly on their escorting to the door, Amos saying that he and his wife were still deliberating on Cedric's schooling for the next year. Both Diggory parents were heavily considering homeschooling, with the events of the day before and with the rising of Voldemort. Dumbledore nodded and told them to send an owl when they were certain of their decision.

The headmaster turned back to the crowd of children forming in the middle of the Hospital Wing, Cedric insisting on Harry and Rebecca shaking his hand as he thanked them again. "Now, if I may have your attention so that we can get our stories straight." Dumbledore waiting until they were all giving him their full attention, well, most of them. "Mr Weasley?" Fred's head shot to him, tearing his eyes off of Rebecca beside him. "Thank you."

Dumbledore looked them over, "So, clearly, we're not saying what really happened. Cedric, the prints were from a creature in the maze, if they are ever noticed. Harry, Cedric was not dead, but he was tortured into unconsciousness by Voldemort in the graveyard. Rebecca, and, I do apologise for this, the stress of the tournament simply proved too great, rendering you faint."

Ron scoffed, the only one with an issue with the story. "That's rubbish, Rebecca wouldn't have fainted. Who's going to believe that?"

McGonagall sighed, "It is all we can reasonably come up with in such short notice. Now, if everyone is ready, supper starts in two minutes."

Dumbledore led the way through the corridors, McGonagall at his side. The Great Hall broke into applause as Cedric and Harry filed their way in and took the two open chairs up at the front next to Fleur and Viktor. The others trailed in after them, taking their seats as Dumbledore addressed the room.

"As we sit in this hall today," Dumbledore looked from one end of the room to the other, "Our celebration is plagued with solemnity and grave circumstance. Yesterday, two of our champions were taken from our grounds, tricked by Lord Voldemort and his accomplices."

The older students gasped, old enough to remember the fear Voldemort's previous reign of terror held while the younger students looked around scared at the mood descending on them. "The Ministry of Magic does not wish me to tell you this. But to not do so would be an insult to you all, an insult to your intelligence and your ability to cope with frightening news. The unthinkable was managed yesterday," Dumbledore looked at Harry and Cedric, "Two of our champions witnessed the return of Lord Voldemort and are still with us."

Dumbledore changed the tune of his speech, "This fair fortune will not last. But, as we sit in this room from different lands, speaking different tongues, our hearts beat as one. In light of these events, the friendships forged this year will be more important than ever."

Dumbledore tapped his wand to his podium, bringing a trophy to the stand. "Now, as both Harry and Cedric made it back, the judges and I faced quite a predicament. We deliberated for many hours on who was to be claimed the final champion, but the decision was made for us by Mr Diggory himself."

Cedric caught Harry's eyes from the Hufflepuff table and nodded in acknowledgement. "The Triwizard Tournament winner is: Harry Potter!" Rebecca was the first student to start clapping and the first to rise to her feet as Harry made his way to the cup with the applause growing into a roar. 

"The cup, you'll find, will be put on display in the trophy room and the galleons are awaiting your instruction to be dispersed."

"The galleons?" Harry asked, forgetting the monetary prize included in the tournament as Dumbledore shook his hand and turned him to the crowd that clapped on. 

"1000 of them, your winnings."

Harry shook his head, "I don't want them, sir. I don't need them."

Dumbledore smiled and glanced over where his friends sat, "Perhaps you know some who do. Though, I ask that you pass on that the Puking Pastilles are fairly flavourless. They need more adjusting."

Harry grinned up at his headmaster, unable to even imagine why he would eat their prank sweets. "Voldemort. His return. Are we safe this summer? Is she going to be safe?"

The applause lessened as Dumbledore answered his question softly before directing him back to his seat, "For now, yes. However, I think you'll be pleased to hear that you two shall spend the first half of the summer with the Dursleys and the second half with the Weasleys."

Harry's smile grew larger. "Thank you, sir."

Dumbledore waved him away, telling him that all he did was write a letter, but Harry knew better. Dumbledore finished his speech as Harry walked back to the table where Rebecca had Ron under her arm, miming like she was choking him as Hermione tried to get them to stop and pay attention.

"And yet, we'll find that no matter the terrors, no matter the troubles, no matter the trials we face, we are there for each other. I've said plenty, though I must thank both Mr Karkaroff and Madame Maxime for spending the year with us, as well as the students of Durmstrang and Beauxbatons. This year, while trying, was made all the better by your company and your presence. Now," Dumbledore clapped his hands, "Let's eat!"

Ron pulled himself from Rebecca and began to eat like he always did, quickly and in vast quantities. Hermione scolded Ron for his manners and Ginny joined in, copying Hermione word for word until Hermione turned onto her. Harry laughed with his friends, enjoying the happiness that quickly took hold of the Great Hall as the final dinner for the year went underway.

"So," Fred said as Rebecca ate. "We had a conversation earlier. You were...a little gone, so to say. Do you happen to remember what I said?"

Rebecca's face heated as he brought it up. "Yes, and unfortunately, what I said as well."

Fred grinned, "I didn't know I was so candle-worthy, love." He put extra emphasis on his pet name for her, causing her to blush harder.

"Don't be embarrassed, I just wanted to make sure that you heard what me and my 'soft lips' said."

Rebecca looked up at him, "Perhaps you should repeat it, just in case."

Fred nodded, accepting her ribbing in retaliation for his. "Well, first I said how much I love you and that I agree with you. It is scary how much I love you."

"And I, you." Rebecca said, turning towards him and putting her hands on his arm.

"But I'm not just in love with you, I'm in love with everything about you. The way you chew your lip when you're thinking or about to say something someone doesn't want to hear. The way your curls pop back up as they dry. The way you defend anyone who needs it. And, with all that, I love that you do everything you can when someone needs help."

Rebecca looked up at him, "I made my choice, Fred. I chose you, I chose Harry, I chose our family, I chose our friends...But I will always choose to save."

Fred nodded and grabbed her hands, holding them together and bringing them to his lips. "And I love that about you too. I just have to learn to have as good a heart as you do."

Rebecca shook her head and leaned forward to kiss him. "Your heart is perfect as it is. It has to be." She pressed her lips to his, tilting her head as they closed their eyes and let themselves pretend they were the only one's their a moment.

"Why?" Fred asked as she pulled away and sat back in her seat.

"Why? Because my heart is yours."

George watched their lovey-dovey exchange with a morose look on his face, his fork pushing his food around. "Hey George?" Harry asked, knowing how he felt as the other third-wheel twin.

"Huh?" George grunted.

"I've got something for you, you, Fred, and Rebecca." Harry spoke quietly so that they couldn't hear him. "Something you can either share now or later, it's up to you."

George was interested. He set his fork down and listened as Harry told him that the 1000 galleons would be put into an account for the three of them as soon as he went to Diagon Alley next, "For your shop, for your ingredients, for being there for her all year when I couldn't."

George ate with renewed vigor, deciding to wait and tell the two of them later and planning what they were going to be able to do with it.

"That was really sweet." Hermione said, causing Harry to look away.

"It was the right thing to do." Harry said, taking a gigantic piece of treacle tart from the desserts that had appeared and digging in. "The right thing and the deserved thing."

Hermione nodded, taking a smaller slice herself. "You tell her yet?"

Harry shook his head, "No, I figured I would when we're packing tonight. You know how she's always the first done and makes rounds to help anyone straggling." They both looked down at how she and Fred laughed and ate, Fred's arm around her tightly. "I don't want their evening ruined."

Ron poked his fork at the two of them, "It could stand a little saddening. They're disgusting." Fred and Rebecca looked down at the youngest Weasley boy and studied him, looking him over top to bottom before turning back to each other.

"Jealous, right?" Fred said.

"So, so very jealous. You think he'll ever get a girlfriend?"

"No, I don't. Can he really love someone who will eat his food?"

Ron scowled and told them off, launching into a discussion about public displays of affection. Harry sat back in his bench and finished his dessert, the tart failing to taste as sweet as normalcy did.

*******************************************

"Hey there, need any help?" Rebecca asked, knocking on the door the dorm where Ron and Harry stayed. Cedric went home that night, something that Harry refused adamantly and Rebecca followed suite. 

"Oh, I'd love some! Professor Sprout gave me this plane and I can't- Oh, you weren't talking to me." Neville turned away and apologised.

"Don't be sorry! It'll give those two a chance to actually start. What plant is this? It sort of looks like the Roaring Rhododendron, but it's not the right colour, is it?" Neville was overjoyed and started talking about how it was actually a Welsh Cronium-Daisy. After getting it firmly positioned in the corner of his trunk and stacking his books around the pot's base so that it wouldn't rock or shift.

"Thank you! This is perfect!" Neville said, fitting his robes and other clothes in the empty spaces.

Rebecca laughed and ruffled his hair as she stood up and saw the state of Ron's trunk. "Are those clean?" Ron's face answered for her. "Nope. Dirty clothes are passed the line. You are foul."

Ron scoffed, "They're mostly clean!"

"Harry, do you need any help?" Harry shook his head. "Well, I'm hiding in here then. George said he was waiting for me to help 'get him started' and that really just means that he's not starting until I get there."

Harry turned in his chair and laid the pile of pajamas into his trunk. "I actually had something to bring up...to you..."

Rebecca put her hands back behind her head, "What's up?"

"Dumbledore heard back from the Dursleys-"

"Those pig-bred, rotten, hell-going, rubbish-eating-"

"You'll spend half the summer with me there and then we'll go to the Weasleys for the second half." Harry spoke quickly, trying to interrupt her before she went any father.

"Oh." She said, pushing herself up with her elbows and looking at him. "Why didn't you lead with that before I got all worked up?"

Harry winced, "Because we go there for the first half."

Ron looked up from where he was sitting on his trunk to get it to close, "The first half? The tomorrow first half?"

Harry nodded, watching Rebecca's face set in a smile. "That's great!" Her voice had a plastic-tone to it. "That's what I was aiming for, time to spend with you over there." She sat up and swung her legs off the bed. "Fred and George don't happen to know yet, do they?"

Harry shook his head, "I didn't know how you'd want to tell them, so I figured I'd let you know first."

Rebecca stopped at the door frame turning back to him and realising she was leaving without saying anything. "I'm going to go...do that...now..." "Bloody hell, should have just said nothing."

Harry sighed and turned to Ron who was now laying on his side with his hand propped under his head. "Nice."

"Stuff it!" Harry said, swinging the shirt he had in hand at his face.

*******************************************

Rebecca walked down the hall to Fred and George's door, drumming on the door frame. "What's that? A storm? Nope, it's me." Fred laughed and patted the spot next to her bed while George rolled his eyes.

Rebecca hopped onto his bed and laid back as he did. "Ready to go home? I was thinking we'd see if mum would let us head to Diagon Alley every Monday and Friday, when the new potion ingredients go on sale, so we can start collecting as much as we can for summer sales and making stock for fall."

George stood up on his bed and shouted, pointing at them, "NO, FAIR LADY AND...FRED!"

"Why am I not a fair lady?" Fred whined.

"We shall not scavenge the clearance, nor the garbage behind the apothecaries." Rebecca looked at Fred who shook his head, "Don't ask." He mouthed.

"We have received a generous gift from Harry that will afford us supplies to make a stock and start up the-"

"Yay! Supplies!" Fred shot George a look and tried to stop him from finishing.

"No, I'm done waiting to say something. You're too slow. Rebecca, we're looking into opening a shop in Diagon Alley after we're done with school."

Rebecca sat up, "I'm going with Harry for the first half of summer!"

"What?" Fred and George asked in unison.

"Well, I just thought we were all saying things we had to share..."

"The first half?" Fred asked incredulously. "The first half? As in the first four weeks?"

Rebecca nodded, "I asked Dumbledore to look into it weeks ago, to see if the Dursleys would take me for a little bit and they said yes! They offered half of the summer if Harry came to us the second half." Rebecca looked to George, "But the gift? A shop? That's amazing!"

George agreed, "We've got enough money now to finish the Skiving Snackboxes and get quite a bit of stock built up, too!"

"Four weeks." Fred repeated, staring at her.

"Fred, it won't be that lon-"

"That's literally the longest we've been apart since we met."

Rebecca ran through the years they'd known each other. "That's disturbingly true, but this is really important to me. Harry really shouldn't be off on his own so soon after the end of this tournament anyway."

"Rebecca, they starved him. They've put bars on his windows and wouldn't let him leave for school. Not to mention, he lived in a bloody cupboard!"

"He actually has a room now. Besides, if anything like that happens, I know exactly who's going to show up and save the day." They laid back onto the bed and faced each other. "We'll have Hedwig and it's not like Harry's a frequent writer; We'll write all the time. Plus! Plus, we can call too."

Fred closed his eyes and kissed her. "Can't stick that on an owl or send it through a phone though."

"I know, darling. I know." 

George jumped from his bed to Lee's and then on to the floor before laying on top of Fred and Rebecca. "Boo hoo. Now what about what I said?"

Rebecca groaned as he wiggled excitedly, "Your news is brilliant, George. Now stop before Fred and I are lopsided!"

Fred shook his head, "Too late, I can feel myself flattening."

George scooched over and put himself behind Fred, leaning his head over his so that he looked at Rebecca. "That was callous, of course I'm going to miss you too."

"I knew you were joking." Rebecca said before another smile broke out across her face. "A shop though! That's insane!"

They started to talk about what order Fred and George were going to use when making the sweets they had outlined in their book. "Don't work too hard though. I don't want to get back and end up tying ribbons for four weeks."

"Isn't she bossy, Fred?" George asked, rolling backwards and hopping onto his feet to finish packing.

Fred ignored him and kissed her again, now needing to fit in four weeks worth in one evening.

*******************************************

As George got into the shower and Fred held Rebecca, letting her close her eyes for a few minutes as he saw how tired she was, Dumbledore entered Harry's dorm and found only he and Ron inside. 

Harry hopped up and stood next to his trunk as Dumbledore bent down and latched Ron's so that he didn't have to lay on it any longer. "You know, I never did like these curtains. Set them on fire my fourth year, by accident of course."

"I put you in terrible danger this year Harry. I'm sorry."

Harry shook his head, "Rebecca too, she was in danger just as I was."

Dumbledore nodded, "Yes, I owe her the same apology. I'm headed down the hall next."

Harry scrunched his nose up, knowing that she and Fred were comforting each other. "Professor, when I was in the graveyard, there was a moment when...when my wand and Voldemort's wand connected. Our parents came out the end, along with Cedric."

"Priori Incantatem." Dumbledore said. "For all wizard time, there's never been a spell to reawaken the dead. What Rebecca does...it's unexplainable. It's unimaginable. But your parents are gone. Dark and difficult times lie ahead. Soon we will all face the choice between what is right and what is easy."

Harry looked down, not knowing how times ahead could be any more difficult that the school year coming to a finish. "But listen to this: You have friends here. You're not alone."

Harry looked up at the headmaster, watching him search his face. Dumbledore patted his jaw as he made his way out. "Folding the clothes helps, Mr Weasley."

Ron put his lips together and looked to Harry as Dumbledore walked to the end of the hall and knocked on the door, Fred wincing as the headmaster entered his room. "Yes, sir. We are aware of the rules it's just-"

"Harry's told you both about the summer's arrangement. No rules are broken here, only the boys are not allowed up the girls' stairs. But, I'm not here for a scolding, far from it actually." Fred untangled his arm from behind Rebecca's head and stepped to the doorway. 

"I've got to get a...book from...someone. I'll leave you two."

Rebecca smiled after him as Dumbledore watched before clearing his throat. "I just spoke with Harry and wanted to tell you the same. I put you both in danger this year, and for that I apologise deeply." Dumbledore explained how they would all have to choose right or easy soon enough, and Rebecca answered immediately.

"I will choose what is right, because choosing what's wrong is hard enough." 

Dumbledore nodded his head proudly, "I know you will, I have faith in your decision-making. Now, I must go. There's a lot a headmaster has to do before he finds himself with an empty school." The man stood and went to the door. "Miss Potter?"

Rebecca looked to him.

"Remember that love is not constricted by any distance or time, but the lengths to which we would go for another."

Rebecca took the words to heart, "Thank you professor. Have a happy summer!"

Dumbledore smiled and left, passing Fred who was hurrying back to the room. "Mr Weasley?" Fred stopped and turned back. "I feel it's necessary to let you know a piece of information I'm privy to."

Fred nodded, confused. 

"Mr Bagman is now wanted for counts of underage gambling, failing to settle past debts, and a few other things."

Fred grinned madly, "That's a right shame."

"Try smiling less next time you say that." Dumbledore chuckled as he made his way out the boys' hallway and out of the common room, heading back to his office to finish the paperwork necessary to coordinate the leaving of three schools.

*******************************************

Author's Note: 

One more chapter of GOF stuff, perhaps that will be the chapter with the summer things. Not sure yet. I hope you're enjoying!

<3


	72. Chapter 72

Rebecca followed Hermione as they made their way through the crowd formed in the courtyard as students from all three schools said goodbye to friends of new and old.

"Herm-on-inny!" Hermione turned towards the familiar butchering of her name. "This is for you," Viktor thrust a piece of paper into her hands. "Write to me, promise." He walked away, blowing a kiss to Hermione and nodding to Rebecca in farewell.

Hermione, blushing, turned back to Rebecca and saw how her mouth hung open in a large smile. "It's not like that, we've been working on his English together."

"Mhmm." 

Ron and Harry sat on their trunks by the carriages, waiting for the dismissal to begin. Gabrielle trotted up to them, Fleur behind her. Both girls kissed Ron and then Harry on the cheek before stepping back and bidding them goodbye. "Au revoir, mes garçons. For you, if you want to write." Fleur pressed a piece of paper into Harry's hand with she and Gabrielle's home address. "And, in case you ever find yourselves in Paris."

Ron sucked in a deep breath and looked to Harry after they'd gone. "Something's happening there, I can feel it."

Harry winced and put the paper into his pockets, telling himself not to forget to give it to Rebecca later, "Sure there is."

The exit assembly began, the Beauxbatons girls and then the Durmstrang boys filing their way to their rides as the Hogwarts students applauded them. Harry broke away from the crowd, meandering about the courtyard. Ron beckoned to Rebecca and joined Hermione as they walked to where Harry was.

Ron jumped up and sat on the stone wall, laughing as Rebecca tried to do the same and failed. "Do you think we'll ever have a quiet year?" Ron asked between bouts of laughter, Rebecca continuing to struggle up next to him.

Hermione laughed, "No, no I don't think so."

Rebecca shook her head, breathless and sitting up next to Ron.

Harry agreed with them. "Probably not."

Ron shrugged, "What's life without a few dragons?"

"Peaceful? Safe? Quiet? Probably less fiery?" Ron pushed at her shoulder, sending her teetering backwards as he jumped off and tried to walk back to their way home.

Hermione lingered, her voice shaky as she asked, "Everything's going to change now, isn't it?"

Harry put his hand on her shoulder and rubbed it. "Yes," He nodded, not sugarcoating anything. "It will."

Hermione nodded and put her arm around Rebecca's shoulder as they made their way back to the other students. "Promise you'll write this summer. Both of you."

"I'll be with Harry, so you'll at least hear about him from me." Both girls looked to Ron.

"You know I won't." He said, sticking his hands in his robes pockets as he grinned. Harry walked right past the hall that would take them to the carriages and walked them to the outlook where the Durmstrang boat sank under the water as the pegasus pulled Beauxbatons' carriage flew past.

"We've really got to go," Rebecca said as she saw Fred and George waving to them from the back of the crowd.

"Four weeks is an awfully long time." Ron said jeeringly.

"You're right, Ron. A long, long time. Seems so long to go without someone's 'fav-favorite person to kiss.'" Hermione returned her teasing for the Viktor-incident.

Rebecca narrowed her eyes at both of them. "What I'm about to do, proves nothing." Then she jogged off and leaned into Fred's bent-down embrace, kissing him. 

Ron slapped Harry's back. "Good luck to you mate, I know Fred's going to drive us bloody bonkers."

Harry shook his head, "I think we'll be alright."

Hermione corrected him, "Harry, if she talks about him even half as much as she does with Ginny and I, you're going to need all the luck you can get."

*******************************************

The carriage ride went quickly, the train ride well underway when they hit their first snag. "What about marketing? We always get our slogans from you!"

Rebecca raised her eyebrows at George's panicked tone. "You're going to be writing and calling so often, you'll hardly notice I'm not there. I'll send my best as you describe anything you come up with." Fred sighed and slumped down in his chair until he hit the floor.

"It's going to be agony!" He cried out, shaking his fists to the ceiling dramatically.

"It's going to be fine." Rebecca said, holding her hand out above his face until he opened his mouth. She dropped a Bertie Bott's down into his mouth. He chewed it and grimaced.

"Stop giving me the yellow ones!"

She laughed, "Why? Which one was that?"

"Popcorn. Horrid popcorn."

This launched Ron into a very detailed discussion on to how popcorn was one of the best yellow flavours. When the train blew its final whistle and slowed to a stop, the kids stormed their way out of the compartment. "Ron! We get it! You really know your Bertie Bott's!" Hermione said.

Ron scowled at the floor, "Fine, I'll exist silently."

Ginny nodded, "Great." And continued her conversation. Ron lasted approximately thirty seconds before he broke.

"There, I existed silently. I never said how long."

Harry and Rebecca smiled at each other at their antics as they exited the train and made their way to the muggle's side of King's Cross. Molly and Arthur were there, their arms grabbing onto Harry and Rebecca first.

"Only Vernon is here," Arthur whispered. "Write frequently, call more. We love you both so much, four weeks will pass quickly."

Molly passed on similar sentiments, "Drink your tea, Rebecca. Do not 'forget' or 'not be thirsty.' Promise me you'll drink it and give me some peace of mind."

Harry smiled, "She'll drink it, I promise to make sure of it."

Molly pulled them both into another hug and kissed both of their foreheads before insisting that they go before they made Vernon wait too long. Fred watched her leave, their goodbye's already having been said on the train. Rebecca pushed her trolley to their uncle and paused, "I'm sorry, I seem to have forgotten something. Just one moment please."

She ran back down the crowded hall and turned the corner, seeing that the Weasleys hadn't gotten very far. "Fred!" Fred turned at his name, smiling as she ran down the hall to him. She jumped into his open arms and kissed his cheek. "There, almost forgot that."

"But you missed."

"Did I?" He put her feet back onto the ground.

"Yeah, you did." She pecked him quickly, saying her goodbyes once more before running back down the hall.

Molly put her arm around Fred's middle as they walked back to the car, the realisation that that was the last time he'd see her for so many weeks slowly beginning to dawn on him.

*******************************************

"So, Rebecca." Uncle Vernon asked as he drove them back to Surrey. "We expect the same of you as we do the boy." Vernon listed so many rules Rebecca quickly forgot the beginning few and just looked into the rear-view mirror and tried to estimate how many hairs were in his moustache.

"Is that clear?"

"Crystal." She said affirmatively.

"Now, a second bed has been constructed to fit atop Harry's. When we say lights out, we mean lights out. Chatter will not keep the rest of us in the house up all night."

Rebecca nodded and raised her hand. Harry looked at her and rolled his eyes. "What is it?" Vernon demanded.

"I was just wondering what the rule was about using the telephone? I'm..." Rebecca scrambled, certain they wouldn't allow her to make calls for a romantic reason. "I'm a mentor at school and have a few classmates I have to call throughout the week to make sure they're doing their summer homework and such."

Vernon thought a moment before declaring. "Petunia will give you five minutes every other week day, none on the weekend."

Rebecca opened her mouth to ask for more, but saw Harry's imperceptible shake of his head. "Thank you, I appreciate it."

Vernon drove the rest of the way in silence. Rebecca watched the outside world blur as the car ride stretched on, stopping only once they turned into a road filled with identical houses. Vernon parked the car in the fourth house's parkway, opening his door and entering the house without another word to she or Harry.

"He always this friendly?" She joked.

Harry just shrugged, closing himself off as he always did when he arrived back at the Dursleys'. Rebecca pulled her trunk forward from where it had shifted in the boot, an envelope she hadn't noticed sticking out of the lip of it. She pulled it out and smiled.

"My love"

Fred's handwriting was written in the middle of it. Harry watched her stick it into her pocket and sighed. "Don't let them hear anything or see anything about him."

"Why?" She asked, grunting as she and Harry lifted their trunks from the boot.

"They have a way of ruining the things you care about."

*******************************************

Rebecca was thinking about their first day arriving as she and Harry laid in their beds after the first week of being at the Dursleys. "I miss them so much."

Vernon was not joking, Petunia gave her exactly 300 seconds every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Fred became an expert at counting as they talked so he was able to fit in his 'I love you' before Petunia hung the phone up. He and George tried to keep themselves busy, working up in their rooms more hours of the day than not, but it wasn't the same without her. All inhabitants of the Burrow felt like a piece was out of sorts, like they were missing an intricate part of their system. 

"I miss her." George said, not knowing how she was thinking the same thing in her own bed hours away.

Fred rolled over and hugged his pillow. "Me too."

"Think about it, one week down!"

Fred's heart sunk. "Three more to go." He thought morosely.

*******************************************

The second and third week of summer passed slowly. Dudley was on a mission to find out the best insult for Rebecca and struggled to find it. She steeled herself whenever he entered a room and pretended that she couldn't hear him, although as his efforts increased, it was harder and harder to stay silent.

"Stupid." Dudley said in passing.

"I'm not really." Rebecca returned, Harry looking up from where Petunia had the two of them scrubbing the kitchen floor. "Stupid, that is. I'm actually fairly sharp."

Dudley turned around and stomped back into the kitchen. "What?"

Rebecca paused her scrubbing and looked up at the gigantic boy in front of them. "You called me 'stupid.' I am not, I do quite well in school and have a knack for solving problems and-"

Dudley narrowed his eyes and stormed out of the kitchen, not letting her anything else. Harry shook his head, "Are you almost done over there?"

Rebecca looked at the row of tile she had left, "Nearly."

*******************************************

A heat wave had settled over Britain in the fourth week of summer, sending the temperature well into the 30s day after day and plunging the region into a miserable mood. Rebecca and Harry, similarly to Fred and George and their room, found themselves spending more time outside than in. They'd go walking for hours, stopping under a shady tree or at a playground near them where they'd pretend they were somewhere cooler.

Harry and Rebecca were sitting on the swings, Rebecca pushing herself slightly while Harry sat unmoving as she talked on. "It's so weird, he always smells like...like the ocean, you know? Vast and powerful and...fresh."

"That's so interesting." Harry intoned, he'd tuned her out minutes earlier.

"Yeah, another thing I like is to slather his body up in peanut butter and roll him through bread."

"How neat." Harry asked, bored and not having heard what she said.

"Alright, message received. Done talking about him."

Harry shrugged, "It's fine, go on. I've got nothing to talk about anyway."

"We can talk about our homework."

Harry looked at her. "We finished it all last week."

"...We could review it..." She said softly, flinching at the look he gave her. "I don't know then, I can tell you about the latest update they gave me on production!" She said after thinking a moment.

"You already did, the supplies are lasting longer than expected and they'll have enough for over 100 boxes to be done before school."

Rebecca sighed, "150, but yes. Now we're just trying to figure out how to get them there. We really need to shrink them and then grow them there, but they're sixteen until the April. I wonder if Charlie plans on visiting anytime over the summer...I bet he'd do it..."

Harry looked to his feet and dug the toe of his trainers into the grass, letting his mind wander as they fell into silence. "I'm sorry about the telephone and all." Harry said at last.

Rebecca stared at the ground, frowning at the his mention of the forbiddance of her phone usage by Petunia. Petunia had gotten on the phone upstairs and listened in on she and Fred's Wednesday call the week before and was furious that Rebecca had not only lied about being a mentor, but had been talking to a boy. 

Harry and Rebecca watched as the mother of the three children in the park corralled them and promised their favorite suppers. Rebecca had to look away, the homesickness for Molly too great for a brief moment.

"I bet by next summer, Sirius will have guardianship." Harry said, sensing her heartache. "Then we won't have to do this, we can just floo to each other whenever we want and you can stay at the Burrow and everything will be different."

Rebecca looked to Harry to thank him and saw how Dudley approached with his lackeys behind him. Harry watched her eyes look past him and turned to watch their cousin himself. "Hey Big D. Beat up another ten year old?" Rebecca snorted at Harry's words.

"This one deserved it." Dudley didn't even notice how they were making fun of him.

"Five against one, very brave." Rebecca said.

"Well, you're one to talk. Moaning and talking in your sleep every night! 'No, Fred, I didn't choose this.' 'No, no I'm not too late Cedric, just hold on.' You gettin' around or somethin'?"

"Shut up." Rebecca said flatly, not aware that she'd been talking in her sleep again. She drank the tea every night, but nightmares followed her no matter what. Always variations of ending up stuck dead, apart from Fred after the second task or running in place, never able to get to Cedric in time to save him. Harry had hardly even noticed her sleep talking, nightmares of his own to deal with.

Cedric and she had become sort of penpals over the first bits of summer. His parents had decided to allow him to return to Hogwarts for his final year, but very begrudgingly. 

Harry jumped to his feet at the insinuation of her sexual proclivity. "Watch it."

"'No mum, I want to go back!'" Dudley said, his voice in a falsetto that was apparently supposed to sound like her.

This got Rebecca to her feet as well, grabbing the chains of the swing tightly.

"Where is your mum? She dead? Just another dead Potter?" Each of Dudley's questions were punctuated with another round of laughter from his mates.

Harry launched forward, his wand now in hand, and thrusted it up against his pudgy neck. Dudley's mates laughed harder, thinking he only held a stick, but Dudley's face quickly lost all colour.

Rebecca grabbed Harry's shoulder, trying to pull him away. A hot wind picked up, the sky darkening. Thunder boomed in the distance. "C'mon D, let's go on home." One of his friends asked.

Harry looked back to Rebecca before turning back to Dudley. "What are you doing?" Dudley asked her, his voice quivering.

"I'm not doing anything." She said shortly, looking around herself. Dudley's accomplices took off, sprinting in one direction. Rebecca looked up at the sky, Harry and Dudley doing the same a moment later. Something grey was flitting about in the sky, something that was soon joined by other splotches of grey. 

"Harry, are those-"

"Run!" Harry shouted, pushing Dudley and grabbing Rebecca as he tried to steer them out of the park and back towards Surrey's town center. Harsh, pelting rain started to fall as a tunnel came into view, rain that fell so quickly that they were all drenched despite the relatively short distance they had to go before getting under the cover.

Harry came to a stop, putting Rebecca firmly behind him as he stared down the tunnel. Rebecca pulled her arm from his and marched forward so that she was standing next to him, ignoring the look he gave her as she did so. The lights at the end flickered ominously. Rebecca had her own wand in hand, watching the light closest to them frost over.

Dudley panted heavily, freaking out as his breath became visible in the chill swallowing them quickly. Harry turned to look behind them, a dementor grabbing him by the throat and holding him against the wall. Rebecca pushed Dudley forward shouting at him to run as she turned back to Harry.

She held her wand up and tried to bring happiness to the forefront of her mind, "Expecto patronum!" A white wisp left her wand, freeing Harry. She turned back down the tunnel just as Dudley's foot slipped out from under him in what would have been comical in any other situation. A second dementor floated in, settling over the lump of a boy and started sucking at his face.

Rebecca went to raise her wand and threw it ahead of her, her hands and now her wand slippery from the rain. Harry sent his stag-shaped patronus down the tunnel, saving Dudley as she scrambled forward on her knees for her wand.

Harry and Rebecca both knelt down by Dudley, watching as he panted and stared up into nothing. Rebecca looked him over as Harry turned to the person approaching them from behind. "Mrs Figg!" Rebecca froze and turned around, looking at the old woman who she'd convinced herself she'd killed so many years earlier.

"Mrs Figg?" She asked softly. 

Mrs Figg smiled grandly, relieved to see her again. "Oh my! You've grown so much!" Harry tried to tuck his wand out of her sight. "Don't put away your wand, Harry. They might come back."

Harry and Rebecca each grabbed one of Dudley's arms and tried to pull him to his feet as Mrs Figg explained what had happened that night she'd left her house and never returned, "It was heart attack, dearie. Nothing more than that and certainly nothing you did. If you hadn't called for the ambulance though...I looked for you for months, years even. My daughter made me move here to Surrey, so that she could keep a closer eye on me. When I saw that Harry was here," Mrs Figg took a deep breath and readied herself as they prepared to walk back into the rain. "I never knew if you two were reunited. Quite frankly, I wasn't sure if you were still alive after the hell I watched that man put you through."

"Why didn't you call the police then?" Harry demanded rudely.

"Harry!" Rebecca scolded, shifting herself under Dudley's weight.

"No, it's alright. He's right. I did, Harry. I called them until they threatened to have me cited for interrupting the course of justice because I was taking up their lines so much. I called her school, I called the Department of Child Safety. Every path I could take, I did. And each one wound up a dead end."

Rebecca looked to the older woman happily, "No, I got out. I live somewhere else now, in a real home."

Mrs Figg looked at the shaking Dudley, "How did you manage that?"

Rebecca winced, "In all honesty and in the shortest version possible...He dumped in the middle of nowhere and I walked. I walked until I couldn't anymore and that's where I found them."

Mrs Figg glanced at Harry, "Bloody hell. Well, I don't know if this pleases you or upsets you, but I still get keep in contact with friends from there and...William's gone."

Rebecca stared ahead, not knowing how she felt at the news. "How?" She asked after a moment.

"No, not dead. He up and disappeared shortly after the school went to the house to find out why you were truant. No one in town's quite sure where he went off to."

The three functioning walked in silence for a ways, turning into Little Whinging. "Rebecca?" Harry said to Rebecca. 

Rebecca shook her head and turned back to Mrs Figg, "I'm fine. For all we know, he's dead in a ditch somewhere. No point in worrying."

Mrs Figg nodded at her maturity. "Dementors in Little Whinging! Whatever next? The whole world's gone topsy-turvy."

Harry pulled more of Dudley onto him, seeing how Rebecca began to struggle at keeping someone not only so much heavier than her, but quite a bit taller upright as well. "I don't understand. How'd you know about-"

"Dumbledore asked me to keep an eye on you."

"Dumbledore? You know Dumbledore?" Rebecca asked incredulously.

"After You-Know-Who's return, did you really think he'd let you two wander on your own? Good Lord, they told me you were intelligent." Her smile softened the blow, but both children felt ashamed at the jest.

"Now, get inside and stay there. I expect someone will be in touch soon." Mrs Figg reached up and held a hand to Rebecca's face, searching it for a glimpse of the frightened, hurt little girl from before and seeing only a strong young woman before her. "Whatever happens, don't leave the house."

Rebecca reached forward and opened the front door, Mrs Figg continuing to walk to her daughter's house streets over. "Diddykins!" Aunt Petunia cried from the couch, a small, hand-held fan in her hand to try and battle the oppressive heat. "Is that you?"

Harry used his foot to push open the door to the living room, Dudley trailing behind him dumbly. "Duddy? Vernon! Come quick!"

Rebecca was pushed out of the way as Petunia grabbed Dudley and put him onto a chair, Dudley rocking himself slowly. "We've got to take him to a hospital." Petunia hissed as Vernon held his hand to his forehead.

"Who did this to you, boy?" Dudley raised a shaky hand and pointed it to where Harry and Rebecca watched in silence.

"Happy, are you now? You've finally done it! You've driven him loopy!"

Petunia looked up from Dudley, "Vernon! Don't say that!"

Vernon sputtered, "Look at him, Petunia! Our boy has gone yumpy!" Vernon whirled back, a fat finger pointing straight at Rebecca. "I knew letting you come was a bad idea! Even if it got rid of him, I had a bad feeling about you. I've reached my limit," Vernon walked across the room towards them slowly, shaking the spoon in his hand at them. "This is the last I'm going to take of you two and this nonsense!"

An owl screeched and flew into the living room from an open window, dropping a shaking letter before thumping against the wall. Rebecca and Harry looked at each other confused, it was far too early for Hogwarts letters to arrive.

The letter shot up and faced Harry and Rebecca, beginning to speak. "Dear Mr and Miss Potter, the Ministry has received intelligence that at 6:23 this evening, you both performed the Patronus Charm in the presence of a muggle. As a clear violation of the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery," The letter made its way closer to Harry and Rebecca as its message finished. "You are hereby expelled from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Hoping you are well, Mafalda Hopkirk."

Rebecca's mouth dropped open in shocked silence as Harry stared at the letter on the ground. Vernon gritted his teeth as he hissed, "Justice." Petunia and Vernon sent Harry and Rebecca to their room, prancing out the front door with Dudley as anti-suspiciously as they could.

Rebecca was up on the top bunk, staring at the picture in her locket and tracing the metal's rim with her thumb. Harry paced under her, stopping and hitting the wall when his anger grew too great to contain. A framed photo fell off of his drawers, a picture of his parents.

"I'm sorry, Hedwig." Harry said, holding the frame and going to the bottom bunk. Rebecca considered leaning over and making a joke about being ignored, but her despair weighed her down too much to do so. She sighed, looking at the picture once more before clasping the locket and rolling onto her side, hugging a pillow against her and pulling out the letter Fred had snuck onto her trunk.

The paper had grown worn and soft from how many times she'd unfolded it and read through the sweet words.

"RJ,  
I am writing this because I'm going to miss you terribly and I know you will be feeling the same. It doesn't matter the number of owls we send or how much we talk on the phone, I will still be waiting until the moment we are together again, at last.  
Remember what I told you the night over the lake. My love for you is as infinite as everything we are and no distance is too great for that love to reach you.

Your darling, Fred"

Harry stared up at the bottom of her mattress, knowing she was reading the letter again and wanting to try and comfort her, but he was wallowing in his own misery and did so until he drifted off to sleep.

Rebecca did not. She tried to imagine herself back at the Burrow, Molly and Arthur sitting around the table as she tried to place the others in her mind around them, wishing to be surrounded by their voices to drown out her thoughts. Vernon and Petunia failed to return, the queue for the physician much longer than they'd expected and the status of Dudley failing to improve.

Rebecca sighed and put her letter back in its envelope, giving the front a kiss before placing it back under her pillow and swinging her legs off the top bunk and looking around the small room they'd managed to turn into shareable space. Hedwig gave a little hoot and turned to the door, the key turning in its lock. When the key dropped out of the door, Rebecca hopped off the top bunk and hit the floor, grabbing her wand next to Harry's on the bedside table and shaking his shoulder roughly.

"Get up!" She hissed, holding her wand out in front of her towards the door. Harry opened his eyes, woken up from his recurring nightmare of the night Voldemort returned. He stood up quickly, grabbing his glasses and sliding them onto his face as he held his wand out next to her.

The door opened with a blinding flash of light. "Very clean, these muggles." A woman's voice whispered.

"Who are you and what do you want?" Rebecca demanded, squinting her eyes to try and regain her vision and see into the darkness. "Stay back!"

The woman raised her wand and cast a light on the end, revealing a group of people behind her. "Professor Moody," Harry said, putting his wand down. "What are you doing here?"

Rebecca lowered her wand slightly, but refused to let her guard down entirely. "Rescuing you, of course." Moody told them to pack their trunks. Harry pulled his open and stuck his few belongings around the room into, including the picture of their parents. Rebecca had even less out of her trunk, choosing instead to open it whenever she needed something to avoid unpacking. The woman watched her curiously, having heard from Fred and George so much about her.

Harry dragged his trunk to the door of the room, the still-unnamed woman moving out of his way. "Don't forget your letter." Harry said over his shoulder, following Moody. Rebecca gasped and clambered back up to the top bunk, fishing around for the letter before jamming it on top of the pile of robes in her trunk.

"What letter?" The woman asked nosily.

"A private one." Rebecca said shortly.

The woman raised her hands and went back down the hall and down the stairs, stopping where Harry was pestering Moody. "The letter said we've been expelled. Where are we going?"

"Well, you haven't been, not yet." Moody opened the front door as he saw Rebecca reach the bottom of the stairs and hobbled out. "Kingsley, you take point."

The tall dark man behind Moody spoke as Harry tried to say what the letter had said. "Dumbledore has persuaded the Minister to suspend your expulsions pending a formal hearing."

Rebecca lined up next to Harry, glimpsing around at the other adults leaving Number 4, Privet Drive. The woman leaned forward, sensing the growing anxiety of the two children. "Don't worry, we'll explain everything when we get back to headquarters."

Moody gave the woman a sharp look, "Shh! Not here, Nymphadora!"

The woman, now revealed to be named Nymphadora, turned to the man. "Don't call me Nymphadora." She commanded darkly, her hair turning into a bright red in front of their eyes. "She's a metamorphmagus!" Rebecca thought shocked.

Moody ignored her and thumped his walking stick onto the ground twice. Wands appeared out of the air in front of them and flew into their hands. "Stay in formation, everyone. Trunks are being apparated ahead of us. Don't break ranks if one of us is killed."

Harry's head shot to Rebecca, but she had already swung a leg over the broom. "Are we going-"

"No talking!" Moody snapped, taking off into the night. "You never know who is listening!"

The group flew in the ordained silence for ages, the suburbs of Surry turning into vast expanses of country land before turning into the lights of London. "That's the Thames!" Rebecca said, just loud enough for Harry to hear. He nodded, wondering why they were heading into London when the Burrow was near Devon.

Nymphadora grinned at Rebecca and looked closer to the boat they were approaching as they lowered themselves to the waters edge. Rebecca grinned in return, riding a broom after so long without momentarily taking away all thoughts of their expulsion. Nymphadora and Rebecca separated at the last moment, laughing into the wind.

When Moody finally came to a stop, it was in a small park in front of a street loaded with row-houses. Moody looked up and down the street before beckoning for the others to follow him across the road. Moody stopped at the curb and thumped his stick three times. The buildings in front of them spread apart slowly, an additional house appearing where one hadn't been before. Rebecca looked at Moody confused. "I thought we were going back to the-"

"No, it's not safe to talk out here. In you go, we'll talk further inside."

Harry and Rebecca entered the house first, a dark, dusty hallway inside. They walked down it slowly, confused as to where they were going. Moody closed the door behind the last of their group and made his way past where Harry and Rebecca had pushed themselves to the side of the hall. Nymphadora winked at them.

"We must trust Dumbledore." A voice echoed into the hall.

"I say it's time to take action!" Another refuted. Nymphadora tripped over an upturned carpet in the hall.

"Keep your voices down!" Someone hushed them, insisting that they quiet down. Sirius looked up from where he was talking, his arm wrapped around Remus who was next to him. Harry smiled, confused, but happy the two men were there.

Molly appeared in the doorway, "Harry! Rebecca!" She stepped out of the room and closed it behind her, blocking their conversation from their ears. "Heavens above, you two are alright." She hugged them both to her, kissing their cheeks. 

"What are you doing here? Where's everyone else?" Rebecca asked. "What's happened to the house?"

Molly smiled, "Always a million questions. Dinner will have to wait until after the meeting's finished. We'll talk then." 

Harry opened his mouth to ask a question of his own. "No, no time for that. Straight upstairs, first door on the left." Molly pointed to the stairs to her right, Harry and Rebecca climbing them slowly. "There you go, soon. We'll talk soon."

She turned back and returned to the room. "Mudbloods and werewolves." A voice was muttering at the top of the stairs. "Traitors and thieves. If my poor Mistress knew the scum they've let into her house. What would she say to old Kreacher."

Rebecca peered into the door where the house elf left the closet with a rag in hand. "There, there Mistress, don't shout. Kreater is here." Rebecca and Harry looked at each other before climbing the second flight of stairs, no sound of shouting where they were.

The door hadn't even opened entirely when Hermione launched herself at the two of them, wrapping her arms as far as she could around them both. "We've heard about them talking about the dementor attack. Are you alright?"

Rebecca nodded, Harry looking to Ron. "And this hearing at the Ministry! It's just outrageous!"

"Let them breath, Hermione." Ron sighed.

"I've looked it up, they simply can't expel you. It's unfair!"

"There's a lot of that going around at the moment." Harry said, making his way around the room of makeshift beds as Hermione moved onto Rebecca, making sure she was alright.

"What is this place?" Harry asked when Hermione went silent.

"It's headquarters." Ron said, looking Rebecca over head to toe himself to ensure everything was well.

"Of the Order of the Phoenix." Hermione clarified. "It's a secret society--Dumbledore formed it the first time they fought You-Know-Who."

"And you couldn't include this in a letter?" Rebecca asked, hurt that so much had happened and no one had cared to say anything.

"We wanted to. Really, we did." Ron said, glancing between Harry and Rebecca. "Only..."

"Only what?" Harry asked quickly.

"Only Dumbledore made us swear not to tell you anything."

"Dumbledore said that? Why would he want us in the dark?" Harry asked. 

Rebecca looked outside the door and into the hall. "Is everyone else here too? What's happened to home?"

Ron shook his head angrily. "They brought us here a week or so ago, something about not being safe there anymore. Middle of the night when we got here." 

There was a pounding of feet in the hall, followed by the sliding of feet as Fred sprinted past the door and tried to stop. "Is she here? I hear her. For real this time!"

Rebecca's face broke into a mad grin, Ron and Hermione separating from where they stood side by side in the doorway as Fred and Rebecca embraced. Fred had one arm wrapped around her shoulders, the other against the back of her head. "Expelled, huh?"

She shook her head and pulled him closer, kissing him as she'd wanted to do since they parted. George walked slowly into the doorway, leaning against it and swinging a cord in his hand. "If you're all done shouting and...reuniting...care to hear something a little more interesting?"

Fred put her hand into his and followed George to the top of the stairs, Harry, Hermione and Ron following close behind. George lowered one end, an ear, Rebecca found, in front of the door where the meeting was going on.

"They have a right to know! If it wasn't for Harry, we wouldn't even know Voldemort was back. They're not children, Molly." Sirius' voice cracked out of the other ear. Rebecca looked to Fred and George amazed, asking questions about cost to make and prices they could sell. Harry shushed her instantly, turning his head to the ear so that he could hear the adults clearer.

"They are not adults, either! Harry's not James, Sirius. And she's not Lily.."

"Well, he's not your son and she's not your..." Sirius let his voice trail away, knowing he'd gone too far.

Hermione winced, knowing Sirius sank low when he'd said that. The room was quiet a moment before the ear spoke again. "He's as good as, as is she. Who else have they got?"

"He's got me! They've both got me!" Sirius, those listening in presumed, slammed his hands against the table.

"How...touchingly paternal, Black. Perhaps the Potters will grow to be felons, just like their godfather." Snape's voice intoned.

"Stay out of this, Snivelus."

"Snape's part of the Order?" Harry asked. 

Rebecca watched at the bottom of the stairs as Crookshanks lowered his body to the ground and crawled towards the ear, his tail twitching. He pounced and caught the end of the ear. George tried to pull it back up, but Crookshanks had the ear caught between his claws. "Quick! Get it up!"

"Crookshanks! Leave it alone!" Hermione whispered, knowing that, like all cats, Crookshanks never listened.

"Your bloody cat!" Ron whispered, blaming Hermione like she'd asked Crookshanks to do this. Crookshanks severed the cord, picking the ear up between his mouth and running off. "I hate your cat." Ron said, watching their one way to listen in be taken away by a bushy orange tail.

"Bad Crookshanks!" Hermione whispered after him. The kids launched backwards, hiding behind the corner as the door opened and Molly exited.

"Come now! Dinner's ready!" Harry and Rebecca followed the others, Molly smiling up at them. "We'll be eating in the kitchen."

Arthur came up behind Molly, smiling in relief at the sight of the Potter children. "Come here," He said, opening his arms. Rebecca hugged him tightly, Harry distracted as Sirius called his name.

"Are you sure your alright? Gave us quite a turn!" Arthur asked Rebecca as she stepped back.

"I'm a thousand times better now that we're together." She said. Arthur nodded in agreement as Sirius beckoned for her as well. 

Sirius wrapped her in a tight hug, turning as he did so that he was looking in at the table where Fred and George were pulling a chair between theirs for her. "I'm so happy you're here! If I had to hear one more, 'Rebecca sure would have liked to do this' or 'What do you think she's doing right now,' I would have gone mad!"

Fred tried to play it cool, shaking his head and leaning back in his chair, but the reddening of his cheeks gave it away. Harry shook Remus' outstretched hand. "I know exactly what you're talking about."

Rebecca reached up and grabbed the back of Harry's head, pushing him towards where Ron and Hermione were taking their seats and ignoring Remus' hand and hugging him around the middle. "It's horrible circumstances, but this is great! All of our favorite people in the world in one room! We should get expelled more often, Harry."

Molly looked up seriously from where she was entering the kitchen. "No, no you should not."

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<3


	73. Chapter 73

Dinner became a jovial affair before it had even started, Rebecca finding herself put at ease by Fred's presence despite their pending expulsions. "I have a question." Rebecca asked, looking around the childrens' end of the table where Nymphadora sat across from them. "What are we supposed to call you, if not Nymphadora?"

Nymphadora looked up from her plate, laughing. She morphed her nose into a pig's snout. "Piggy? I won't walk under any falling rocks."

The kids looked at her confused. "Never mind, old person joke I guess. What are they even teaching you?" She shook her head and returned her face to its natural form. "Tonks."

Harry sat himself as closer to the adults, Ron at his side. "This is very interesting...It says here that your trials are to be before the entire Wizengamot." Arthur mused, reading over their expulsion letter closely.

"I don't understand, what does the Ministry have against us?" Harry asked, Rebecca glanced down the table, seeing how the adults pursed their lips.

"Show him." Moody said ominously from where he stood. "Show both of them. They'll find out soon enough anyway."

Kingsley picked up the copy of the Daily Prophet from in front of him and handed it to Harry who glanced over the title quickly. "What's it say?" Rebecca asked from her chair. When Harry continued to read and not answer, she stood up and took her hand from Fred's. "Harry?"

"The Boy who Lies and the Girl who Follows?" The cover read, a picture of Harry glaring at the camera from the tournament underneath him.

"He's been attacking Dumbledore as well." Sirius folded his hands in front of him and looked between his godchildren. "Fudge is using all his power, including his influence at the Daily Prophet, to smear anyone who claims the Dark Lord has returned."

Molly shot Sirius a look, warning him against telling them more.

"Why?" Rebecca asked, skimming the article. "Why would he do that?" Tonks watched curiously as Rebecca balanced the paper in one hand and used the other to squeeze Harry's shoulder.

"The Minister thinks Dumbledore's after his job." Remus said.

"But that's insane!" Harry said. "No one in their right mind could believe Dumbledore-"

"Exactly the point." Remus said, pointing emphatically as he leaned back in his chair. "Fudge isn't in his right mind. It's been twisted and warped by fear. Fear makes people do terrible things. The last time Voldemort gained power, he almost destroyed everything."

The adults around the table glanced away from each other, the horrors of the war they'd grown up in coming to the forefront of their minds. "Now he has returned and I'm afraid the Minister will do almost anything to avoid facing that terrifying truth."

Rebecca handed the paper back to Kingsley and walked back to her chair, not liking that the article painted her as some blind-follower to Harry, doing anything he said and having no thoughts of her own. Sirius jumped onto the silence following Remus' statement. "We think Voldemort wants to build up his army again. Fourteen years ago, he had huge numbers at his command. And not just witches and wizards mind you. No, he had all manner of dark creatures." 

Fred grabbed her hand as she sat back down, squeezing it and whispering, "They're all lies, no one who actually knows you would believe any of it." 

Rebecca nodded, scooting her chair up against his so that she could lean her head against him as Sirius continued. "He's been recruiting like mad, and we've been doing the same. But, gaining followers isn't all he's interested in." Moody cleared his throat, but Sirius ignored it. Molly's eyes narrowed from down the table. "We believe Voldemort may be after something."

"Sirius?" Moody warned.

"Something he didn't have last time."

"You mean like a weapon?" Harry asked.

"No! That's enough. They are children! You say much more and you might as well induct him into the Order."

"Good, I want to join!" Harry said loudly. Sirius smiled proudly at Harry's decree.

"I do, too." Rebecca said. Fred looked at her carefully, saying nothing. "If Voldemort's raising an army then I want to fight!"

It was Harry's turn to agree with her. Molly gave Sirius a deadly look, halting the rest of his words and slammed a plate of food in front of him. Dinner continued on like the earlier interaction hadn't continued after a few minutes later.

"The dementors, love. You didn't happen to get corporeal, did you?" Fred asked excitedly, changing the subject. He knew how deeply she wanted to know her own patronus' form ever since Harry'd managed to get his.

"No, I'm starting to think I just don't have one."

Tonks pointed her fork at the two of them. "Everyone's got one. Must be something your doing wrong."

Remus scoffed, "Very, very reassuring Dora." He leaned back in his chair, Rebecca doing the same so that they could talk with less people between them. "Corporeal patronus' are very advanced magic. You may need to choose a different memory if you're having difficulty, something stronger."

Rebecca faced back to her plate and smiled at the look Fred was giving her. "Is that the only way you're going to look at me now?"

"How am I looking at you?" Fred asked, taking a bite of his food, knowing exactly what she was talking about. He felt like he was whole with her beside him again.

George interrupted them, glad that they were happy again but finding himself slightly jealous at their romance. "We have to talk after supper. About W.W.W."

Rebecca scrunched her eyes together, realisation on the meaning of the abbreviation occuring a moment later. "Yes, we do."

*******************************************

"Bloody hell." Rebecca whispered as Fred and George opened their trunks to her after supper. "You two...You've been..."

"Very, very busy. Only way I could get him to stop moping." George said, hopping onto his bed and ignoring the look Fred gave him. "But, we've been able to ship out a few boxes to Lee who then forwarded them on to our first buyers of the term and make enough stock to sell as soon as we arrive."

Rebecca tore her eyes away from the trunkfuls of product. "Where are you going to put your robes and books?"

They grinned deviously. "Tonks has offered to shrink them down for us. I can't wait until April." George said wistfully. "Magic all the time. Apparating! Oh, I can't wait to apparate."

Fred jumped onto his bed and patted the spot next to him. A thought occurred to Rebecca as she climbed up his bed, nestling into the pocket he formed under his arm. "Your birthdays are April 1!"

Fred looked at her confused, "For the last sixteen of them, at least."

Rebecca laughed into his chest. "No, April Fools' day. It's like you were born to be pranksters."

George rolled over and looked at them. He sighed and stood up, motioning for them to scooch as he put his head onto Fred's arm next to Rebecca's. "I see why you like it here so much, quite comfortable."

Fred narrowed his eyes, "Why exactly did you come over here?"

George grinned and pulled a lolly from behind him, shoving it into Rebecca's mouth. She sat up, coughing and pulling the candy out. "Not while laying down mate!" Fred scowled and said angrily at George as she turned around and crossed her legs, looking down at the two of them as she stuck the lolly into her cheek and nodded. 

"It's not bad though."

Fred put George's lack of thought behind him as he looked to Rebecca and tried to hide his smile. "Rebecca, I love you."

"I do not love you." She clapped her hand to her mouth and shook her head. "No, I don't love you!"

George cackled and rolled off the bed as Rebecca repeated herself again, shouting. "I DON'T LOVE YOU!"

Harry poked his head in the room. "Why're we shouting?"

Rebecca looked to the door alarmed, "They did not give me a sweet."

Harry looked at George, now crying through his laughter. "Prototype." Fred explained. "Lying-Lollies, lying's never tasted so sweet."

Harry nodded, "She come up with that?"

"No!" Rebecca shouted, nodding her head and groaning. "You guys..." 

Molly's voice called up the stairs, "Lights out in thirty. And stop shouting!"

Harry shook his head and left the doorway, rolling his eyes at how she could possibly act like such a fool with them hardly an hour after hearing how their world was descending into the throes of madness. "You can't be cross, Harry." Hermione chided, watching him walk back to what Ron had told him was his bed. "You should try to relax too. You've got nearly a week until your trial and nothing you can do until then."

Harry scoffed, "So what? You're saying I should forget that Voldemort is back and...and eat prank sweets? Laugh like nothing's wrong?"

"Yes, Harry! You are supposed to enjoy your life where you can and if that means she's laughing with them, then so be it!" Hermione got up from where she and Ron had been doing his summer homework. "Don't forget what there is to fight for."

Ron sighed, "We were almost done. Now I'm going to actually have to work." Harry sighed and pulled his own packet out of his bag, tossing it to Ron before lying in his bed and putting his head under his pillow.

*******************************************

"Oh finally," Rebecca gasped, "That is ready for shelves."

"Are you lying?" Fred asked, his stomach sore from how hard her 'lying' made he and George laugh.

"No, I'm not lying."

George leaned forward and looked at her closely. "She's not lying."

She pulled the blanket on the bed over his head and leaned on him, kissing Fred with her knee against his back. "I've got to go, shower and bed time."

Fred frowned against her kiss. "What if you slept in here? We've got an extra bed set up."

Rebecca looked at the bed across the room. "Oh...Well, the thing is--I was sort of hoping to chat with Hermione and Ginny. I haven't seen them either and-"

"No more needs to be said." Fred said, George standing and grabbing his pajamas as he told them he was off to brush his teeth. "As much as I'd like it to be so, I do know I can't have you fully to myself."

Rebecca leaned forward, plopping herself onto his chest. "I love you, you know that?"

He brought a hand up to the side of her face and brushed his thumb against her cheek. "I missed you so much."

She kissed him lightly. "I missed you more." She walked to the door and turned around, smiling at him. "Thanks for the letter by the way. It meant..." She shook her head and changed her mind on what she was going to say. "It helped more than you could know."

Fred laid back in his bed and stared up at the ceiling, his mind engrossed in thoughts of her. She walked down the hall, peeking into doors as she went, not knowing where exactly Ginny and Hermione were assigned. The first door squeaked open and revealed Kreacher, sitting in a bucket as he muttered to himself. Rebecca closed the door slowly, slightly disturbed at the fact that he failed to notice her interrupting him. 

The second door was a bathroom, empty though Rebecca thought it was probably good to know where one was. Reaching for the third door, she heard the giggling that she loved. She kicked the door open and walked into the room slowly. Hermione and Ginny looked at her as she crossed her arms dramatically. "What's so funny in here?"

Ginny snorted. "Shut it! You're going to try and scold for laughing after how you were shouting."

Rebecca looked away, "I don't know what you're talking about. I just came out of a ten-year vow of silence, I've never screamed a day in my life."

This sent all three girls into laughs. Rebecca jumped onto the bed they were laying on and put her arms around them. "I can't believe you got yourself expelled..." Ginny said after a moment of thought. "Without Fred and George. Really thought they'd have something to do with it."

"I always thought they'd be the first to get themselves expelled." Hermione added.

Rebecca rolled away from them and went to her bed, thankful that her trunk ended up in there. "Woo!" Ginny hooted, whistling as Rebecca took her jumper off and tossed it onto her bed. "Careful, skins showing up in here!"

*******************************************

The morning's were the busiest part of the day at Number 12 Grimmauld Place and the next day was no exception. Rebecca and Harry were the last two out of bed, something entirely uncharacteristic of Rebecca. When she skipped her way down the stairs, it was just as those who left headquarters during the day were filing past. "Bill!" She shouted, hugging him tightly.

"Hey there! Missed you last night, found myself quite busy." Bill said, grabbing the lunch Molly handed him with a smile. 

"Where's Charlie?" She asked, looking around.

Bill patted her shoulder as he head to the door, "Abroad, he pops in when he can."

"Morning, love!" Fred called from the table. "Hungry?"

"I'm so glad you're down here," Molly said as she and Rebecca walked back to the kitchen. "That boy fit one more word in a minute, his tongue'd ignite!"

Rebecca giggled, Sirius giving her a look. "What's so funny? I like to laugh."

Rebecca masked her laughter and put on a serious face. "Nothing's funny. Nothing at all." Remus looked between the staring contest beginning between Sirius and Rebecca, shaking his head and muttering something about needing another cup of tea.

"I can do this all day, child." Sirius said lowly, tilting his head.

"Really?" Rebecca asked, seeing George come in through the door behind him in the corner of her vision. George went right behind Sirius and clapped his hands loudly, sending the man whirling at him. 

"He blinked!" George shouted, running away as Sirius pushed himself out of his chair to chase after him. The room collectively rolled their eyes at the man's childish behaviour, though Harry stared at his plate in pensive silence.

"Harry?" Rebecca asked, pulling her chair closer to him. "What's the matter?"

He gave her a look and said nothing. "Well, I meant anything other than all of that." Harry shook his head before putting his fork down. "What are we going to do if we end up expelled? I don't want to live in the muggle world. I don't want to lose my wand. I am a wizard. You are a witch. How are we even supposed to stop Voldemort at all, let alone magicless?"

Rebecca shook her head, "We haven't been expelled yet. We can't do anything and won't know anything until after the trial. So, for now, we're going to spend time with everyone. Catch up. Take a breath every once in a while. Okay?"

Harry's eyes settled on Sirius as he dropped back into his chair and held his chest, panting heavily. "I didn't mean to be such a git last night."

"You were a git?" Rebecca asked, taking a bite out of the muffin Fred leaned over and put on her plate with a grand smile.

Harry nodded, "I think I owe an apology to Hermione." 

"Good for you." Rebecca said, patting his hand. "It takes a lot of character to admit you were wrong. What sent you into a mood anyway? I thought it was a lovely evening."

Harry looked around the room, searching for something to change the subject to. "Me?" Rebecca asked gobsmacked. "How could I have done anything? I hardly saw you!"

Harry sighed, "You were laughing so hard, like nothing was wrong!"

Rebecca leaned back and crossed her arms. "Would you rather I cry?"

Fred put his arm around her shoulder, "Please don't." Harry stood up and left the table as she and Fred started to whisper about what needed to be done that day. "Our ratios off on the Fever Fudge. We need more pre-packaged ingredients to make them fresh but George keeps eating the chocolate before we get it away."

Rebecca raised her eyebrow at him. "George is. Not you, only George?"

Fred nodded. "I would never, ever do such a thing. Happy to see we're on the same page."

Rebecca leaned closer to him and lowered her voice, sensing her question wasn't something for everyone to hear, "Say, where's Percy? No one's mentioned him."

Fred's face sank into a scowl. "Yeah, that's because he left. He got that job at the ministry, yeah? Well, he got promoted to Fudge's Junior Assistant and dad said something about how it was to keep tabs on the rest of us. Huge fight."

"I'm sorry I asked then, I didn't mean to upset you."

Fred shook his head and gave her a curt smile, "Not upset. Being upset won't change anything. I...I never would abandon family. Never. But don't bring it up around mum. It's been really hard for her."

Rebecca reached up and kissed his cheek. "I know you wouldn't and I won't say anything else on the matter."

He smiled and patted her hand as he stood up. "Eat up, busy day today." Rebecca looked at him confused. "Oh, I see. Mum didn't mention it--It's another cleaning day."

*******************************************

"Sirius!" Molly shouted from the room she and her squad of cleaners entered. "Why-" She coughed. "Why in Merlin's beard haven't you ever dusted?!"

Sirius appeared in the doorway and looked around at the clouds of dust raising about as Ginny and Rebecca, the assigned dusters, went over the paintings on the walls. "Is it a little dusty? I hadn't noticed."

Molly turned back to the kids and saw that Fred and George were mucking about, not helping. "Oi! These rugs aren't going to shake themselves out!"

Hermione picked up another candelabra and used her rag to polish the grime of who-knows-how-many-years off of it, watching how Rebecca and Fred were miming choking themselves to each other. Molly stood up, Fred jumping out of her sight in time and Rebecca not noticing, continuing to 'strangle' herself. Molly put her hands on her hips and stood in front of Rebecca, waiting for her to open her eyes.

Rebecca did, seeing the disapproval washing over Molly's face. "Are you done?"

Rebecca jumped back to work, dusting madly. "Done what? There's lots to do, no time to mess around."

Molly pointed to the other end of the room, telling Rebecca and Ginny to start in the corner. Sirius and Harry were talking by the door and, upon turning and seeing Rebecca and Ginny near the painting under wraps, he pointed and shouted for them to stop. The room collectively jumped at his shouting, not expecting such an outburst.

Rebecca turned back to him and caught the end of the wrapping with her elbow, pulling it loose and the portrait of a scowling, screeching woman came undone. "Mudbloods and traitors and scum in my house! My house! Kreacher!" Sirius rushed across the room and put the wrap back up, hardly muffling the obscenities coming out of the painting.

"Molly?" Sirius asked, grimacing as the painting started in on how traitorous Sirius was. "Perhaps we'll return to this room later."

Molly nodded, "Yes, I think that's wise. Children? This way."

Molly had them cleaning well into the afternoon, stopping only because Ron's whinging for lunch had reached apocalyptic proportions. Molly dismissed them for the day, telling them they'd worked hard. "Most of you, at least." Molly glared at Fred and George from where they were sitting on the couch in the parlor they'd just finished. 

After lunch, they were allowed to go about the house as they pleased. Fred, George, and Rebecca began packaging up snackboxes while Ron and Hermione spent as much time as they could getting Harry to creep out of his misery.

The days began to blend quickly, Number 12 Grimmauld Place turning into a home as more and more rooms were cleaned and the oxygen began to outnumber the dust in the air. The children watched as streams of strange and familiar witches and wizards came and went, Tonks and Rebecca hitting it off quite well in the days before their trial.

"How do you deal with them?" Tonks asked as she took a seat at the table where Hermione, Molly, and Rebecca were having tea. "I mean really, look at them! They're ridiculous! You're certainly not ugly, there has to be other boys at Hogwarts than this lot that could have caught your fancy."

All four ladies turned and looked down the hall where Fred and George were standing on their heads in the hall, insisting that they could do it longer than the other. Rebecca looked at Tonks and tilted her head, "What? You don't do that?"

Tonks insisted, "I'm not joking, I'm honestly interested--Why him?"

Rebecca thought only a moment, smiling as Fred's upside down eyes caught hers. "Because he's him. There's no one else quite like him. George might look like him and they might finish each other's sentences, but that's only the surface. Fred," She paused and blushed as she looked away from the other three. "Fred is Fred."

Hermione rolled her eyes, "You should see the three of them when they're alone at school. Barbarians. Ruffians. Scoundrels."

Tonks cackled and Molly scolded. "Please tell me you don't all behave like this at Hogwarts! I'll keel right over!" Molly took a sip of her tea and looked to Hermione. "You'll have to deal with that firmly, dear." 

"Deal with what? She's already my master tie-watcher. I've only managed three minutes and twelve seconds before she noticed and she's stopped me more than once about pants."

Molly shook her head, "Prefects! Ron and Hermione! We're so very proud, not shocked neither of those two ever got picked though."

Hermione looked into her tea cup before talking quickly. "It's really not that big a deal. Ron and I both wanted to keep it quiet because of-well...you know."

Rebecca's mouth dropped open, "Don't be daft! Prefect? That's fantastic! Oh, we'll get away with so much now. No more worrying abo-"

"You certainly won't! If anything, I'm going to be all the much harder on you, to show that I don't have favorites. If all goes well."

Rebecca winked at Hermione, "Sure."

Hermione shook her head, "I'm serious!"

"No, I am!" Sirius called from the living room.

The four women, young and old, rolled their eyes at Sirius. "I swear he listens in just to say that." Tonks said quietly.

"No I don't!" Sirius shouted back.

Molly watched as Harry walked past scratching his head, his hair even longer and shaggier from the year before. "That's it. You're all getting a haircut before supper. It looks like you've all been marooned on an island!"

Fred and George fell to the ground in a tumble and tangle of legs, moaning that they liked it long. "I won't hear another whinge! You all look like you belong in a bloody zoo!"

Tonks followed Molly around the house, enjoying watching her boss the kids into a line out the bathroom with a pair of scissors and a comb in hand. The line went quickly, much to the displeasure of Fred and George who kept putting those behind them in front of them as Tonks chatted with whoever was next. Harry was in front of Rebecca and looked down to the ground sadly, his despair heightened as the trial grew closer.

"I'm sure you'll look fine no matter what." Rebecca said, smiling at him and trying to make him smile. "Master Potter couldn't look bad a day in 'is life, no he could not." She said again, putting on a cockney butler accent.

Harry smiled at last, Ron leaving the bathroom with his hair trimmed nicely and Harry entering to take his place. "You look great!" Harry heard Rebecca say before Molly started to talk. Tonks joined them in the bathroom, talking with Molly who quickly was able to sense that Harry wasn't in the mood for chatter. Tonks picked up the slack though, talking with Molly about this and that.

"Fred! George! You're already at the back of the line! Stop pushing me before I-" Her words were cut off with a loud thump. "10 out of 10, somebody get an award." She clapped slowly, "Best faint of the year."

Molly shook her head and Harry found himself smiling again. Molly brushed his hair off his forehead, her fingers brushing against his scar lightly. Harry looked up to her and felt his heart pang sadly, wishing his own mother was able to mother him. Molly stepped back and tilted his head from side to side and snipping a few odd hairs. "Smart, very smart." Harry slid his glasses back over her ears and looking at himself in the mirror, the hair cut making him look much more mature than he had with the mane beforehand.

"Thank you, Mrs Weasley." 

"Molly, my sweets. Just Molly." Harry nodded, thanking her one more time as he poked his head out the door. Molly turned to the door when no one entered. "George! Get in here."

George grunted and scowled as he sat on the stool, surrounded by mass quantities of red and black hair. "How about just a little off the top? A healthy trim, you know." Molly reached forward and snipped a huge chunk off his head. "Or not, whatever." 

Molly and Tonks laughed as George stared in the mirror, saying a eulogy for his lost locks. Fred and Rebecca poked their heads back out into the hallway, stifling their laughs. Harry walked down the stairs, planning on finding Sirius to hear more stories about his adventures with his dad. Rebecca looked up to Fred and put a hand through his hair slowly. Fred closed his eyes and leaned into her hand. "You okay?" He asked softly.

"Oh yeah, I'm good. Fine." He opened his eyes and looked at her. "I'm just really happy to be here...with you." 

He bent down and kissed the top of her forehead. "Nervous for the trial? Not very long now, rest of today and tomorrow."

She gave him a little shrug and turned so that her back was against the wall. "I don't think its clicked what's really at stake yet. I don't know. I don't really feel like I can be nervous with how..." She searched for the right word and failed to find it. "I feel like I need to be the positive one right now."

Fred put his hand out to her and started dancing with her in the hall, twirling her slowly before pulling her back to him. "Forget Harry a moment then." He grabbed her hand and swayed after putting his hand on her hips. "Now how do you feel about the trial?"

Harry froze at the bottom of the stairs, listening to Rebecca as she answered. "I am worried. Magic is such a--It's become such a huge part of my life, our lives. How can we go on to muggle lives after? Plain and boring lives?"

Fred chuckled, "Magic or not, life with me is never going to be 'plain or boring.' Don't feel like you have to hide things like that, especially with that reasoning. When it's you and I, it's you and I--I'm thinking of no one else."

George came out of the bathroom, his hair cut up from where it had lain on his shoulders to above his ears in a middle part. "George..." Rebecca said, looking him up and down. "You look positively dashing!"

George scowled and shouted over his shoulder, "One star rating in there, the assistant did nothing but mock me!" As he clumped down the stairs loudly. Fred grabbed Rebecca by the shoulders and put her into the bathroom before him, crouching down behind her like she was a shield.

"One of you get on the stool," Molly sighed, pointing between them. "Before I give the scissors to Tonks!"

Rebecca hopped up on it, smiling at Fred and Tonks as he moved behind where Tonks sat on the edge and lowered himself into it, putting his head back and closing his eyes. "Ah yes, exactly what every man fantasizes about: His mother, girl friend, and an old lady while he's in the tub."

Tonks turned around and smirked at him. "I don't mind the old lady jab, you're clearly rounding up if you're calling yourself a man."

Rebecca and Molly laughed, Fred's mouth dropping open as he failed to think of a single response. Molly took her wand out, wetting the ends of Rebecca's hair and snipping, an actual inch this time, off around. Standing in front of her, Molly tilted her chin up to her and pulled at the strands around her face. "I'm not really sure what we should do with these, they're just hanging about."

"Whatever you think looks nice." Rebecca smiled grimly, "Perhaps the Wizengamot can be persuaded by looks. They've painted Harry like a wild animal and the only picture they use of me...Well, I'm lying dead. Not the best image to have."

Molly trimmed slowly, bringing her hair short, but not so short that it still didn't meet if she chose to pin it at the back of her head. "There, take a look."

Rebecca stood up and slid her glasses on, Molly smiling to herself as she noticed how she and Harry did so in the exact same manner. Rebecca grinned in the mirror at herself, her hair not overwhelmingly shorter than it was, but much neater and, as Harry thought of himself, more mature. Fred lifted his head and stared. When Rebecca caught his eye in the mirror, he grinned and lifted himself out of the tub.

"Alright mother, good luck. No way you can top that. You improved upon perfection." Molly laughed and shook her head as he held his his head still and squirmed about. Rebecca sat on the tub next to Tonks who looked her over and nodded.

"He's not wrong, you do look nice. Older." 

Fred grinned in the chair as his mother snipped and combed. "Don't listen to her! You look fantastic!"

Tonks crossed her arms, "For your information, I was saying just that!"

Fred scoffed, "Yeah right, Tonks offering compliments? Mum must have nicked the vein to my ears."

Rebecca giggled and stood up, wanting to find Harry before dinner was started. "Be nice," She warned Fred. "You know as well as I that she'd beat you in a fight."

Fred's disagreements followed her out the bathroom and into the hall where she skipped down the stairs. "Away with you, beast!" Rebecca heard Sirius bellow from down the hall to the left of the bottom of the stairs. Kreacher started a rant about blood traitors.

Harry and Sirius were crouched on the floor in front of the fire place they were trying to get started, Sirius talking softly. "Harry, you'll never understand women. Get used to it now."

"I do understand her though! She's like she always is, putting everyone-" Harry paused seeing her in the doorway. "-else first."

"Well?" Rebecca asked, spinning slowly into the room. "What do you think?"

Sirius stood up, crossing his arms and placing a finger against his pursed lips. "You're wearing two different socks and your jumper looks old enough to have been one of Remus', not to mention your-"

"My haircut!" She interrupted, putting her hands on her hips and giving Sirius a quick once over. "You're wearing different socks too! And at least my pants don't have a hole in the bum!"

Sirius' mouth dropped open, "They do not! Take it back!" He turned sharply, trying to see the seat of his pants and astonished at the fact that there, in fact, was a tear along the seam, his pink underwear showing through. "How long-"

"All day, I owe George a galleon for being the one to tell you. How could I resist after such a thrashing?"

Sirius ran out of the room, his hands held against his butt as he shouted for no one to look at him. "I'm indecent! Indecent, I say! Shield your eyes, hide your virtues! You will be overcome with lust if you gaze upon this posterior!"

Harry looked at her a moment as Sirius' voice trailed away. "He's just joking. You look fine."

Rebecca nodded, "Thank you, you do as well." She sat on one of the chairs behind them. "Harry," She sighed. "What can I do? To help you or for you or anything?"

Harry sat across from her, leaning forward and putting his elbows on his knees. "Nothing. There's nothing anyone can do."

"Then what!" She asked, her voice reaching a desperate plea. "What is anyone supposed to do to help you get back-"

"To what? Normal?" He said, standing up and towering over her.

"Yes." She said, standing as well and poking a finger into his chest. "To help you get back into the person we all love and not this mopey, pathetic child that pouts incessantly. Harry, we are surrounded by people who love us together. Who knows how long we'll be able to say something like that?"

"VOLDEMORT IS BACK!" He roared. "The man who killed our parents is back and gaining numbers and-"

"And what--You think making yourself miserable every second of every day is going to change that?" She took a step closer to him and wrapped her arms around him. "Our parents are dead. Nothing we do or say is ever going to change that. I can't change that. You can't change that. They're gone. But they are not our only family, Harry. We get to choose our family and right now we're surrounded by the best contenders we could ever have and you're not appreciating it."

Harry stood straight through her hug, staring ahead as her words settled into his mind. "I don't mean to be mopey." He said softly, melting into her arms. "I don't mean to not appreciate this time, I just don't know how to-how I'm supposed to pretend to be happy like you."

She pushed him away, keeping him at arm's length. "Pretending?"

"I heard you talking to Fred at the top of the stairs. You have to be positive because I'm not."

She shook her head quickly, "It's not 'because' of you. Harry, I'm trying to be positive for you. But I promise my happiness is genuine. Nearly every person in the world who matters to me, who I would do anything for, pass through this house at one time or another every day."

He looked at her a moment before pulling her into his arms. "I really don't know what exactly I did to deserve you."

Rebecca stepped away from him again smiling and shaking her head before the two of the raced out of the room at the banging of a scuffle breaking out upstairs. "Take it back!" Tonks' voice shouted.

"You take it back!" Fred's voice strained out.

Molly shook her head and went downstairs, ignoring them all and wondering where she'd gone wrong. "Fred?" Rebecca called, turning the last corner and clapping her hands to her mouth as she tried to halt the laughter flooding out of her mouth. Tonks was standing behind Fred, her knee against the middle of his back as she had her elbow tucked under his chin.

"You sure you won't take it back?" Tonks asked, tightening her grip on him and winking to Rebecca, mouthing that he was fine.

"Not until you do." Tonks let go of him quickly, sending him flying forward against the floor. Harry shook his head, unable to hide his own chuckles as Tonks stood over him and rest her foot against his back and raised her arm like a portrait of a conqueror. She hopped off and went to the top of the stairs, patting Rebecca's shoulder and going down the stairs as the first round of adults returned from their days out.

The other kids exited the rooms they had been in, Rebecca kneeling next to Fred and rubbing his back soothingly. "What on earth was that even about?" 

Fred looked at her and took a deep breath. "She tried to say you should have been a Hufflepuff."

"Well, what did you say?"

Fred grimaced, "A lion would eat a badger."

*******************************************

<3


	74. Chapter 74

"Wake up," Molly said softly, sorting through the blankets on Rebecca's bed to find wherever she lay. "Up and at 'em." Molly left the room when she saw that Rebecca was awake and went off to get Harry up next.

Rebecca rolled out of her bed groggily and dragged herself into the bathroom, "Trial day!" She thought nervously. Molly had chosen both she and Harry's outfits for the day, Harry in a brown and khaki suit and she in a plain, long-sleeved dress. Rebecca rinsed her mouth, placing her toothbrush back where it belonged and looking at herself in the mirror. Hermione turned the shower off and wrapped her towel around her. "You should pin it up, it makes you look younger."

Rebecca looked at her and asked, "Is that a good thing? Looking young?" 

Hermione nodded, "More innocent."

Rebecca shrugged while grabbing two pins and taking the sides of her hair that hung in front of her ears and pulling them back lightly. "What'd you think?" Rebecca asked, looking to Hermione as she backed out of the bathroom.

"You look good, very modest." Hermione went to say something else but nodded for her to go as Molly called up the stairs for them to hurry up. Rebecca hurried down the stairs, grabbing her nicest jumper from atop her trunk where she'd laid it out the night before. Molly pointed to a plate next to Arthur and Harry with a heaping amount of breakfast on it. "Eat, good for a nervous stomach."

Rebecca eyed the plate warily. "I'm not going to feel anything if I eat all this--I'm going to go into a food coma."

Fred jogged into the dining room, sighing in relief at the fact that the three heading into the Ministry were still there. He jumped into a chair across from them, Arthur peering at him a moment from behind his newspaper. "You get a haircut?" Arthur asked a moment later.

"Oh no, it's been like this for ages." Fred said in all seriousness.

Rebecca took another bite of eggs and slid the plate to him. "It looks nice." She secretly adored the shorter haircut on him, not realising how much his longer hair had covered his face and finding her heart racing each and every time he ran his fingers through it without fail. Fred took a piece of bacon off her plate and slid it back to her. They passed the plate back and forth until Molly called that they needed to get going.

Arthur folded his paper and set it on the table for whomever wanted to read it next. "Shall we?" He asked. The others had formed a line down the hallway to the front door, hugging, kissing, or shaking hands with Harry and Rebecca as they followed Arthur into the first sunlight they'd felt in nearly a week. "We're taking the muggle way today." The man looked around to make sure no one was close enough to hear him. "Make sure no one knows where we come from and all."

The escalator was exciting for Arthur, he'd only ever seen two before, but the turnstiles were an obstacle. Harry had to take the metrocard he had in his wallet from a school trip before Hogwarts had even existed to him and swipe it three times, praying there was enough for three fares on it. Luckily, there had been. "Trains--underground! Ingenious these muggles!"

The tube was busy, as it normally was on a weekday morning in London. When Arthur heard their stop called, he lead the way out of the train and back up the escalators, turning right once they'd climbed the stairs back up to street level. "Here we are!" Arthur opened up the red telephone box door. "I've never used the visitor's entrance before."

Harry and Rebecca looked at each other confused as Arthur corralled them in. "Let me get my muggle money..." Arthur plinked in an assortment of coins and turned back around, grinning excitedly at the children as the box jerked downwards and began to descend like an elevator. When the bell dinged to signal their arrival, Arthur reached in front of Rebecca and opened the door, leading the awestruck kids into the river of witches and wizards on their way to their offices within the Ministry of Magic.

There was a large number of fireplaces on either side of them, witches and wizards alike popping out of them intermittently. Harry frowned at the Daily Prophet seller as he called, "Dumbledore: Daft or Dangerous? Five sickles, five sickles only!"

Rebecca scowled at the large hanging of Fudge's stupid face, distracting herself by looking at the different golden statues and fountains they passed. Arthur lead them to another elevator, this one not in the shape of a telephone booth but a standard, door-man operated elevator. "Morning, Arthur!" A man with a smoking box said happily.

"Morning, Bob!" Arthur caught Rebecca and Harry's gazes settling on the paper airplanes that flew into the elevator with them. "Interdepartmental memos." He answered their unspoken question. "We tried owls. The mess was unbelievable!"

Just as the elevator's doors began to close, Kingsley ran in and squeezed to the back, telling Arthur something quietly. "Merlin's beard." Arthur breathed out. "Thank you, Kingsley."

Harry turned back to Arthur, looking at him. "They've changed the time for the hearing." Arthur said, checking his watch.

"When is it?" Rebecca asked.

"In five minutes."

Rebecca was not all too shocked when she discovered that the elevator was, in fact, not as standard as she'd originally thought. Instead of only moving up or down, this elevator took them back, forward, side to side, and eventually down quite a ways before shuddering to a stop.

"Department of Mysteries." A voice called as they door opened.

Arthur guided them out the elevator and down a long hallway. Rebecca stopped in her tracks when she saw a horrible sight down one way: Lucius Malfoy talking to Cornelius Fudge. "Oh bloody hell." She whispered. Arthur put his hand on her shoulder and pushed her on, "Let's not worry before were given a reason to." He said calmly, though a flicker of uncertainty passed across his face.

He turned to Rebecca and Harry outside of a large set of doors. "Now, remember. Only speak when spoken to. Keep calm, neither of you have done anything wrong." Arthur pulled them into a quick hug, "I'm not allowed in, I'm afraid. But, I will be right here the second you're finished. Okay?"

Harry and Rebecca nodded solemnly, facing the room of adults that would decided whether or not their future had any magic in it or not.

"Good luck." Arthur said as Harry stepped forward, Rebecca close behind him

*******************************************

Harry and Rebecca were guided two tall, narrow chairs at the bottom of a half-bowl like room, the upper portions of said bowl filled with the peering eyes of the Wizengamot. "Disciplinary hearing of the 12th of August into offences committed by Harry James Potter and Rebecca Jane Potter. Interrogators, Cornelius Oswald Fudge-" 

"Witness for defence!" Dumbledore shouted, storming the room loudly. "Albus Percival Wulfric...Brian...Dumbledore..."

Rebecca and Harry turned their heads to watch as their headmaster entered the fenced in portion where they sat side by side and looked up at Fudge. Rebecca saw a familiar head of red hair standing behind Fudge and stared up at it, trying to get the attention of Percy, but he ignored her gaze blatantly.

"You got our message that the time and place of the trial had changed, did you?" Fudge asked.

"No, must have missed it. But, by happy mistake, I arrived three hours early." Fudge went silent after Dumbledore's words, silent until prompted forward by Dumbledore. "Charges?"

"The charges against the accused are as follows: they did knowingly and in full awareness or the illegality of doing so produce a Patronus charm, although one failed to reach corporeal status, in the presence of a muggle." Rebecca fumed silently at the announcement of her non-corporeal patronus. Fudge leaned forward, peering down at the Potter children from his podium. "Do you deny producing said Patronuses?"

"No, but-" Rebecca tried to explain.

"And you were aware that you were forbidden to use magic outside of school while under the age of 17?"

"Yes, we were, but-" Harry took a turn trying to explain. 

"Witches and wizards of Wizengamot," Fudge said loudly, addressing the court. 

"We only did it because of the dementors!" Harry said, interrupting the Minister.

"Dementors? In Little Whinging?" A witch asked confused. 

Fudge wagged his finger, "That's quite clever. Muggles can't see dementors, can they now? Highly convenient!"

"We're not lying." Rebecca said assuredly. "There were two of them and if we hadn't-"

"Enough!" Fudge said, raising his hand to silence her. "I'm sorry to interrupt what would certainly have been a very well-rehearsed story fed to you by your brother, but since you can produce no witness of the event..."

Dumbledore interrupted the Minister. "Pardon me, Minister. But as it happens, we can."

Harry and Rebecca's chairs slid to the side of the room, an empty chair moving forward and taking their spot, Mrs Figg entering the courtroom. "Please describe the attack for us. What did they look like?" The same witch from before questioned Mrs Figg kindly, and Rebecca decided that if she had to choose one of the witches up there to save from a burning building, it would probably be her.

"Well, one of them was rather large and then they two are both skinny. One's got the curly hair and is short-"

"Not the children," Fudge sighed. "The dementors."

"Oh, right, right. Um...Big, cloaked. Everything went cold, as though all the happiness had gone from the world."

Fudge laughed condescendingly. "Now look, dementors don't just wander into a Muggle suburb and happen upon magic-folk. The odds are astronomical! "

"Oh, I don't think anyone would believe the dementors were there by coincidence, Minister." Dumbledore said, crossing the floor. A high-pitched cough rang out, a toad-like witch clearing her throat twice before speaking in an equally high-pitched voice.

"I must have misunderstood you, Professor. Dementors are, after all, under the control of the Ministry of Magic. Silly of me, I know, but it sounded for a moment as though you were suggesting that the Ministry had ordered the attack on these children."

Dumbledore nodded, "That would be disturbing indeed, Madam Undersecretary. That is why I am sure the Ministry will be mounting a full-scale enquiry into why the two dementors were so very far from Azkaban and why the mounted an attack without authorisation."

Fudge narrowed his eyes at Dumbledore, feeling the cold grip of loss descend onto him. "Of course," Dumbledore continued, "There is someone who might be behind the attack." Dumbledore stepped forward to the Minister's podium and lowered his voice. "Cornelius, I implore you to see reason. The evidence that the Dark Lord as returned is incontrovertible." 

Fudge's face wrinkled into a snarling scowl, Harry reaching over and grabbing Rebecca's hand as he feared the worst to come from the angered Minister's mouth. "He's not back." Dumbledore looked up at the Minister a moment longer before sighing and turning away, walking back to where Harry and Rebecca sat. "In the matter of the Potter children, the law clearly states that magic may be used before muggles in the case of life-threatening situations."

"Laws can be changed if necessary, Dumbledore!" Fudge said loudly.

"Clearly, if it's now become practise to hold a full criminal trial to deal with a simple matter of underage magic." The witches and wizards began to stir, seeing the sense in Dumbledore's words. 

The witch Rebecca liked, the kind one, spoke in the silence that formed. "Those in favour of conviction." Rebecca stopped and held her breath as Fudge, the toad-woman, and a few other hands were raised.

"Those in favour of clearing the accused of all charges." Many, many more hands were raised. Rebecca let out a breath, looking to Harry happily. Mrs Figg raised her own hand in the witness' chair, putting it back down quickly after seeing she wasn't given a vote. 

Fudge grimaced. "Cleared of all charges." He banged his gavel and stood up, leaving the courtroom quickly with Percy trailing behind him like a lovestruck puppy. Rebecca and Harry stood quickly, hugging each other in celebration. 

"Professor?" Harry called after Dumbledore's quickly receding figure. Dumbledore walked on like he hadn't heard him.

Rebecca grabbed his hand and walked to where Mrs Figg was making her way to her feet. "Thank you, Mrs Figg. You've saved us again."

Mrs Figg shook her head sadly, "I never saved you a first time my dear, you did that all on your own. Though, I am glad I could help now." Mrs Figg opened her arms to hug Rebecca and then Harry, the three of them making their ways to the exit. Harry opened the door for the two women, Arthur stopping his pacing and rushing the door.

"So?" He asked quickly, seeing the happiness on their faces and putting it together. "All cleared?"

Harry nodded, shocked at the speed in which Arthur had pulled him and Rebecca into a tight hug. "Wonderful, wonderful news!" Arthur said before letting them go and introducing himself to Mrs Figg. Arthur offered Mrs Figg his elbow as they walked back to the elevator.

"What do I always say, Harry?" Rebecca asked, putting her elbow through his.

"Oh, I don't know. 'Fred, whatever would I-"

"No, not that. Something about endings, perhaps?"

Harry pursed his lips. "Nothing like an epilogue?"

Rebecca looked at him sternly. "All's well that ends well, you beastie."

Harry grinned at her, "I knew that's what you wanted to hear."

*******************************************

Number 12 Grimmauld Place was tense the morning of the trial. Molly insisted that they finish the last few rooms of cleaning, as to not sit around twiddling their thumbs. Fred cleaned like a speed-daemon, dusting, mopping, shaking out rugs and old linens, making beds. George stayed at his side and helped him with every task, not saying a word.

Hermione and Ron stayed by each other's side as well, talking only briefly when necessary and retreating back into their worried thoughts when they could. Molly flitted about nervous along with them but trying to exude an air of confidence. The kids worked so hard that they were done far before Arthur, Harry, and Rebecca would return.

"How about cake?" Molly said. "We should bake a cake!" 

Ron looked to his mum confused, "Why? You can just make one with magic."

That was it. Molly put her hands on her hips and pointed down the stairs, telling them all they were going to bake a cake sans magic. "What kind? What're we feeling like?" Molly asked once in the kitchen, opening the cupboard of ingredients.

The kids unanimously looked to Fred, letting him be the decider. "She-" He thought for a moment. "They'd both like chocolate."

Molly nodded, "Chocolate it is then," Hermione was sent to the fridge to collect eggs, Ginny to get to scale for the flour and other dry ingredients. "Fred?" Molly called, pulling out a dusty box from the back of the cupboard and smiling. "What do you think about this?"

Fred nodded, a smile spreading across his face. "I think that's a brilliant idea."

*******************************************

Arthur lead the relieved Harry and Rebecca up to his office, excusing himself inside for a moment while he collected work to finish back at headquarters. "Guess our letters are due any day now then. Better late than never." Harry said, smiling all the while.

"Yeah, did you hear Ron and Hermione made prefects!"

Harry looked at her shocked, "No, I hadn't! How'd you know?"

"Molly mentioned it while we having a cup a few days ago. Hermione and Ron didn't want to tell us with the trial and all." Rebecca looked around the empty hallway and sighed heavily, "Oh I'm so glad this is over. This stress is going to turn me grey."

Harry looked down over her head and squinted, "Is that one right there?" 

Rebecca jumped away from him and put her hands over her head, "Stop!" She laughed, "Git!"

Arthur exited his office, closing his door behind him and smiling at the happy children. "Onwards, I'm sure those at home are anxiously awaiting the results."

Anxiously waiting was one way to describe the pandemonium that had broken out in the kitchen. Fred and George had chocolate smeared across their faces from 'trying' the batter while Ginny and Ron were exchanging insults over how much frosting they needed.

"I'm telling you that's not enough!" Ron shouted, pointing at the bowl Ginny was stirring.

"It's exactly as much as mum said!" Ginny shouted back.

Molly left Hermione in charge of saving as much of the batter as they could by getting it away from Fred and George and hurried across the kitchen and looked at the frosting. "That's fine, Ron!" Molly scolded, racing back across the kitchen as the bowl slipped from George's hand. Molly took her wand out and froze the bowl, catching it as she walked and smacked Fred and George up the back of the head. 

"Woah..." Rebecca said, Arthur and Harry standing beside her.

Molly whirled around at her voice, looking at Arthur and smiling as her husband nodded happily. "Cleared of all charges!" Arthur called. Harry grinned as the kitchen dissolved into cheers and the kids made their way to them, Arthur weaving through them and kissing Molly before surveying the state of the kitchen confused.

"Um...Fred?" Rebecca asked, leaning back as he bent down to kiss her. "What is all over you?"

Fred reached up and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Cake batter..." He said slowly.

She wrinkled her eyebrows and shook her head, "Why?"

He grinned cheekily, "Because I was eating it."

She kissed his chocolate smeared cheek and hugged him as they heard the clanging of the letter box on the door that meant letters had arrived. Rebecca turned to go fetch it as Arthur helped Molly sort out what had and hadn't been put into the cake, Fred following behind her quietly.

Rebecca crouched to the floor, scooping up the letters and sorting through them without looking ahead of her. Fred laughed as she walked into him, jumping back startled and sending the letters flying. "Fred!" She scolded, bending down to pick up the letters again. His laughs slowed to a chuckle as he bent to one knee and helped. 

"Yes, love?" 

Rebecca peered up at him over the rims of her glasses, trying not to smile at how adorable he looked. She took her empty hand up and wiped at his cheek, finding that the chocolate had dried. "You're a hot mess."

"Hot?" He smirked.

She shook her head and stood back up, finding two Hogwarts letters addressed to her and Harry. "Already?" Fred asked, grabbing the rest of the mail so that she could open hers.

"Dumbledore apparently wasn't wasting any time!" She said, tearing the envelope and elated to see the words stating her enrollment once again.

Fred lifted the bottom of his shirt up, wiping his face on the inside and leaving her shocked at how fit he still was after going without quidditch for a year. "You like what you see?" He asked, raising his shirt and dancing goofily.

She blushed, embarrassed that he'd noticed her watching and hurried into the kitchen where, upon entering, held her letter up above her head happily and tossed Harry's his.

*******************************************

"Happy birthday HarryandRebecca,  
Happy birthday to you!"

Sirius clapped loudly, shouting. "For they're two jolly good fellows, for they're two jolly good...No? No one? How boring of you all!"

Harry and Rebecca laughed, looking to each other before leaning closer to the lit candles. They were both surprised at the belated birthday considering it had actually been nearly two weeks ago when they were at the Dursleys and they'd simply wished each other happy birthday's and left it at that. 

"Make a wish!" Molly called, holding up a camera and snapping a picture as they leaned forward and closed their eyes.

"I wish that...I just wish that everyone stays safe this year." Rebecca thought as Harry racked his mind.

"I mean, I wish for Voldemort to die but that's not really a birthday wish...I guess, I wish that...I just want things to calm down for a while, for everyone to be happy--Including me. That's what I'd really want. And a girlfriend."

The Potter twins looked at each other before blowing the candles out together and smiling at the rest of the room for the brief instant before Rebecca dodged to the side and grabbed the hand that was shooting for the back of her head. Fred froze, caught literally by the hand as Harry moved away from where George had tried to get him. Molly whacked the Weasley twins out of the way, scolding them. "Fred! George! Where did I go wrong with you two..." She muttered, standing behind Harry and Rebecca's chairs and smoothing their hair before kissing the tops of their heads. "Fifteen! I can hardly believe it."

Rebecca and Harry watched as Remus and Sirius made their way behind Fred and George, the two men sticking Fred and George's faces into their cakes as they had just tried to do them. George jumped back up in his chair, wiping his face quickly as he boistered loudly that he'd known they were going to that while Fred sat up slower, chewing a bite he'd taken with his face submerged. He grinned at Rebecca, "Not a fan of forks anyway." And bent down, taking another bite straight off of the plate.

*******************************************

Bill came back from work an evening a few days later with a letter addressed to Rebecca. "My new colleague says that she knows you all and asked me to bring this. Don't worry, it's not cursed. It's been cleared."

Rebecca laughed before realising he was serious and read who it was from, "What're you doing working with Fleur?"

Bill's cheeks reddened slightly, "She's taken a job in Gringotts."

Rebecca nodded, sensing there was more to what he was saying but not pressing forward as she skimmed through the letter. "You've been helping her with her English?" Rebecca asked, not looking up.

"She told you that!" Bill asked quickly.

Rebecca put the letter back into the envelope, standing up and heading towards the stairs. "So this is how you lot felt about Fred and I. Strange."

Bill sputtered, running after her. "It's not like that!" He hissed.

Fred poked his head off the stair top. "What's not like what?"

Rebecca shook her head and went to answer, "We were just talking about-"

"Nothing!" Bill interrupted. "We were talking about work."

Fred squinted at them. "Were you talking about nothing or were you talking about work?" Fred hopped back after a moment when George called for Fred from their room. 

"Bring Rebecca too!" George followed with.

Rebecca turned and gave Bill a quick hug, "I wouldn't have said anything anyway." She whispered.

Bill looked at her nervously, "I know. Problem is that you're a horrible liar."

Rebecca frowned and turned back to where Fred was grinning at her, "You're really going to like this." He warned excitedly. Rebecca tossed her letter onto her bed as they passed her room and went to George's sides, George sitting at the desk they'd commandeered for paperwork.

"Ta da!" George said, waving his hands as he revealed a logo. "Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, now in colour!"

There were two w's side by side, orange in colour with bright purple lining. Within the barriers of each w were their names in flowy, cursive script. "Fred...Rebecca...George..." Fred picked up the drawing and held it closer to the light, squinting narrowly as Rebecca hugged George as excited as he'd thought she would be.

"George, you've got to be bloody kidding me!" Fred said loudly.

George turned around to where Fred was shaking his head disappointedly. "What? What's the matter? Is it the purple and the orange? You said you liked that! You called it 'the right amount of whimsical!'"

Fred put the paper back down and pointed a finger at the cursive. "You spelt my name wrong! It's four letters!"

Rebecca looked closer. Indeed, George had accidently written 'Ferd.' "Who's 'Ferd?' Do you have another twin I don't know about?" Fred demanded.

George grabbed a new piece of parchment and muttered. "I don't write in cursive. Stupid cursive with your floopy floops and stupid looking letters."

"So, Ferd," Rebecca asked, the three of them starting to laugh. "Shall we whip up something while the artist arts?"

Fred nodded, "We shall. What are you feeling like? We could use a few more Blistering Bon-Bons in stock."

Rebecca clapped her hands and pulled the cauldron out from under their bed. "Blistering Bon-Bons it is then!" Fred turned around and grabbed their prized recipe book, the pages quickly filling with their mastered recipes and ideas in progress. "I don't need it. I've been reading it over at night."

Fred looked at her strangely, "You've been memorising the recipes?"

She looked at him blankly, "Yeah, you two already have and I felt like a first year having to take the book out every time."

George called, "You look like one too! What's up with this clipping thing?" 

Fred put the book back on the desk, smacking George in the back of the head with it. "Shut it, you git!" Fred rolled his eyes and turned back to Rebecca, watching as she laid out the ingredients masterfully. "I think it looks right bonny." He said softly, hiding his compliment from George's ears.

"I heard that." George crowed. "What do you think I am? Half-deaf?"

*******************************************

"I want your lists!" Molly shouted up the stairs two days before they were to go back to school. "Bring me your lists!"

The kids clambered down the stairs noisily, Sirius staring from them at the table where he put his paper down. "Molly, did you raise a herd of elephants?"

Molly looked at Sirius as she walked towards the kitchen. "Have you never noticed they walk around exactly like you? You all stomp like you're got lead in your shoes!"

Sirius shook his head, "I would never. I'm Padfoot, not Stonefoot. I'm stealthy like a bloody samurai."

Molly rolled her eyes and held her hands out as the first children entered the dining room. "I'm off to Diagon Alley."

The kids smiles faded as they realised that they weren't going with her. "Only you?" Ron asked.

Molly nodded grimly, "Yeah, only me. Order's orders, it's not safe enough."

"Then how's it safe enough for you, huh?" George asked crossly, he had planned on sneaking off to the apothecary for supplies to last until the first Hogsmeade trip.

"Are you talking to me?" Molly asked dangerously. "I know you're not talking to me, not with that tone." George glared ahead at the table silently. "That's what I thought. Now, your lists please."

The kids slid them over, Harry, Rebecca, and Hermione running back upstairs to collect money from their rooms while Molly transferred the items to one large list. "I will be back before supper. You are all to make sure your rooms are tidied, the supplies you already have are in your trunks, and that the house is still in one piece when I return."

Sirius walked past the doorway, "Don't fret, Molly. I'll be here too."

Molly mouthed to them all as she head for the fireplace, "One piece!"

*******************************************

Rebecca was woken up the middle of the night before they were leaving for Hogwarts by a hand shaking her awake gently. She opened her eyes confused and still half-asleep, her tea still inducing it's extreme fatigue.

"Fred?" She whispered, reaching for her glasses and sitting up. "What's wrong?"

He smiled and shhed her, "Night before school, figured it was my year to take you on an adventure."

She yawned and swung her legs out of bed, slipping into her house slippers she wore around the common room during term. Fred crept back out of the girls' room, making sure Ginny and Hermione slept on. "Where're we going?" Rebecca asked curiously, her query punctuated by another yawn.

Fred lead her down the hall to another set of stairs. And then another. And another. By the time they reached the end of their stair climbing, Rebecca was more awake. Fred opened the door to the uppermost room of the house, a long, narrow room revealed as he turned the lamp inside on. "George and I found this room when we were trying to hide from mum and cleaning. I'm not really sure what it is exactly, but I wanted it to you." He grabbed the tassel of the dark, velvet drapes and walked to the other end of the room with it, a window stretching the length of the room.

"Wow," Rebecca said quietly. "That's certainly a view."

London stretched out in the distance, a collection of innumerable twinkling lights glittering against the night sky where the stars shined on brilliantly. Fred grabbed a blanket from where he'd snuck one up there earlier and laid it out with a flourish before sitting on it and looking up to her happily. "Beautiful, isn't it?"

Rebecca eased herself to the floor next to him, nodding as she took in the sight. "It's spectacular! I don't know if I've ever seen London from afar."

Fred nodded, "I can't even believe there are quite so many lights."

"I know! It's mental! They're electric bills..."

Fred chuckled, "That's really what you're thinking about right now?"

She looked up to him and grinned cheekily, "What are you thinking about right now if not the wasted resources?"

His eyes scanned her over, trying to memorise each individual reflection of the stars against her eyes with the hopes of imparting it with the Infunde charm once back at school. "I'm thinking about..." His mind flitted to her lips before returning to her green eyes. "I'm thinking about you."

She closed her eyes as he leaned down and kissed her, gently and then more passionately. When he pulled his lips away from hers, it was only because they were both breathless and red-faced. Rebecca leaned her head against his arm and looked back out the window at the urban wonderland and natural majesty of the night sky that was sprawled out before them, at peace. 

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<3


	75. Chapter 75

Sirius darted between legs and trolleys at Kings Cross, his tail wagging and his tongue hanging out of his canine mouth. Moody clumped along at the front of the party, Arthur walking at the back and ensuring the group of students they were seeing off stayed together. Moody was muttering to himself darkly next to Tonks, "What are you doing here? Barking mad, absolutely barking mad!"

Sirius, still in dog form, went down the stairs they were passing and entered a room where he transformed back into the thin man he was. Harry and Rebecca looked back at Molly for permission, stepping closer to the stairs as Molly grimaced and nodded, giving them the go-ahead.

"Sirius! What are you doing here?" Harry asked, launching himself into Sirius' outstretched arms.

"I had to see you two off, didn't I?" Sirius said, sitting on a chair and patting those on either side of him for them to join him. "What's life without a little risk?"

"We don't want to see you back in Azkaban." Rebecca said warily, laying a hand on their godfathers arm and squeezing it. "We can't."

"Don't spend your time worrying about me," Sirius chuckled, reaching into his bathrobe and pulling out a folded photograph. "I found this and wanted you two to have it." Harry tilted it so Rebecca could see it as well as Sirius explained what it was. "Original Order of the Phoenix. Marlene McKinnon--killed two weeks after this was taken. Frank and Alice Longbottom."

"Neville's parents." Rebecca said sadly, remembering what Dumbledore had told she and Harry about them. 

Sirius continued sadly. "They suffered a fate worse than death, if you ask me. It's been fourteen years...and not a day goes by I don't miss your mum and dad." Sirius stared at the young faces of James and Lily, his heart aching terribly.

Rebecca put her head on his shoulder and put her arm around his back, grabbing Harry's upper arm and pulling both men closer. "Why are you telling us this now?" She asked.

"He thinks there's going to be another war. Right?" Harry asked bluntly.

"I do. It feels like it did before." Sirius paused before looking away from Harry to Rebecca. "I told you this because I want you to know about those who paved the way for this resistance. If we don't remember whom and what we've lost, then there's nothing left to fight for."

Rebecca nodded, taking his words to heart. Harry handed Sirius back the photograph. "No, I want you two to keep it. I supposed you're the young ones (dudes?) now."

Moody knocked on the door to the sitting room they were in. Sirius stood up grunting, "Time to go. The boss man demands it." He turned back to a dog and accepted a quick pat from both of them before going to the door. Harry and Rebecca climbed the stairs behind Moody quickly, following him straight through the passageway to Platform 9 3/4s. The rest of their group was inside and jumped back into motion at their return.

"Rebecca." Harry whispered, staring in front of them and stopping in his tracks and grabbing her arm tightly, too tightly.

"Hey, Harry!" She said, looking away from the train and stopping next to him, her face paling rapidly.

Voldemort was in front of them, standing in a black suit in the walkway, craning his neck around as he stared directly at the two of them. In an instant, he was gone. "Harry, please!" She hissed, pulling her arm out of his grip and pulling her sleeve down over the red marks he'd left.

"That was him." He whispered, letting her drag him to where their group was saying their final goodbyes. "That was him."

Rebecca moved in front of him and made him look into her eyes. "Harry, we don't know what that was." He opened his mouth angrily, shutting it when she continued. "Harry!" She looked around. "We are in a very crowded station, we don't want to cause a panic."

Harry's eyes drifted around to the mothers and fathers saying goodbye to their first years, their innocent, young first years. Harry nodded and ran his hand through his hair quickly. "Okay. I'm okay now. You saw it too though, right?"

Rebecca nodded grimly. "Yes, I did."

"Harry? Rebecca?" Molly called. The Potter twins turned and made their way through the line of affection the others already had. Tonks patting the tops of their heads, Moody nodding at them, and then Arthur and Molly hugging them tightly. "Christmas will be here before we know it, okay?"

Rebecca nodded, "Yes, it will. You'll be okay, right?"

Molly laughed and pushed her towards the other kids. "You're not the one who's supposed to worry about me, love." Rebecca stepped back, taking another hug before Molly insisted she get on the train as Molly said into her ear, "How about this--I will be as okay as you are." 

"I will be more than okay then." Rebecca said, moving to Fred's side. "Bye!" The kids said in unison, stepping onto the Hogwarts Express and making their way down the hall of compartments.

Hermione and Ron stood awkwardly as the train doors closed behind them. "We've got to go to the prefects compartments first..."

Harry nodded, "That's fine! Rebecca and I'll find one and wait for you." 

Rebecca turned around and kissed Fred's cheek, "I'll find you when we arrive, alright love?"

He looked at her shocked. "Love? You can't call me love, I call you love!"

Rebecca giggled and walked back to Harry's side. "Fine. I'll see you there, darling."

Fred nodded sharply, "Yes, you shall. Callin' me love..." He said to George as they walked away. "...Who does she think she is?"

Harry and Rebecca made their way down to the farther end of the train where they found one, sole compartment completely empty. "Ah, heaven!" Rebecca sighed, tossing her backpack up onto the luggage racks and laying along the length of the bench. "I hate saying goodbyes."

Harry nodded, agreeing with her but saying nothing. They sat in comfortable silence a while, sometimes theorising about what had happened on the compartment, sometimes reading through a book or looking out the window. When Hermione and Ron made their way back to them, fully robed, they were filled with news.

"You'll never guess Slytherin's prefect!" Ron said loudly, plopping onto the bench where Rebecca's legs had been just barely giving her the chance to move them.

"Draco and Pansy." Hermione answered, sitting next to Harry.

They began to chat, Harry and Rebecca more withdrawn than Hermione and Ron were used to. "Something happen?" Hermione asked as the calls for the trolley lady began.

"I think a little chocolate will fix everything." Rebecca said, catching Harry's eye. Harry nodded and tossed a galleon to her, saying he was running to the toilet and asking for a chocolate wand.

"He's not sleeping well." Ron said after Harry'd left. "Did you know that?" 

Rebecca nodded. "Yeah, I did."

Hermione scoffed, "Like your any different! You talk all night long, tea or not!"

Ron looked at Rebecca, confused. "Why drink the tea then? I thought it was to keep you from talking."

Hermione shot Ron a look, thinking the question was insensitive. "Ron!"

Rebecca shook her head, "He can't be expected to remember everything with his new prefect badge weighing him down so heavily! The visions, Ronald. The tea's supposed to stop the visions."

Ron nodded, "Ahhhh, that's right."

"Supposed to?" Hermione asked concerned. "You haven't been having any, have you?"

"No. Just nightmares."

Hermione began to talk about what rules Rebecca was going to be expected to follow and Ron would have to enforce, both Rebecca and Ron tuning her out entirely. When the train's whistle blew to signal that they were nearly there, Rebecca hopped up and grabbed her bag. Harry had returned to their compartment earlier, but he'd rest his head against the window and closed his eyes for a brief nap during their travels.

"Harry? We're going to be there soon." Rebecca said, shaking his shoulder.

Harry woke up and stretched, grabbing his bag and following her. They entered the girls and boys toilets, both thinking and wondering about how the other felt after what had happened on the platform.

*******************************************

"FIRST YEARS OVER HERE!" Professor Grubbly-Plank shouted. Harry and Rebecca looked to each other at the same time.

"Where's Hagrid?" Hermione wondered.

"Potter!" Draco called from behind them, still getting off the train. Rebecca ignored the call, still looking around for Fred. "I'm surprised the Ministry let you two go!"

"Why?" Rebecca asked boredly. "Your father not pay enough of the judges?"

Draco ignored her and continued on. "Better enjoy it while you can. I bet there are two cells in Azkaban with your name on it."

Harry lunged forward, Ron catching his arms and pulling him back while Rebecca stepped in front of him and pushed him. "What'd I tell you? Complete nutters!" Draco scoffed to Crabbe and Goyle as they continued on their way.

"Just stay away from us!" Harry shouted after him. 

"It's only Malfoy." Ron said as he let go of Harry. "What do you expect?"

Rebecca looked at Ron, both of them silently expressing their concern over Harry's reaction. At the carriages, they watched the filled one ahead of them pull away. Cedric talking to Cho quietly as Cho shook her head repeatedly.

"Hi guys," Neville said, a exotic looking plant in his arm. 

"Hey, Neville. Good summer?" Rebecca asked out of politeness.

"Thanks for asking! It was great. First, my grandmother and I went on a herb tour of Spain. I think she's just happy I've found a magic I'm good at, but we got this awesome little guy..." Neville launched into an in-depth description of the plant he held.

"Bloody fucking hell!" Fred's voice shouted from behind them. George looked from the platform where he stood with Lee, but figured it was just a prank.

Rebecca shot around at his fearful tone, Harry jumping back as well. "Oh!" Rebecca gasped.

Rebecca's feet slid as she towards the forest, Fred running in front of her and pushing her. "Stay back!" Fred said.

Rebecca looked at the front of the carriage, seeing the skeletal, black horse-resembling creature. "What is that?" 

"Nothing's pulling the carriage," Hermione said. "It's pulling itself, like always."

Harry backed his way to the entrance to the carriage, never pulling his eyes away from the creature. "You're not going mad." A light voice trilled from aboard, a voice Rebecca faintly recognised. "I can see them, too. You're just as sane as I am."

Rebecca looked up at the voice from where she pushed her way in front of Fred, despite his asking her to stay behind him again. The girl had hair so blonde it was nearly white and was reading a magazine, although she held it upside down.

Fred grabbed Rebecca's hand and put her in the seat farthest from the front of the carriage. "Fred, please! Circulation is important!"

"Everyone, this is Loony-" Hermione's mouth opened and she shook her head quickly. "Luna Lovegood."

Rebecca tore her eyes off of the back of the creature's moving bones as it began to walk forward and tried to fix her blunder with a compliment. "What an interesting necklace!" Rebecca said cheerily.

"Thank you!" Luna said happily, her fingers tracing along the caps she'd strung along a ribbon. "Butterbeer caps." Luna looked back to her upside down magazine. "I'm hungry, I hope there's pudding."

"So no one's going to talk about that?" Fred whispered, pulling Rebecca closer. 

"Fred, it looks like its just doing its job." She looked up at him and placed a hand on his leg. "Are you alright? You're face is flushed."

She tried to place a hand to his forehead, but he just shook his head and closed his eyes. "That thing...That thing chills me to my bones."

Rebecca let out a loud, fake yawn. "You're tired too, Fred? You can put your head on me."

Fred, who normally would have been far too proud to close his eyes and hide like a child under their sheets, did exactly so. Rebecca put his hands under hers and let him 'sleep' until they'd arrived.

*******************************************

"Good evening, children." Dumbledore began from atop his podium, addressing the full Great Hall. "Now we have two changes in staffing this year."

The door behind the staff table opened, Professor Grubbly-Plank and the toad woman from the trial exiting and taking their seats. "Oh no!" Rebecca whispered.

"What?" Fred asked, leaning down and putting his chin on her shoulder.

"That's the toad woman I told you about, the one who sounds like a tyke!"

"...our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Dolores Umbridge."

"And the toad is now our professor. You think she remembers us?" Umbridge's eyes connected with Rebecca's, narrowing. "Damn, she does."

Fred pecked the corner of her jaw, "Maybe it will be better than we think?"

Umbridge cleared her throat annoyingly, interrupting Dumbledore. She lifted a pink handbag from the floor and placed in the table, revealing and identically pink skirt and shirt ensemble, topped off with a pink hat. "Bloody hell." Ron whispered as she walked around the staff table and took Dumbledore's podium.

"Thank you, Headmaster, for those kind words of welcome. And how lovely to see all our bright, happy faces smiling up at me." Rebecca took a glance at all the students behind her, not seeing a single smile or bright pair of eyes. "I'm sure we're all going to be very good friends."

George leaned over to Fred, "Yeah, that's likely."

The pink demon continued, "The Ministry of Magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be of vital importance. Although each headmaster has brought something new to this...historic...school," She looked to Dumbledore who bowed. "Progress for the sake of progress must be discouraged. Let us preserve what must be preserved, perfect what can be perfected, and prune practises that ought to be prohibited." She whispered the last word and smiled before walking back to her seat.

Dumbledore raised his hands and clapped, a few students following his example, but not many. Hermione looked back to Harry and Rebecca nervously. "You heard that, right?"

Rebecca shook her head, "Heard what? Her voice...it induced a momentary bout of amnesia."

Hermione rolled her eyes, not impressed by the joke at the seriousness that Umbridge's words revealed. "The Ministry is interfering at Hogwarts."

Hermione and Ron had to excuse themselves from their friends earlier than they would have before, prefects having to give the first years their guide back to the common room and the password. "Hermione, can I just have it now?" Harry asked, wanting to get to his room before everyone else, sensing their stares.

Hermione sighed, "It's not really allowed..."

"It's 'leo de virtute.'" Ron answered, ignoring Hermione's sigh. 

Harry pushed himself away from the table, weaving his way through the crowd and marching up the stairs to Gryffindor Tower. "Ron, we can't do that." Hermione began, her scolding fading away as Fred, George, and Rebecca were left at the table.

*******************************************

Harry was up in his bed when Dean and Seamus made their way into their room, Neville entering behind them. "Dean, Seamus," Harry said, nodding to both boys. "Good holidays?"

Dean shrugged, "Better than Seamus' anyway."

Harry looked to Seamus, sitting up in his bed. "Me mum didn't want me to come back this year."

"Why not?" Harry asked.

"Let me see--Because of you. Daily Prophet's been saying a lot of things about you, Harry. You, Rebecca, and Dumbledore as well."

"What, and your mum believes them?" Harry asked incredulously.

"Nobody else was with you and Cedric in the graveyard and he was unconscious." 

Harry bit his lip, clenching his hands. "I guess you should read the Prophet then, just like your stupid mother."

"Don't you dare talk about my mother like that!" Seamus roared.

Harry turned his chin up, "I'll have a go at anyone that calls me a liar."

Ron entered their room, catching the end of Seamus' rant. "He's mad, that's what's going on. Do you believe the rubbish he's come out with? The rubbish he's tricked Rebecca into saying about You-Know-Who?" Seamus turned to Ron, demanding an answer.

"Yeah, I do." Ron crossed his arms and took a step closer to Seamus, lowering his voice and towering over the short Irish boy. "And I suggest you not say another word about it."

Seamus left the room. "My mum doesn't get the Prophet, being a muggle and all." Dean said in the silence that grew, wishing Seamus hadn't blown up like that and feeling that he had to make up for his actions.

"My gran, she cancelled our subscription after she saw the lies they were saying about you and Dumbledore...and Rebecca." Neville added after a moment's consideration. "Don't listen to him."

Harry grabbed his pajamas and went into the bathroom, wondering how many people were going to fight with him. Wondering how many people he'd have to fight for them to realise Voldemort had returned.

*******************************************

"Yes?" Rebecca asked, opening her eyes at the sound of a throat clearing in front of the couch she, Fred, and George were sitting on, all three of them sitting with their heads back and their eyes closed after an exhausting evening of patrolling the common room for sales. "What, Lavender?"

Lavender scoffed at the change in tone as Rebecca saw who it was. "I was just wondering if you were getting any royalties."

"What are you going on about?" Rebecca asked, lifting her head.

"Royalties, for your spotlight in the Prophet." 

Rebecca rolled her eyes and put her hand up, stopping Fred from intervening, "Spell royalties for me and then I'll be offended by this...insult, it that's what we can call this." Rebecca closed her eyes and let her head fall back again.

"Why are you two even lying? What do you gain from it? Is it an attention thing after killing your muggle-mum?"

Rebecca's eyes shot open and she was to her feet in an instant. "What did you just say?"

"Your muggle-mum, so I was right."

Fred stood up and tried to grab her hand, tried to pull her away from Lavender who was quickly talking her way into a black eye. "Where did you hear that?" Rebecca demanded icily.

"The Prophet, don't you read it? You're the star, how could you not?" Lavender walked away at that, a trill giggle following her up the stairs. 

Ginny crossed the common room and bumped a second year boy at the bottom of the girls' so that he fell backwards, one of his feet stepping up a stair as he flung his arms out to catch himself. The stairs instantly turned into a slide, Lavender flying forward and smacking her face into the floor.

Rebecca ignored Lavender's crying and the uneasy laughter spreading around the common room. George reached over and grabbed a copy of the Prophet, glancing through that day's article and paling at the horrible words within.

"The Girl who Lived a Murderer?

Muggle news papers and a recently-exhumed death certificate report of an unexplained car accident resulting in the fatality of a Jane Robertson--Coincidentally, the muggle woman charged with the care of a then-teenage Rebecca Potter. Was this death actually accidental or was it simply the first step down the downward spiral the Potters find themselves on now? Read more on page 14A..."

Rebecca shook her head at the words, her vision spinning a moment before she felt herself consumed with an all-encompassing, border-line murderous rage. "I-" She started, unable to formulate a sentence in the haze taking over her brain. 

Rebecca pulled her arm from Fred's grasp, dropping the paper on the floor as she made her way to where Lavender was being comforted by Padma and Parvati. Fred followed close behind, fearing imminent violence. Rebecca lifted a foot and pushed Lavender back with it, stepping over her middle and holding her wand to the bloody-nosed girl before addressing the common room. "Jane--Jane was my caretaker when I was a small child." Fred watched Rebecca's anguish peak, her hands shaking as she held her wand tighter and fought the urge to whale on Lavender. "Jane died in a car accident, when she tried to reach back and buckle my seat in."

Rebecca turned back to Lavender and took her wand away, putting a hand on the floor next to the girl's head and bending her head down to hers. "Nothing more, nothing less. I hear you spreading these lies, this fiction, these falsehoods around? I will not stop next time."

Lavender watched Rebecca push herself to her knees, unable to stop herself from asking. "Stop what?"

Rebecca reached a hand out, Lavender taking it as Rebecca pulled her to her feet. Lavender never saw Rebecca's fist coming. "That." Rebecca launched her fist into Lavender's face and relished at the pain spreading through her hand, the physical pain distracting her from the pain ripping through at the perversion of Jane's memory.

Lavender fell right back to the floor she had been on before, holding her cheek as the tears began to fall again. Fred sucked in a quick breath as Hermione entered the common room, hurrying over to where the other Gryffindors were whispering and pointing. Punching Lavender did nothing to quell Rebecca's rage, instead it was like the energy had been tapped in her body, adrenaline racing and pushing to hit her again and again. Her brain telling her she wanted to feel Lavender's body as it cracked under her fists.

"Rebecca?" Hermione asked again, glancing to Fred nervously. George picked the paper up and slid it to Hermione. Hermione picked it up and skimmed it in seconds. "How did-Rebecca?"

Rebecca shook her head, clearing it. The rage was gone, like the water of the ocean as it disappeared before a tsunami: There one second, gone inexplicably the next. Rebecca looked over Hermione's shoulder, her eyes falling on Lavender who was cowering away from her and crying harder.

"I-I didn't...I'm not-..." Fred pulled Rebecca into his chest as Hermione turned to the other students.

"The common room is closed for the evening, prefects' orders. Make your way to your dormitories and prepare for bed. Classes start tomorrow."

The common room emptied quickly, the stragglers trying to stay and watch what would happen next. "She's getting written up, isn't she?" Lavender asked once at the top of the stairs, hoping it was far enough to be able to make it to her room before Rebecca would reach her.

"Disciplinary actions are a private matter, Lavender." Hermione said cooly. "Unless you'd like some of your own for instigating, I suggest you find your room."

Rebecca sat on the couch, staring at the back of her hand and the blood that had spattered onto it from Lavender's nose. "Rebecca?" Hermione asked, crouching down in front of her friend. Rebecca's eyes were wide and dilated to mere points.

"I didn't-I didn't mean to. I wanted to, but I wasn't going to." Hermione looked to Fred, her worry growing.

"Do I need to go get McGonagall?" George asked, moving to the portrait hole.

Fred shook his head at George, turning on the couch entirely and pulling Rebecca against him. "Hey, it's alright now. It's alright..." He continued to talk softly, smoothing the top of her head as Rebecca closed her eyes and searched within herself for a trace of the rage that had had its grip on her so severely, but couldn't.

*******************************************

Hermione and Rebecca walked up to their room later, Fred and George having walked them as they could go. Rebecca's mind felt...empty--numb almost--as she prepared for bed, not noticing the stinging of the water running down her knuckle-split hand. 

She stepped out of the shower, put on her pajamas, drank her tea in one go, and climbed into her bed. Never saying a word. Ginny and Hermione met in the bathroom after Rebecca's soft snores had filled the room. 

"What the hell was that?" Ginny asked. "That wasn't her."

Hermione shrugged, "Maybe it was though, maybe Lavender bringing up her past pushed her over the edge."

Ginny shook her head. "You weren't there for it. That wasn't her, I'm telling you."

The girls coordinated their schedules, making it so Rebecca wasn't left walking to a single class alone and hoping that would be enough to prevent any other worrisome events.

*******************************************

Tile floors.

Circle doorways.

Black doors.

Silver knobs.

Images passed through Harry and Rebecca's minds, momentary snippets as their bodies clenched and relaxed, as their mouths opened and closed in pained grunts. Their roommates slept on, unaware of what they were seeing.

A hand reached out, a long-fingered, long-nailed hand belonging only to Voldemort.

A door with a golden ornamental piece.

A setting sun.

An orb, fog swirling in its reflection.

A sweat broke out across Harry and Rebecca's bodies, a cold sweat.

"Children..." A voice hissed. 

One last image appeared, Voldemort himself staring directly at them.

Harry launched himself out of bed, gasping heavily. Rebecca, her body still trapped by the tea's effects, slept on fitfully.

*******************************************

Harry trudged down the stairs, rubbing his face before putting his glasses back on. Lavender was in the chair with Parvati patting a brush to her cheek, telling her to hold still and that it was hardly noticeable. Harry's stomach dropped, a sinking feeling telling him that Rebecca had something to do with the bruise covering in the common room.

Fred and George hopped down the stairs, looking at Lavender grimly. "She didn't...did she?" Harry asked slowly.

Fred and George nodded, explaining what had happened with the Prophet and what Lavender had said. "How'd the Prophet learn about that?" Harry asked, his mouth hanging open in shock at the violence she showed the night before and the images from the night before being forced to the back of his mind.

Fred shrugged, "The article said from some death certificate, but who knows really? They want to bring you two down and..."

George took over, "...they'll go to whatever lengths necessary."

Ginny walked down the stairs, her hands waving emphatically at Hermione as her voice raised. "What do you mean you won't excuse detentions?"

At the bottom of the stairs, Rebecca looked around the room, noticing Fred who stood from the bottom of the boys' stairs. Harry pushed his way past Fred and George, making his way to her first. "Are you okay? I just heard about last night, why didn't anyone get me?"

Ron agreed quickly, "Yeah, what's up with that? Giving someone a beating warrants a little warning!"

Rebecca looked up to Fred as Hermione told the two fifth year boys off for being so demanding. Fred raised his hand up and held it against her cheek, brushing his thumb across her cheek under her eye. "Ready for the day?"

She nodded, appreciating the fact that it seemed like he wasn't going to bring up the night before. "Yes, I am."

Hermione looked at the colourful piece of paper on the wall next to the portrait hole as they filed through, grabbing it and crumpling it up before shoving it in her bag. "No! No, no! This is absolutely not allowed!"

George grinned, looking back to her. "What isn't?" He and Fred stuck the posters they and Rebecca had worked on before they'd left Grimmauld Place, posters asking for first years who were looking to make a bit of coin by sampling their candies.

"Experimenting on students!" Hermione said, launching into a thrashing Molly would be proud of. George glanced at Rebecca and shrugged, laughing down the stairs and glad to see Rebecca's eyes lightening at their scolding. He and Fred had known Hermione would see that one, knew that she'd take it down and admonish them.

George remembered Fred's explanation as to why it was he was insistent on putting it so obviously. "She's going to want things to feel like normal--Hermione scolding us is the very definition of normal!"

"Damn," George thought. "He was right."

*******************************************

Angelina came up behind the breakfast-eating tables excitedly. "I have the date!"

"Just one? What, not a two-timer?" George asked cheekily.

Angelina ignored him and looked over Harry and Rebecca's faces, "You two not sleep well? You look ghastly."

"Thanks, Angelina. The date?" Rebecca said, looking to her blankly.

"Friday! Wood left captain to me and I managed to snag the first spot. You'll all be there, on time?"

Fred stared at her. "We have to tryout?"

Angelina sighed and glanced at the staff's table before answering quietly. "Special request from a certain new staff member, all members have to tryout. Don't worry though," Angelina straighten up and backed away. "Show up on time though, to set an example!"

Ginny sighed heavily, "Guess I'll be there. Team needs a new alternate Chaser with the last chump gone now."

"Chump?" Ron asked. "You're just mad they're not an opening."

Ginny turned to Ron and narrowed her eyes, "Oh yeah? So you're not going for out for Keeper?"

Ron shrugged, "Well, yeah I am. But it's different!"

As Ginny and Ron started to go at one another, Harry leaned closer to Rebecca. "Did you? Sleep alright that is?"

Rebecca looked at him and turned her face into a mask as she looked him over, seeing that he clearly didn't sleep long. "Fine. You?"

Harry nodded and turned back to his breakfast. "Fine."

When breakfast was through, Fred grabbed her bag before she could and held it up above his head before swinging it over his shoulder. "I've got Charms first, Transfiguration is right on the way."

Fred put his hand through hers and swung it lightly as they walked out of the Great Hall. "Ready to start? O.W.L.s this year and all."

Rebecca shrugged and grunted non-committedly. Fred slowed down and waved the others to keep going on. "Love, something's off."

"Fred...I'm just tired, okay?" She said, looking away from him.

Fred bit his bottom lip and leaned his head down so that it was in her sight. "That's okay too--Just know that you can talk to me if you need to."

Rebecca nodded and took a step back towards where the others congregated at the end of the hall. "You don't want to be late, either. N.E.W.T.s next year for you and George." Fred kissed her cheek before he and George left them for their own classes.

"What did she say?" George asked, his voice hushed as he and Fred made there way to the Charms classroom.

"She said she's fine, didn't sleep well." There was an undertone to Fred's voice that made George look to him.

"Was she lying?"

"I don't know."

*******************************************

"Oh, bloody hell." Ron whispered as McGonagall listed their homework assignments.

"No, this is not 'bloody hell,' Mr Weasley." McGonagall turned away from the board where her chalk was writing out the chapters for them to read by magic. "This is the year of your O.W.L.s. The exams that decided what classes you can take in preparation for you N.E.W.T.s in your seventh year that decide the course of your futures!"

Ron looked down, sheepish. 

"On the topic, you will all be taking part in career advising sessions throughout term. Now, as I had been saying previously, you will...."

Rebecca copied down the homework assignments, shocked at just how much there was an hoping that their other classes had less.

They didn't.

By the time their second class, lunch, and most of Herbology--their second to last class of the day--had passed, the fifth years were well-acquainted with the word 'homework.' Rebecca was just glad they didn't have Potions on the first day this year, not knowing she would grow to appreciate Potions over Defence Against the Dark Arts.

"Hey!" Rebecca walked on, heading back to class after using the bathroom before Herbology ended. "Wait a second!" The shouter panted, running down the hall to her.

She turned as the footsteps approached, a smile spreading across her face. "Cedric!"

He hugged her tightly, stepping away and grinning at her. "I tried to catch you earlier but I must have missed you. How are you?"

Rebecca's smiled faded at the question, still feeling not quite right internally after the night before. "I'm fine, I'm fine. How are you though? I'm so sorry I stopped writing at the end of the summer."

Cedric looked at her curiously, "My father said something he'd heard about an expulsion trial--I figured that had to have had something to do with it and knew I'd see you here."

"How did your summer go then?" Rebecca noted how Cedric's face lit up.

"It was splendid! Mum and dad kept me in the house and under their watch pretty much constantly, but we spent a lot of time doing the things with each other we'd stopped making time for."

"The puzzles." Rebecca asked, remembering the the bits of his memories she'd seen when she was bringing him back.

Cedric tilted her head at her. "Yeah, we really like jigsaw puzzles...How'd you know that?"

"I saw it. Last year, when...you know..."

Cedric's face grew serious. "Really? What else did you see?"

Rebecca's eyes grew distant. "The puzzles with your family, you and your father near a lake, maybe? And your friends in Hufflepuff. I think I see what a person has to come back to." She shook her head and pointed down the hall. "I'd love to stay and chat but I've got to head back to class."

Cedric put his hand out to hers arm, catching her as she walked away, "I do too, stepped out of Charms. I just wanted to say that...I'm sorry. For what the Prophet's been saying. For what some people are saying. That I've just been swept under the rug."

Rebecca nodded, not sure what to say and feeling bubbles of anger pass through her at his pitiful tone and the unwanted, sympathetic contact. "Don't be sorry, be thankful." She said at last, turning and walking away quickly.

She made it back to Herbology as the first reverberations of the end-of-hour bell met the greenhouses and grabbed her bag before joining Harry, Hermione, and Ron at the door to get to their last class of the day: Defence Against the Dark Arts.

*******************************************

<3


	76. Chapter 76

Harry and Rebecca took the two seats in front of Ron and Hermione after entering the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom, Umbridge nowhere to be seen. Lavender looked at Rebecca nervously, taking small glances out of the corner of her eye while Rebecca tried to ignore the looks from the other fifth year Gryffindors who had been in the common room last night.

Padma took a little bird she'd folded out of parchment and enchanted it to fly, sending it in a wide circle around the room. One of the Slytherin girls blew as she looked up at it so that the bird got more height and continued on. Seamus jumped up to whack it. Dean frowned at him disapprovingly, Seamus grabbing his hand under the desk as an apology. Neither boy was ready to put whatever it was they'd discovered between them under the scrutiny of the public eye--they satiated themselves with private bouts of hand-holding or discreet caresses. 

Crabbe turned his quill into a slingshot, the only spell he'd ever totally mastered in his time at Hogwarts, and shot at it. Rebecca scoffed as the paper bird's wing was torn, sending it in a loopy spiral.

Then, sending the students into shocked gasps, the bird ignited and fell back onto Padma's desk as a pile of ash. Professor Umbridge smiled that constipated-toad smile of hers as the students all turned to the entrance of the classroom where she appeared.

Hermione watched Rebecca roll her eyes as she saw she wore another outfit entirely made out of different shades of pink. "Good morning, children." Professor Umbridge intoned in her high-pitched voice, walking to the front of the room and waving her wand at the chalkboard. "Ordinary Wizarding Level Examinations. O-W-L's. More commonly known as O.W.L.s."

Some of the other students around the room scoffed at how she spoke down to them, her tone similar to one that someone would take when talking to a toddler. "Study hard and you will be rewarded. Fail to do so, and the consequences may be severe." Professor Umbridge smiled as she lifted her shoulder at the word 'severe' and waved her wand at the stacks of books behind her. 

The books raised and slowly moved around the room, one ending up in front of each student as she preempted the lesson with an explanation. "Your previous instruction in this subject has been disturbingly uneven. But, you'll be pleased to know you'll be following a carefully-structured, Ministry-approved course of defensive magic."

Rebecca read the cover dumb-founded. "Dark Arts Defence: Basics for Beginners." Hermione flipped through the book quickly, skimming the index and raising her hand. Professor Umbridge gave her permission to speak. "There's nothing in here about using defensive spells."

"Using spells?" Professor Umbridge chuckled like Hermione had just asked when they would be mating with trolls. "I can't imagine why you would need to use spells in my classroom."

Ron lifted his book and held it in front of him like it was a soiled quidditch jersey. "We're not going to be using any magic?"

Harry looked at Rebecca a moment before turning to Umbridge who was explaining. "You will be learning about defensive spells in a secure, risk-free way."

"What's the use in that?" Harry asked, not raising his hand and his tone insolent. "If we're going to be attacked, it won't be risk-free."

Umbridge turned away and marched back to the front of the class. "Students will raise a hand when they speak in my class."

Rebecca snorted, "Does it have to be our own?"

Umbridge turned and looked down at her. "What?"

The classroom began to giggle softly. "You said," Rebecca raised the pitch of her voice in an uncharacteristically impression close to the source material. "'Students must raise a hand,' not that we must raise our own hand."

Umbridge raised a hand and silenced the growing laughter. "It is the view of the Ministry that a theoretical knowledge will be sufficient to get you through your examinations, which, after all, is what school is about."

Rebecca reached over and grabbed Harry's wrist and raised it for her hand that had to be raised to speak. "How's theory supposed to prepare us for what's out there?"

"There is nothing out there, dear. Who do you imagine would want to attack children, like yourself."

Harry tore his hand from her grasp, scowling as his eyes flashed darkly behind his glasses. "Oh, I don't know..." He acted like he thought for a second before answering cynically, "Lord Voldemort, for one."

The students in the class looked away from Harry and down at their books at the Dark Lord's name being spoken. Umbridge froze, her eyes glossing over the students in the class slowly as she stepped forward. "Now let me make this quite plain." She started her way down the aisle between the desks. "You have been told that a certain dark wizard is at large once again. This...is...a...lie."

Harry shook his head as she stopped next to his desk. "It's not a lie! I saw him! I fought him!"

"Detention Mr Potter!"

Rebecca stared at Umbridge as Rebecca joined in. "So what, the witches and wizards going missing and showing up dead are all of their own accord?"

Umbridge tore her eyes away from hers, shouting. "Enough! Detention for you too, Miss Potter!" Umbridge took a breath before smoothing her hair and addressing the class calmer. "Just because your previous instruction was handled poorly by a dangerous half-breed-"

Rebecca slammed her hands against her desk and threw herself to her feet, her heart starting to race as it had with Lavender. She pointed at Umbridge as she shouted, "Professor Lupin was the greatest Defence Against the Dark Arts professor this school has ever seen! You stand in his place as a mockery of him!"

Umbridge's face pinkened, slowly matching her blouse. "Twenty points from Gryffindor for your outburst." Umbridge accio-ed a pad of paper decorated with kittens and wrote on it quickly. "Here, you and Mr Potter have earned yourself a trip to your head of house where you'll be dealt with appropriately."

Rebecca grabbed her bag and tore the note out of her hands, leaving her book untouched at her desk. Harry rolled his neck as he stood up and grabbed his own bag, ignoring the concerned looks of Hermione and Ron. He couldn't be bothered with them right that second, he could feel the crunchy feeling taking over his brain--the feeling that is head was a crystal that was being tapped with a hammer lightly, waiting to see how much pressure it could withstand before shattering into a million, irreparable pieces.

On his way out the door behind Rebecca, he closed the door loudly and ran his hands through his hair roughly, leaving it slightly on end. She tried to focus on putting one foot in front of the other to distract herself from the obscene images of imagined-violence flitting about her head. 

"How is anyone going to be prepared when Voldemort comes if we're learning theories instead of spells? Instead of practise?" Harry demanded as Rebecca gave Professor McGonagall the note.

McGonagall unfolded the note and shook her head, "Potter, nothing is ever quite that simple. You know that. Surely, by now?"

Rebecca spoke, leading the conversation away from Harry's rebuke. "But what are we to do, professor? Watch idly?"

Professor McGonagall nodded, "Yes! Exactly! You both need to get a hold over yourselves before this grows any more troublesome. She's not just here as a professor, children." McGonagall leaned closer. "She's here on behalf of the Ministry. Her position will lead to trouble for you, particularly if rumours of a common-room-based beat down persist."

Rebecca's cheeks burnt as McGonagall revealed that she knew about Lavender. "You didn't-You couldn't know what she said."

McGonagall leaned back in her chair and waved, "Enlighten me then!"

"She said that I murdered her!" Rebecca cried out, turning away from the professor and Harry and facing the windowed wall. "She said that I murdered Jane just like I was told every day, because the blasted Prophet said so." Rebecca put her hand in her face, not crying, but needing to put her hands against flesh before she smashed something. McGonagall stood and went to her as Harry did the same.

"The Prophet is filled with lies." McGonagall said forcefully, looking at both Harry and Rebecca. "It has become nothing more than a glorified gossip column. But this? Reacting like this to what's said within its pages? You're giving it power." 

Rebecca uncovered her face and looked up at McGonagall as the woman continued. "I hardly know what's become of you two this year, but I know I don't like it. I know you can be better. You are better."

McGonagall went back to her desk and grabbed the note, waving it as she revealed what was inside. "You're both to report to her office tonight and every night this week."

Harry looked up quickly, "We've got quidditch tryouts on Friday!"

"Perhaps you two should thing about things like that before you get yourselves in situations like this!" McGonagall said with an air of finality, motioning for them to leave.

*******************************************

"Good evening." Professor Umbridge said smugly as she gestured to the two desks she'd set up in front of hers in her office. Rebecca looked around in disgust, the walls coated in pink, fluffy wallpaper and meowing cats lined up around the room.

"Good evening, professor." Harry choked out, having lost against Rebecca in their battle against who had to be the one to ask for a modification of their scheduled punishment. "About our detentions..."

"You'd like to be let off for the final day--Friday--so you can go to your quidditch tryout." Umbridge finished, lifting her teacup to her mouth and sipping it.

Harry was shocked. "Yes, exactly."

"No."

Rebecca squinted at her, Harry repeating her answer. "No?"

Umbridge nodded, "No. Perhaps missing out on something that matters to the both of you will remedy those attitudes!" Umbridge reached into the drawer beside her and took out two quills and two scrolls of parchment. "You're going to be doing some lines for me today."

Harry fumed in his desk, Rebecca's anger growing exponentially. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to send herself to somewhere else. "Think...think...Perhaps we're up in Fred and George's room...Potion's going, candy wrappers being filled...It's nice...It's cal-"

"Miss Potter! Daydreaming hardly necessitates a punishment!" Umbridge spoke loudly from behind her. She placed one of the black quills and a parchment in front of her before moving to Harry and explaining their punishment. "You're going to write...'I must not tell lies.'"

"How many times?" Harry demanded.

"Let's say...as long as it takes for the message to sink in."

Rebecca picked up the quill and looked over their desks. "You haven't given us any ink."

"You won't need any ink." Umbridge said, turning and smiling out the window. Harry and Rebecca rolled their eyes at each other before putting the quills against the parchment and beginning to write.

The twins watched as the words they wrote onto the parchment came out in red ink, dark red ink. Harry hissed, watching his handwriting appear on the back of his hand and glancing at Rebecca who was staring at the back of her hand.

"Is there something either of you wishes to say?" Umbridge asked, turning away from the window and walking between their desks.

Rebecca looked up from her hand and cocked her head to the side. "Nothing at all."

"That's right." Umbridge bent down at her. "You know that deep down you deserve to be punished, don't you Miss Potter?" Rebecca grit her teeth, saying nothing else. "Go on then, keep writing."

Rebecca and Harry suffered on in silence, the blood pooling on the backs of their hands and dripping down their hands long before Umbridge decided they were done.

*******************************************

When Umbridge released them, Harry and Rebecca knew they couldn't return to the common room and face their friends as they were: Pale faced and bloody-handed. Rebecca followed Harry into the boy's room without complaint. At line 25, his hand stopped burning and turned into a dull throb, each letter further on bringing the pain higher and higher up his arm until it felt that his very brain was being engraved with the words.

Rebecca turned on the cold water and braced herself, gripping the marble sink and plunging her hand into the softly-spraying stream. "Bloody hell!" She hissed, the water running of her brown. She closed her eyes and tried to breathe through the pain, grabbing some soap and rubbing it onto the sides of her hands where the blood had crusted and wouldn't rinse off. Touching even the sides of her hand sent pins of pain up her arm.

Harry was in a similar position at the sink next to her, grunting in pain as he finally turned the water off and looked at himself in the mirror. He wasn't pale, not any more. The pain had brightened his cheeks and he wiped away the tears that had unwillingly welled in his eyes away before Rebecca looked up and asked for a paper towel. She patted her hand dry gingerly before letting her robe sleeve go over it.

They walked to the common room in silence, neither planning on telling the others what had happened. As the portrait hole swung open, Hermione turned away from Ron and his begging. "Please, I've been studying for these O.W.L. prep assignments for hours!"

"Fine, I'll do the introduction. That's all." Hermione smiled lightly, enjoying his compliments that followed.

"Honestly, Hermione you're the most wonderful person I've ever met." Ron put his head back against the couch and closed his eyes in relief.

Harry and Rebecca stayed together, watching as Fred and George looked up from the first year they were finishing their transaction; the happy boy walking away with a full Skiving Snackbox. 

Hermione patted the couch between her and Ron, wanting to know if asking about Friday's rescheduling had gone well and hoping they'd be more talkative than they had been. It felt like ages since the last time she had had a conversation with either of them, despite the fact that dinner had only been a few hours ago. 

Harry sat and folded his hands in his lap, tucking the back of his detention-injured hand under his other one. "So? Friday?"

Harry scowled. "No, she says that missing out on something that matters to us is an additional punishment."

Ron groaned, "Bollocks, mate! Here's the Transfiguration homework, hope it helps." Ron leaned closer and whispered. "It's for you too, Rebecca."

"I can hear you Ron, I would have made sure hers was finished anyway." Hermione said with an eye roll. "Did you really think I wouldn't be able to hear you?" 

Fred and George made their way to where they were, leaning over the back of the couch and putting their heads on either side of Rebecca's. Harry grabbed the homework and held it up as he skimmed it over, not thinking about his hand.

"What's wrong with your hand?" Hermione asked instantly.

Harry tried to play dumb and held out his opposite hand. "Not that one, your other hand!" Hermione grabbed it and turned it over, seeing the fresh cuts and the words they spelt out. "You've got to tell Dumbledore."

"No." Rebecca said. "Dumbledore's got enough on his mind right now, he doesn't need the two of his whinging at him as well."

Fred reached his hand out and grabbed Rebecca's wrist, turning her hand so that her hand's injuries were revealed as well. "I'll go myself then, especially if you won't. No one gets to do this to you!"

"No!" Harry insisted. "We're not giving Umbridge the satisfaction."

Rebecca stood up from the couch and walked away, Fred following behind her and talking in hushed tones.

"The woman is torturing you two!" Ron said to Harry, his anger rivalling Fred's. Hermione watched Ron as he continued on in a new light, a more mature, protective light. "If the parents knew about this-"

"We haven't got any of those, now do we, Ron?"

George shook his head and pointed at Harry, grabbing Ron's arm to try and calm him down. "That's not true and you know it, don't be a prat. If Rebecca heard you say that she'd-"

"What? She'd what?" Harry challenged, looking around and seeing that Fred was gesturing angrily and talking to her across the common room.

The group fell into a tense silence, a silence broken by Hermione a few moments later. "You've got to report this. It's perfectly simple, you're being-"

"No, it's not. Hermione, whatever this is, it's not simple." Harry rolled the parchment up. "You don't understand."

Hermione was taken aback. "Then help us too!"

Harry shook his head, leaving the two of them on the couch and marching up the stairs to his room. Rebecca shook her head at Fred as he repeated his insistence at reporting Umbridge. "Fred!" He looked at her expectantly. "I'm not reporting anything! It doesn't even hurt, okay?"

Fred grabbed her hand and held it up to the light, even the slight turning of her hand making the fresh cuts smart. "You're lying to me! Why are you doing this?"

Rebecca yanked her hand back. "No, why are you doing this? Just leave me be, Fred! I'm not an infant!"

Fred crossed his arms, "No, you're so grown up you're letting a professor torture you--a professor abuse you---and you won't do anything for fear of what, exactly? Afraid of coming across as weak?" 

Rebecca stepped towards him and narrowed her eyes up at him. "I'm afraid of nothing." She said before turning away from him and pausing a moment. "I would trust your judgement enough, were this you."

Fred caught her other hand and pulled her back to him. "That is a lie and you know it. You'd never watch someone hurt me, just as I won't you."

"What choice do you have, Fred? I'm not going to back down from a few little cuts, from a little bit of pain. This is nothing!"

Fred shook his head, "You're going to make me watch on? Watch on, stay silent, and do nothing as you're hurting? Is that something you'd be able to do if our roles were reversed?"

Rebecca pulled her other hand from his and walked up the stairs, not saying another word because she knew he was right. "I'm not reporting this. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to bed."

Fred watched her walk away and stop at the first stair where she stopped and walked back to him. "Good night. I love you." She said softly, her voice no longer having the edge it had before.

Fred put his hands on her shoulders and bent down. "I love you, too. Do you still have that salve from when you burnt your fingers?" She shook her head, having given it to one of the younger Gryffindor girls who'd needed it after a class with Blast-Ended Skrewts that singed her leg. "I'll get some more then. Rebecca," He waited until she met his eyes before continuing. "Promise me that if it gets worse you'll report it."

She stared into his eyes, seeing the concern, the worry. He watched something inside of her change, like a switch had been flipped as she muttered, "I'll do as I deem fit." Before going up the stairs at last.

Fred walked back to where Harry had left the others in similar states of confusion. "What is happening to them?" Hermione asked. "To us? They don't keep things from us, not usually."

George moved closer to Ron so that Fred could take a seat on the couch and sighed. "I think it's the damn Prophet. It's certainly not helping anything. at least."

Fred nodded sharply. "And Umbridge. I certainly can't wait for our first class with her tomorrow now."

Ron looked away from the fire quickly, "Don't go doing anything nutty. They've said what they've said, no one's reporting this for them."

"How can you say that?" Hermione looked between them all. "How can we sit here and watch?"

"Because that's what they've asked us to do." Fred said in the silence that came after her question. 

*******************************************

"Both of you!" Angelina cried at breakfast. "How am I supposed to have tryouts if two members of my team are off serving detention?"

Harry tried to explain, "I asked if it could be rescheduled, she said no."

"You two need to pull it together, do you understand me? I'm in charge of the team now. We're defending the cup! We need to be on the same page and certainly not off on a crusade that's costing points!"

Harry and Rebecca looked down as Angelina gave them a verbal thrashing, apologising when she'd paused to take a breath. Angelina turned and left them, though not before pointing at Fred and George, who were walking to the table, and telling the two of them they'd better not do anything stupid to land themselves in detention too.

Fred lay a tin in front of them discreetly. "For pain and avoiding infection." He said softly, happy that Rebecca opened it and put a thin layer on the back of her hand that somehow hurt more that morning than it had the night before.

Harry put the salve on after her, the shiny substance soothing and cooling. "Thank you." Rebecca said before putting the lid back on and reading it's words. Stubborn Salve: Soothes even the most stubborn people with a mixture of magic and care. "Did you two make this last night?" She asked, looking between Fred and George.

George shook his head. "No, not just the two of us at least."

Hermione beamed happily as Harry and Rebecca looked across the table, Ron smiling similarly before clarifying. "We had nothing to do with the name, that was all them."

Fred and George looked around for who they were talking about. "Who? Not us, our marketing master had already retired for the night."

Rebecca smiled and took another bite of her breakfast, Hermione pulling another flyer out of her bag and sliding it across the table to the three of them, telling them that she was going to enchant the next one to read that they were offering homework assistance.

Harry put Angelina's words behind him and listened to his friends chatting, ignoring the pit inexplicably growing in his stomach and trying to find comfort in their presence.

*******************************************

Professor Grubbly-Plank was trying to gauge what creatures they'd gone over the year before. A few students at the front of the group talked with her, telling her about the last year's curriculum while Draco stood in the back and boasted loudly.

"My father says even if that dull oaf returns from his leave, he's apt to get sacked straight away!"

Rebecca turned to tell him off for bad mouthing Hagrid, but Ron stepped to the side and blocked her view of him. "You don't want to do this, not with Malfoy."

Hermione watched Harry's jaw clench. "Harry?" Hermione asked, putting her arm through his and holding him in place. "Hagrid wouldn't want you to do this."

Harry rolled his head slowly, the muscles in his neck bulging as his body straightened.

Ron put a hand on Rebecca's shoulder, turning her back to the front of the class and leaving it there as he hoped the reminder that he was there for her would calm her down. When Professor Grubbly-Plank finally decided what they would be working on first, Rebecca and Harry had fought their pounding hearts back into a normal pace and followed along, their minds sharpened by anger and their thoughts whirling about.

*******************************************

Friday's detention brought an end to Rebecca and Harry's sentencing, both of them having managed to contain any outbursts at Umbridge's theoretical, and consequently useless, classwork.

"I hope that that this will serve as a reminder for you two." Umbridge smiled smugly as she dismissed them. "One mustn't tell lies after all."

Harry and Rebecca left her office, cradling their hands once the door shut behind them. They'd made a routine for after her detentions they stuck to religiously: They stopped at the bathroom and washed their hands gingerly. Then, they would made their way back to the common room on the longest, most scenic route they could, talking to each other in hushed tones.

Harry looked at her as they began their ascent up the flights of stairs. "I think you could stand to spend some time out of your room."

"That's rich!" Rebecca laughed creully. "You've hardly spent a minute outside your room, why should I?"

"Because we're different!" Harry answered loudly. "Because everytime you go up to your room without a word, Fred sits there like you'd slapped him!"

Rebecca looked away, "Well, I don't know why. I've seen the way the others look at me, look at us. After Lavender especially...Harry, they treat me like a lunatic. A deranged, dangerous nutter. You know the other girls go back into their rooms if they're in the hallway when I leave in the morning?" Rebecca shook her head slowly. "I'm keeping Fred from associating with a monster."

Harry stopped and grabbed her robe's sleeve, forcing her to turn and look at him. "You're being an idiot." Rebecca felt her anger grow, settling over her mind like a dark red fog as he continued to scold her. "A true and total idiot. What's it you've told me so many times before? 'Get my head out of my arse?' Take a page from your own book and sit downstairs this evening."

She pulled her hand from his and shoved him forcefully, his head thumping against the wall. "Harry! I'm sorry!" She said immediately, her hands shooting to her mouth as she shook her head. "I'm so sorry!"

Harry righted himself, pummeling his own rage into submission before answering. "I'm fine, it's not a big deal."

"I just-I didn't mean to." She said softly, Harry righting his glasses and motioning for her to continue to walk.

"Rebecca!" He said sharply, silencing her next apology. "It was a shove, not a murder. Just stop already."

He stepped through the portrait hole, Rebecca following and wiping the back of her hand off on her robes. The fresh cuts opened when she'd shoved Harry, starting to sting and bleed lightly. They walked to where Angelina waved them over. "I owe you two an apology. I shouldn't have been so hard on you two, it's just...Oliver was a great captain, he left behind a lot to step up too."

Harry and Rebecca looked at her as Angelina threw her arm around Ron as he walked by and grinned madly. "But, nothing to fear. Gryffindor's got a new keeper! Practise starts next week. I trust there won't be anymore detentions and you'll be there?"

Rebecca nodded, "There won't be."

"We'll be there." Harry said afterwards.

Angelina left them to congratulate Ron, going to other seventh years and spreading the news. "Congratulations!" Rebecca said, trying to put as much enthusiasm as she could into her voice.

Ron beamed, "Thanks! Hermione! Come tell them how well you said I did!"

Hermione rolled her eyes but retold his tryout as asked, Fred and George pulling Rebecca away as soon as she'd finished. "Want to make some rounds?" George asked. All three of them had been selling the snackboxes when they could, but the other students made a point of only purchasing from Fred or George, never Rebecca. 

The Prophet continued to spit lies about Rebecca's past that they claimed 'had been found in muggle records.' So far she had been responsible for three muggle bank robberies, a horse theft, and, repeatedly reported about, the death of Jane.

"Do you two just want to play a game of Exploding Snap?" She offered, hoping they would.

"Sure!" Fred said quickly, jumping on the opportunity to spend time with her after days of her going straight to her room after detention.

She followed the boys upstairs, ignoring Harry's eyes watching her. "About time." He muttered as they disappeared down the hall.

"What? Are you two in a row?" Ron questioned curiously.

Harry didn't answer and stared into the fire, Hermione filling the silence with talk of S.P.E.W. and its revival. "Your mother, Ron, actually helped me a lot over the summer. She's given me some yarn and I've nearly got enough hats done to start leaving them for the houselves."

"You're knitting?" Ron asked bewildered. "Hermione, you're fifteen, not fifty."

"It's a noble craft that provides useable materials!" 

"No, it's what old women do to fill the time!"

Harry winced, their arguing growing louder. A line of heat ran through his scar, accompanied by a horrible, horrible thought of throwing them both off of the couch. "What the hell, Harry!" He scolded himself. "What's the matter with you?"

Upstairs, Fred pulled out the cards and spread them around, all three of them sitting cross-legged on the floor of their dorm. George spoke was speaking in rhyme, Fred joining him a moment later. They continued on until George said the word 'orange' and they were stuck.

"Pourange?" George offered before the card he grabbed blew up in his hand. 

The pop made them all jump, Rebecca laughing at the soot across his cheeks. Fred found himself relieved just hearing her laugh, a sound he hadn't heard since term had started earlier that week.

George jumped up and went into the bathroom, grumbling about how his eyebrows had better still be there. Fred put his cards down and turned slightly, facing her head on and grabbing her hands in his. "At least your detentions done, right?"

She looked away as Fred lifted her hand and frowned. 

"Did you use the salve tonight?"

"No, not yet."

Fred reached one arm behind him and grabbed a second tin off of his desk. "We whipped up another batch last night so you and Harry could have your own. No need to come up and use his."

He twisted the tin open and put a dab on his finger, looking at her for permission to put it on her. She nodded, giving it to him. He traced over the words the way a butterfly's wings brush against a flower as it lands, with the utmost usage of caution and carefulness. Rebecca closed her eyes, the salve's effects noticeable instantly.

"Thank you." She said softly as he put the lid on and handed it to her. "I'm sorry."

Fred shook his head. "Are we okay?"

Rebecca looked at him a long moment. "I don't know." Behind the bathroom door, George clapped his hand to his mouth as she elaborated. "Fred, you were there on Monday. You saw what I did."

"What? You punched a bully. You hit someone who was instigating it, who deserved it!"

"That's not the problem!" Rebecca shouted, flinching at her own tone. "That's not the point." She had to look away from him. "I didn't want to stop. I wanted to hit her again and again. How can we be okay if I could do that?"

"But you didn't. You didn't. You warned her what would happen if she said that again. You're not giving yourself enough credit. That's more than most people could have done!" Fred turned her hands over in his, rubbing the back of her non-marked hand. "Love, I don't care that you hit her."

"You should." Rebecca's voice cracked, the tears welling in her eyes as she put her feelings into the air in front him plainly. "I don't know how you can look at me the same."

Fred let go of her hands and cupped her face, wiping away the escaping tears with his thumbs. "Rebecca, how could I not look at you the same? You're still the same person that I love. You feel things deeply, it's one of your greatest qualities. When you could just be happy, you're ecstatic. When you could be brave, you're heroic. No one on earth would have acted differently than you did. I hope this isn't why you've been so distant, because you thought I'd think of you differently."

Her lip quivered as she nodded. Fred pulled her into his chest, letting her legs hang off the side of his lap as he smoothed the side of her head and he lowered his voice. George looked around the bathroom quickly, furious and telling himself he was going to put a set of Extendable Ears in there the second he had an opportunity. "Oh, my silly love. What am I to do with you?"

*******************************************

They were gliding over the black and white tiles again, together. Harry's body jerked while Rebecca's stayed still, the only change being her hands gripping her blankets tighter. The dream was just like the first one, strange bits of a dark hallway and crystal balls.

"Come...to me..." A voice whispered, sounding like it was coming from their mouths. "Join...me..."

Rebecca's eyes flitted behind her eyelids, the images changing to different views of a crystal ball on a shelf. "You will...join...or die..." The voice said softly before rising into a scream that echoed in their heads. "JOIN!"

Harry shot up in his bed coated in sweat like he had been every night. His roommates had gotten used to it, Ron being the only one to still notice. Ron sat up and looked at him. "Mate?"

"Don't." Harry said, standing up and going into the bathroom, closing the door behind him and laying on the cool tile floor, letting his eyes close a while later.

Across the tower, Rebecca was still asleep. The tea kept her from instigating a glimpse into the future, but not from whatever was happening now. She and Harry refused to admit to the other their dreams, despite the fact that they both could feel the other's presence when it happened. 

*******************************************

<3


	77. Chapter 77

Harry sat in the common room Saturday morning, a blank piece of parchment in front of him and a quill in hand. Only Hermione and Rebecca sat near him when they came down from the stairs, the rest of the common room congregating by the fire opposite the room.

"Morning, Harry." Hermione said, looking at the parchment. "Whom to?"

Rebecca watched Harry's eyes flash at the intrusion. He looked around, "Padfoot." He answered softly.

"Why?" Rebecca demanded, wanting to know if he was going to admit his scar had been paining him as hers had.

"I..." He gave up, it had hardly been a week, but he missed them telling each other things and decided to be the first to share. "My scar has been bothering me and I wanted an update on what the Order's found."

Hermione looked at the two of them. "Your has been too, hasn't it?" 

Rebecca looked away. "Maybe."

"This is the kind of thing you should have told us!" Hermione lowered her voice. "But you can't write to Padfoot. If your owl gets intercepted...it could mean information falling into the wrong hands. Why don't you two go see Dumbledore?"

The twins shook their heads, Rebecca having an idea. "I may have a solution. Write your letter, I'll send it with mine to Fleur." Rebecca waved the letter she had in hand.

Harry looked at her, "I don't need Fleur. I want to talk to Si-Padfoot."

Rebecca narrowed her eyes. "I figured, twit. Fleur works with Bill, that's how she got her letter to me in the first place. Bill can always bring that to where you want it to get."

Harry put his head back to his parchment and began to write, shielding his words from the girls and tuning out Hermione and Rebecca's ensuing conversation. He focused as he tried to think of how to word his message vague enough that it couldn't be understood even if it was intercepted.

"Padfoot,

I hope you're alright. It's starting to get colder here. Winter is coming. In spite of being back at Hogwarts, it doesn't feel like it normally has. I feel alone, more so than ever, I think. I know you will understand. Even Rebecca and I, we're off. She's keeping things from me, things we never would have before. But, I'm closing myself off to her as well. The Prophet isn't helping. We cancelled our subscription as soon as we'd gotten here, after they started to latch onto her past.

I don't care about what they say about me. I wish they'd focus back on me, in fact. I don't think Rebecca's as okay as she's saying. Fred's noticed she's off too. I think I know what to do about her, and I know you'd agree with me because I'm only doing for her what she's done for me: I'm going to put her first.

As much as I'm certain you like to read about that nonsense, I do write for a more legitimate reason. Lightning's been striking near the castle every night, both sides of the tower. We weren't sure if you knew anything about any strange weather making its way about or what causes lightning bolts.

Harry."

Harry folded the parchment and stuck it in the envelope, looking to Rebecca and sticking his letter in his back pocket. "Would you like to go on a walk?"

Rebecca took the proverbial olive branch he was extending. "Yes, I think I would."

Hermione smiled at Rebecca, shaking her head as Rebecca asked if she'd like to join them. "You two go on, I've got a problem to deal with."

"What could you have to deal with this early on a Saturday?" Harry asked confused.

Hermione pointed over their shoulder, yet another sign for test subjects having appeared. "Rebecca, I suggest you get going before tweedle-dee and tweedle-dum come down. This is going to get ugly."

*******************************************

They planned on swinging by the Owlery on their way back from wherever they ended up. "Touch of a chill, isn't there?" Rebecca asked as they stepped out of the castle's doors and made their way down the path to Hagrid's Hut.

Harry nodded, "Colder earlier than it normally is."

The weather having been discussed, the twins walked in pensive silence until they stopped at Hagrid's door. "You think he's okay, wherever he is?"

Harry thought it over before answering. "I do, I really do."

Rebecca sighed, "That's good enough for me then."

"What's happened this week?" Harry asked, turning to the forest towards the lake and pointing.

She nodded, stepping towards the forest with him. "I don't know Harry. Maybe all this has just been us getting back into the swing of things. Umbitch doesn't help though. Foul, miserable, pink toad."

Harry stepped to the side so that he was walking closer to her, agreeing with her description of the pink hell they'd come to know Defence Against the Dark Arts to be. "I know. But...I also think part of this, for you at least, is about the Prophet."

Rebecca's face shut off like she'd put a mask on, no emotions shown. "It's not. It doesn't matter what they publish, they're all liars."

"I know," Luna's voice called out from the clearing ahead of them. "I never read the Prophet. They put out an issue a few years ago 'disproving' nargles. Haven't read them since."

Rebecca and Harry's heads shot towards the voice, seeing the strange Ravenclaw barefoot and petting one of the skele-horses that pulled the carriage.

"What?" Harry asked, confused.

"What are you doing all the way out here, Luna?" Rebecca asked, looking at her bare feet and shrugging her jumper off instantly. "Aren't you cold?" 

Luna didn't look away from the horses face as Rebecca put the jumper over her shoulders. "A bit. All of my shoes have mysteriously disappeared." Luna turned and leaned closer, whispering conspiratorially. "I suspect nargles are behind it."

Harry and Rebecca watched as the horse-creature shook its shoulders, wings unfurling slightly, and walked away. "What are they?" Rebecca asked curiously.

"They're called thestrals. They're quite gentle, really, people just avoid them because they're a bit..."

Rebecca smiled as a baby thestral popped its little head over the hill ahead of them, sliding on the leaves as it made its way towards them. "Different." Harry offered.

Rebecca bent to one knee and held a hand out to the baby that nudged her gently. "Why can't the others see them? Only we and Fred could."

Luna walked forward, leaving Harry and Rebecca to follow after her as she began to explain. "They can only be seen by people who have seen death up close."

(Note: I changed this slightly to up close. Technically, if Rebecca had died at the second task, everyone watching would be able to see them. That's why I've amended this.)

It occurred to Rebecca exactly where Fred had seen death, the second task of the Triwizard Tournament. "Must have to be pretty close then, if Ron and Hermione didn't see them." She said, to herself mainly.

"So...you've known someone who's died then?" Harry asked awkwardly.

Luna answered, not bothered by the intrusive question. "My mum. She was quite an extraordinary witch, but she did like to experiment. One day one of her spells went badly wrong. I was nine."

"I'm sorry." Rebecca offered. 

Luna shook her head, "I get very sad about it sometimes, but I've got dad. We both believe you, by the way." Harry looked at her as her eyes widened and she explained what it was she and her father believed. "That He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is back and Harry fought him and the Ministry and the Prophet are conspiring against you and Dumbledore." Luna turned to Rebecca, "Though neither of us believe you collapsed from stress, that was a falsehood. Why? We're not sure, but we know it wasn't true."

"You two are about the only ones who believe us then." Harry said, steering away from the point she made about Rebecca.

"I suppose that's how he wants you to feel." Luna reached into the bag over her shoulder under Rebecca's jumper and pulled out an apple, rolling it to another baby thestral that had appeared before turning her entire body to face Harry and Rebecca.

"If I was You-Know-Who, I'd want you to feel cut off from everyone else. If it's just the two of you, you're not as much of a threat."

"I didn't kill her, the woman the Prophet's been saying I did. It was a car accident I was in with her, but I didn't kill her." Rebecca said as the three of them walked back to the castle. "And I wasn't a teenager with her, I was a child. A very young child. She passed when I was six."

Luna caught Rebecca's eyes and stared into them with an aloof alertness. "Does it sadden you? Being perceived a murderer?"

Rebecca was struck silent by the question, having to think a moment before she could answer truthfully. "No, I don't think it does. I only wish they had left her alone. Jane's memory never should have been touched. It never should have been disturbed."

Luna walked with them to the bottom of the Owlery stairs. "You have letters to send, I should be going. Have to find the nargles."

"We never said anything about letters." Harry said, tilting his head slightly.

"You both have a letter in your back pockets, I noticed when I was walking behind you. Only reason to carry a sealed envelope is to send it or not open it and, I've seen you open your letters in the Great Hall. Neither of you are able to open one without tearing it to pieces. Good day." Luna turned and left them.

"It's frightening how much she notices while seeming so..." Rebecca trailed off as they climbed the stairs.

"Daydreamy?" Harry said, still in awe that she'd noticed so much about them in such a short time.

"Harry! Rebecca!" Cho greeted them warmly as they entered the main room, Hedwig flying down to meet them as she saw them. "How are you?" 

Harry looked to Rebecca before answering, "Better than we have been. How are you?"

"I'm good, I'm good." 

"Have you seen Cedric?" Rebecca asked, not sure what else exactly they could talk about as she and Cho had never really spoken past pleasantries before.

Cho frowned slightly. "Cedric's asked to spend some time apart, says he's not able to commit himself entirely." 

Harry forced his elation away to sound concerned. "Really?"

Rebecca rolled her eyes at his poorly hidden tone, "That's too bad, Cho. I'm sorry."

Cho shrugged, "I'm okay with it, actually. I'm surprised he said something and didn't just lead things on."

Rebecca leaned forward and pet Hedwig's head. "He's a surprising bloke."

Harry started talking to Cho and realised he could ask her about Luna. "We both have a question for you."

"We do?" Rebecca asked, not turning away from Hedwig.

"Yes, we do. What's happened to Luna's shoes?"

Cho sighed, "'Nargles' again? It's these girls. They think they're funny, but they're not--just cruel."

Rebecca turned and looked at Cho carefully. "You know who it is though?"

Cho nodded, "They don't hide it."

"I've got some sweets I'll give you that you can pass on to them. That is, if you do think they're being cruel."

Cho grinned having heard the growing talk about the sweets she had taken part in the creation and distribution of, "I do."

The girls coordinated a time on Monday when they'd meet to swap, Cho insisting that she take a book in return. "I'll look through my library--I'm sure I've got something that'll suit you!"

Harry gave Hedwig his letter and kissed the top of her head before she took off and flew out of the window, soon nothing more than a white speck hardly visible. Filch through the door to the Owlery open with enough force to send the owls into scared hooting. "Where's the order?!" he shouted. "Potter! Where's the order?!"

Harry's stomach dropped, "What?" 

"The dung bomb order! There's been a tip that you're up here placing an order for dung bombs!"

Cho looked at Filch with the same level of incredulity that Rebecca was. "They sent a letter, not an order."

Filch narrowed his eyes at Rebecca and Harry. "Letter? To whom?"

"I'm sorry, is our mail now a public affair?" Harry asked angrily.

"Watch your tone, boy."

"You can't very well inspect it after it's sent, can you?" Harry crossed his arms in front of him.

"Listen here, you're talking yourselves right back into deten-"

Rebecca interrupted, an idea blossoming in her head that she hoped would get them out of trouble and detention-free. "It was me, I needed to write to Mrs Weasley. It was urgent."

Filch glared at them. "What's so urgent you had to send it off this early?"

Rebecca looked to the ground, feigning embarrassment. "It's sort of a women's issue..."

Filch didn't catch on. "What?"

Rebecca sighed, Cho biting her lip to stop the laughter that threatened to spill out. "Sir, menstruation is a complicated subject and I felt more comfortable asking a maternal figure instead of Madam Pomfrey. I can ask you my questions if you feel well-versed enough in the vast topic that is the female anatomical structure-"

"That's enough!" Filch shouted, slapping his hands to his ears and backing out of the room, ducking down the stairs and running away while Mrs Norris hissed and followed him.

Harry and Rebecca laughed together loudly. A Ravenclaw girl appeared in the doorway, looking between Harry and Rebecca and Cho before going to Cho's side and talking quietly to her. Cho shook her head, "I've got to go, it was good to talk with you two." At the exit, Cho waved back to them, still being dragged by the other girl.

"Are you able to walk to breakfast?" Harry asked, trying to keep his face serious. "Or are your women's issues to strenuous?"

Rebecca laughed again, "You should be on your knees thanking me! I could have said you had to write Arthur for men's issues, but I figured you wouldn't appreciate that in front of Cho."

Harry's voice jumped an octave. "What?"

Rebecca rolled her eyes and joined him walking down the stairs. "Let's just go eat. I think we need to see our friends."

*******************************************

"Do you ever stop eating?" Hermione asked after making eye contact with an equally repulsed Ginny who was next to Ron. Ron was shovelling his fourth sausage into his mouth as he flipped through a pamphlet in front of him.

"I'm hungry." Ron justified, not exactly sure why the two girls were looking at him like that. "Harry, Rebecca!" Ron said, surprised to see them downstairs and associating themselves with them.

Hermione smiled up at them. "Good walk?"

Harry and Rebecca glanced at each other, smiling. "Can we join you?" Harry asked, gesturing to the spots on either side of Hermione. 

There were voices being raised outside the Great Hall, the voices of both Umbridge and Professor McGonagall. "Pardon me professor, but what exactly are you insinuating?" Umbridge asked, Rebecca and Harry seeing her follow McGonagall up the stairs their head of house was marching up.

McGonagall stopped and looked down at her, Umbridge on the same step as she. "I am merely requesting that when it comes to my students, you conform to the prescribed disciplinary practises!"

Fred and George exited the Great Hall they had just arrived at with Lee, standing next to Ron and Hermione behind Harry and Rebecca.

"Silly of me, but it sounds as if you're questioning my authority in my own classroom. Minerva." Umbridge stepped up a step.

McGonagall did the same, reclaiming the higher stance. "Not at all, Dolores. Merely your medieval methods."

Umbridge scoffed. "I'm sorry, dear. But to question my practises is to question the Ministry, and by extension, the Minister himself. I am a tolerant woman, but the one thing I will not stand for his disloyalty."

McGonagall took a step down, closer to where the students watched on. "Disloyalty." McGonagall said softly in awe at the audacity of this woman before her.

Umbridge addressed the group congregated below her as a whole. "Things at Hogwarts are far worse that I feared. Cornelius will want to take immediate action." Her eyes settled on Harry, then Rebecca as she walked away.

McGonagall walked down to Harry and Rebecca and held out her hands, saying nothing. They put their hands out, McGonagall gasping as she saw the scabbed over remnants of their punishments. "We made a healing salve." Hermione said, her voice trailing away at the look McGonagall gave her.

McGonagall turned and looked over Rebecca and her friends, pausing on Fred and George. "I expected more from you two." McGonagall looked at Fred only as she shook her head. "I should have been alerted the very first night, certainly not a week later by a concerned classmate!"

McGonagall released their hands after looking at them once more, turning and leaving them in the hall. Fred and George moved in front of them, standing where McGonagall had been a moment before. "You forgot this upstairs last night." Fred said quietly, taking the tin he'd made for her out of his pocket and handing it to her. She took it and twisted the lid open, offering it to him.

He looked at her a moment. She gazed back up at him, hoping her eyes were saying everything she couldn't get her mouth to. He nodded a second later, taking a dab of the goo and putting it on the back of her hand as gingerly as he had the night before.

"Breakfast?" George asked, steering them all back to the Great Hall. "I'm positively famished."

"Me too!" Ron agreed.

*******************************************

"Oh love?" Fred called from the other end of the couch they were on, both of their backs facing the arms and their legs next to each other's across the middle.

"Yes, darling?" Rebecca asked, not looking up from where she was trying to complete some of the homework she'd fallen behind on during the week.

"It's four." Rebecca cursed and put her quill down. 

"We can always stay, it's not like Harry and George couldn't handle it without us."

"We said we'd spend some time training with Ron though, I don't want him to think we're bailing." She drummed her fingers as she thought deeply. 

Fred smiled and shouted up the stairs, "Hey Ron!" 

"What?" Ron called, running down the stairs with Harry and George following close behind him.

"Two's probably good to practise with, yeah?"

Ron nodded, "Course! Just warming up before we all start."

Rebecca put her hands together and waved them to him, mouthing "Thank you!"

Fred continued cheekily. "You probably don't want a seasoned chaser like Rebecca here shooting on you just yet anyway."

The three boys ran to the portrait hole, Hermione and Ginny joining them and waving goodbye to Fred and Rebecca who stayed on the couch. Rebecca went back to work, Fred alternating between observing her and pretending to read the textbook he had opened.

Rebecca was similarly distracted by the fairly empty common room and the way Fred sat at the opposite end of the couch. His fist held against his jaw and his feet tapping hers rhythmically. She reread the question she was trying to answer for the third time and sighed, setting her quill down. "Do you want to work upstairs? Too many distractions down here."

"Work?" Fred asked as he stood up, grabbing their bags. "Upstairs?" Rebecca rolled her eyes and followed him, Fred pushing the door to the hall open with his back. "With me?"

His dorm was empty, most students spending time out of bed and with friends. He set her bag on his desk chair, sitting with his back against his headboard as she sat down and began to write again. Fred abandoned the pretense of reading and watched her. 

"Fred?"

His head jerked back down to his book. A few seconds passed before his head gravitated back to her.

"Fred!" She laughed, putting her quill back down and turning in his chair to face him. "I can't think with you staring at me!"

He put his arms up, "I can't think with you sitting right there!"

She stood up from the chair and climbed onto his bed, laying down with her arms wrapping around his middle. "I guess there will just be no thinking then."

He slid down, her arms moving from around his stomach to around his chest where he pulled her up onto and let his head rest against the top of hers. "I guess so."

They closed their eyes and relaxed a few moments before Fred put his head back and let out a loud snore. She giggled and looked up at him, her eyes tracing over the cheeky grin he gave her. Rebecca turned onto her stomach and put her elbows onto his chest. 

"What ever shall we do if we're not thinking or working..." Fred wondered.

"I have no clue! Do you have something specific in mind?" She asked, tapping her hand to her chin in mimed-thought.

"I may have one thing." Fred sat up, lifting her with him and laying onto his side, pulling her back against his chest. She lay completely enveloped by him.

She brought her arms up and wrapped them under his, holding him close as he did her. "You and George make it out of Hermione's scolding unscathed."

Fred shuddered. "She can be so scary. You have no idea."

Rebecca shook her head, "I can imagine."

"She said if she finds another flyer she's writing mum."

"So we're done testing?" Rebecca asked, tilting her head up to look at him.

He looked down, smirking. "No, we're done advertising. Word of mouth is taking off. We won't run short. Business is booming, stock is lasting, sales are continuing. And..."

Rebecca maneuvered herself around, so that her hands were against his chest and she faced him. "And?"

"And, we're good." 

She nodded, "Yes, yes we are." She scooted up and buried her face into the crook of his neck. "I'm sorry."

He traced his hand along her spine before resting it against the back of her head. "Don't be. But I need you to know that you don't have to shut me out. I'm here for you, any and all the time."

"I know. That's what I'm apologising for, that I pushed you out."

Fred kissed her forehead. Rebecca closed her eyes and sighed. "Her hair was brown, but not like Hermione's, it was darker and straight as a pin."

Fred listened in silence, knowing Rebecca was talking about Jane.

"I was so young. There's not a lot I remember about her, but she had a rocking chair she'd set me onto her lap in every afternoon. We'd sit and watch the cars go past, or chat. Sometimes she'd read to me."

Fred put his lips to the top of her head as she continued. "You know 'You are my Sunshine?" Fred shook his head. "You've never heard it? It's a children's song. She sang that to me every night before bed. That's all I remember about her."

"Those sound like beautiful memories of a kind person." Fred said softly.

"They are and she was. Always helping anyone who needed it. She liked to volunteer, too. Anything she could do to make someone happier."

"Sounds like someone I know. Someone who puts everyone else first." 

Rebecca looked up at him. "I love you."

He tightened his grip around her, "I love you, too."

*******************************************

Sunday went by as Saturday had, happily and quickly. When Monday finally arrived, Rebecca chattered joyfully with Hermione and Ginny as they made their way down the stairs. She and Harry had been spared from the dreams of the images and scar pains two nights in a row, a gift that sent them both into chipper moods.

"Good morning!" Rebecca shouted from behind Fred and George, making them both jump.

George narrowed his eyes at her. "What are you doing? You don't act like this before breakfast, let alone on a Monday."

She shrugged and smiled as Fred leant down and kissed her. "It's a beautiful day out, homework's done, quidditch starts soon. Now, let's get this show on the road!" She called, stepping out of the portrait hole with Fred's hand in hers.

Fred caught her attitude quickly, skipping alongside her and twirling her about down the corridors to their table before sitting next to her slightly out of breath and red-cheeked. Harry and Ron laughed at them as they took seats across, still making fun of them as the owls began dropping mail. A letter dropped in front of Ron and Rebecca.

Rebecca watched Ron read the name of his sender, his face hardening. "Percy." He spat. He tore the letter open. "What's this git got to say now?"

Ron skimmed the letter quickly, looking up at Rebecca. "What? He write to me?" She asked.

"Rebecca," Ron said carefully. "I don't want you to read this."

Rebecca looked to Harry who was skimming the letter with him and turning away. "What's got you two rattled?"

Fred motioned for Ron to give it to him. Fred tilted it away from her and grabbed the letter tighter, crinkling the edges. He looked to Ron a long moment before giving it to her to read herself. "She deserves to."

"Ronald,

It's me, your elder brother. I heard that you've made prefect--Congratulations! I'm proud to see you following in my footsteps and not following the delinquent path Fred and George have paved. I don't write only to offer my praise. No, unfortunately I must attach advice as well.

Distance yourself from the Potters. Harry and Rebecca alike. I know it will seem difficult now, I know you won't understand, but they're poor influences. Especially as more of their pasts come out. This is upsetting to hear, but I only want what's best for you.

One day you and mother and father and everyone else, you will all see how Dumbledore has deceived you and you will apologise. I await this day eagerly. With what is announced in today's Prophet, I hope this day comes even sooner.

Percy"

Rebecca read it and closed her eyes. She could feel the anger rising within her. "No." She thought. "No, I'm not going to do this." She took a deep breath and opened her eyes before handing the letter back to Ron, calmly assuring them. "Percy's confused. He's confused and deluded. Are you going to 'distance' yourself Ron?"

Ron looked at her like she'd sprouted horns. "No!"

Rebecca reached forward and opted for another piece of toast. "Then there's nothing to worry about."

Harry looked to the hall outside the Great Hall, a pounding sound echoing in. "What now?" He groaned. Lee ran in the Great Hall and jumped on the bench next to George, brandishing a new edition of the Prophet. 

"We're shucked!" He hissed, pointing to the headline: "Dolores Umbridge Appointed Hogwarts' High Inquisitor!"

"What's a High Inquisitor?" Ron asked, Hermione having grabbed the paper and was presently speeding through the article.

"The Inquisitor will have powers to inspect her fellow educators and make sure that they are coming up to scratch. Professor Umbridge has been offered this position in addition to her own teaching post, and we are delighted to say that she has accepted." Hermione looked up from the paper and held it back to Lee. "Things are going to start changing very, very quickly. If Umbridge's given this much power..."

Rebecca opened her envelope, the envelope tearing crookedly. She pulled the letter from 'Fleur' out and found that there was, indeed, a response from the French women, but an additional message scratched on the back of it. Harry watched her lookup smiling. "Study session by the fire tonight, midnight."

She read through Fleur's letter before putting it away quickly, seeing how she mentioned how she and Bill were spending more and more time together and Fleur asking a few questions about him. Fred put his head on her shoulder and put his hand to the bridge of his nose. "How can this get worse?"

*******************************************

"Psst!" Sirius hissed, those in the 'emergency study session' crouching down to the embers where his face appeared.

"Si-" Harry began, elated at seeing their godfather

"No! Don't say any names, you never know who's listening." Sirius scolded before smiling and looking at them all. "I'm happy to see you all well. It seems much longer than it has been."

"What's been going on? Why haven't we heard from anyone?" Rebecca asked. 

Sirius sighed. "The Ministry's locking down every form of communication to stop the spread of information on his return. I've got my own task force now, named after me and all! What is this I read about a," Sirius looked away from them, glancing back at Harry's letter. "A pink toad?"

Harry explained. "It's the undersecretary from our trial, they've made her the new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor and now-"

"The High Inquisitor. Educational Decree No. 23." Sirius finished. 

"Yes!" Rebecca said, shushed by the others at her volume. She continued softer. "We're not learning any spells. It's all theoretical!"

Sirius frowned. "That's Fudge's doing. He's keeping Dumbledore from raising an army and marching on the Ministry."

"That's absurd!" Ron's mouth hung open. "Why would Dumbledore need an army?"

"Fudge is narrowing his focus on anything to distract from the signs Voldemort is back. Anything, no matter how absurd. When's your first Hogsmeade trip? I'll try and go on a picnic."

Harry shook his head, "No, it's too risky. You just said the Ministry is locking down and you've got a task force!"

Sirius glanced to Rebecca, wanting her to take his side. "Harry's a hundred percent correct. Too dangerous."

"Damn!" Sirius shook his head. "I'll owl when it's safe to meet like this again, okay?"

They all nodded, Fred leaned closer. "Can you tell mum and dad we're thinking about them? Since we can't send an owl or anything."

Rebecca put her hand on his knee and rubbed it, knowing how often he and Molly wrote to each other during the school year. "I will. Don't think for a second they're not thinking of you lot too." Sirius' face grew serious. "This lightning you wrote about Harry, do the two strikes happen at the same time."

Harry looked at Rebecca. "They do."

"How do you know?" Hermione asked, curious. "The um...lightning strikes only happen at night."

Rebecca looked at Sirius. "The lightning can tell."

"This is such a strange weather occurence. I'll ask Moony, if you don't mind." Both of them shook their heads, not minding. "He'll be happy to have something to do other than putt around with me all day. That toad who's raising so much hell in the castle is doing so outside too. She's put anti-werewolf legislation out, as well as new regulations on the employment of half-breeds."

"What the hell? Why aren't people fighting against this!" Harry demanded.

"People are, Harry." Sirius sighed. "The Ministry's a big obstacle, but there are those who have decided against it."

"Is she a Death Eater?" Rebecca questioned, trying figure out Umbridge's motives.

"No, she isn't. Unfortunately, bigotry and hate aren't restricted to Death Eaters." Sirius glanced over his shoulder, turning back to the fire and speaking quicker. "I may or may not have been explicitly forbidden from responding to you. I will owl the next time we can meet like this. Children," He looked to them all and made sure he had their attention. "Fudge is going to do whatever he cans to get Dumbledore out of Hogwarts, remember who's on your side."

His face retreated, the children soon looking at the same dying embers that had been there before their conversation. Harry stared at the flames longer, the others getting to their feet. "I know, darling. Christmas will be here soon enough." Rebecca whispered over Fred's shoulder after he knelt down and hugged her.

Fred nodded into her neck before pulling his head back and kissing her gingerly and telling her to sleep well.. They all exchanged their goodnights, Harry pulled to his feet by Ron. Ginny and Rebecca speculated about everything they'd heard while Hermione stayed behind, tucking a few homemade hats under the couch cushions for the house elves.

*******************************************

"Remember when you asked how could this get worse?" Rebecca asked Fred, looking up at the ever-growing wall of Educational Decrees Umbridge had passed amidst the beginning of her observations of the other professors.

"Yes." He growled. 

"This would be something worse, wouldn't it?" 

Fred glared at her. They had been on their way towards their next classes, Rebecca kissing him goodbye as she did every day with that schedule since they were on opposite ends of the castle until quidditch practise in the evenings, when they were sent apart from each other forcefully. "Education Decree number 26: Students of the opposite sex are to remain six inches apart at all times!" Umbridge chastised, looking down at them cruelly.

"Only the opposite sex?" Rebecca called as Umbridge continued down the hall. "You're behind on your Prophet then! I'm a staunch lesbian-island-colony starter and supporter!" Umbridge didn't pause, ignoring her jests and smiling all the while.

Fred shook his head and stepped away, moving to leave. "Excuse me?" Rebecca said, putting her hands on her hips. She turned and looked around dramatically. "The toad is not here, my lips are abandoned for naught!"

Fred chuckled and kissed her quickly. "I've got to go! George and I've got an Extendable Ears sale before Herbology."

She watched him hurry down the hall, smiling at how he turned at the end of the hallway and waved erratically before disappearing out of sight. 

*******************************************

<3


	78. Chapter 78

Umbridge's next step--after Educational Decree number 23 made her High Inquisitor--was to start her evaluations of the other professors. Professor Trelawney was in the middle of lecturing Rebecca, Harry, and Ron's class about the importance of dream analysis, something Rebecca was particularly interested in as the strange dreams with Harry continued to occur randomly. The interest had grown from a something small to ponder in moment's of downtime to an almost obsessive topic in her mind: Why could she feel Harry there, but they couldn't see each other? They could only look forward as the glided close to the floor, why is that? Where was what they were seeing? Why was it important?

And, the question that bothered her the most: The dreams only hurt her scar, not with the crippling headaches visions left her with. If they weren't visions, if they weren't from the future, what were they?

There was a period of introduction as more and more Educational Decrees were created as Umbridge deemed fit. Soon, the students were to be in full uniform at all times outside of their rooms, including the weekends. The distance between opposite sexed students increased to eight inches. All literature not written by wizards and that which was written by half-breeds were banned. The madness continued on.

The wall outside the Great Hall where Filch happily hung each new decree as it came out was soon very full. Filch had to get a taller and taller ladder with each new decree, filling in any available space.

Fred and George held a celebration in the common room an evening in mid-October, before the first quidditch match of the year, to celebrate the banning of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes products by Umbridge with Educational Decree number 30.

"We're what?" Fred and George shouted.

"Forbidden!" Rebecca ended, taking a handful of Ton-Tongue Toffees out of her pocket and tossing them to Gryffindor students that congregated around them. Relations with the other students, especially the girls, were nowhere near entirely mended after the first night of term, but things were on the mend. Rebecca had made a few sales; a fact that made her immensely proud. No longer was she only able to work on replenishing stock as their goods sold faster and faster, she was bringing in the galleons alongside Fred and George.

"You've been in this post how long exactly?" Umbridge interrupted Professor Trelawney, Rebecca startled out of her daydreaming at the high-pitched questioning. Trelawney stammered, her teaching paused as she tried to do the math. "That's fine. Carry on." Umbridge demanded after Trelawney failed to answer immediately.

The observation continued on. Towards the end of class, Umbridge interrupted again. "Could you predict something for me?"

Rebecca rolled her eyes. Anyone in Divination, especially in a class made up of fifth years, knew that predictions could only happen when it was time--Certainly not on command.

"What? Not one, teensy little prophecy?" Professor Trelawney's enlarged eyes widened behind her glasses. "Pity." Umbridge muttered, writing something on her clipboard and turning to leave the classroom.

"No, wait, wait!" Professor Trelawney's hand shot out, her eyes closing. Harry sighed at the dramatics. "I think I see something! Yes, yes, I do. Something dark." She opened her eyes. "You...are in grave danger!"

Umbridge smiled and continued her exit. "Lovely."

After Divination had ended, Rebecca and the two boys made their way to Transfiguration, Hermione joining them on the way. Post another busy, busy class, they found that the hallways were filled with chattering students that swarmed towards the courtyard.

"Cho!" Harry called, seeing her across the way. "What's going on?"

Cho shook her head and frowned at him. "It's Professor Trelawney." She looked to Rebecca, "The sweets worked perfectly, the 'nargles' have been very well behaved. Did you enjoy the book?"

Rebecca grinned and nodded, "It was excellent! I especially liked the myths inside, who would have thought they'd work in with the story so well?"

Hermione joined in the conversation when there was an opening, giving her own opinion on the book Rebecca had insisted she give a shot as well. At the courtyard, they all fell silent as Filch threw Professor Trelawney's luggage at her feet. Umbridge marched out of the castle, the students parting a wide path around her. 

"Six-Sixteen years I've lived and taught here. Hogwarts is my home. You-You can't do this." Professor Trelawney began to cry. Harry looked away. Rebecca stared on at the scene unfolding in front of them.

"Actually, I can." Umbridge held out a folded piece of paper in front of her. 

"Termination papers." Hermione whispered, feeling badly for how Trelawney's crying turned to sobbing. McGonagall hurried out of the castle, coming from the door to the right of the one Umbridge had exited from. The students made a path for her as well, not out of fear, but respect.

"There, there." McGonagall soothed, pulling Trelawney into a hug. 

"Is there something you'd like to say, dear?" Umbridge smiled her horrible smile.

"There are several things I would like to say!"

Every student present turned towards the doors as they flew open loudly, Dumbledore marching out of them swiftly. "Professor McGonagall, might I ask you to escort Sybil back inside?"

Trelawney let out a relieved sob, grabbing Dumbledore's hand and thanking him profusely as McGonagall told her they'd go have a tea and settle down.

"Dumbledore." Umbridge said put off. "May I remind you that, under Educational Decree number 23, as enacted by the Minister-"

"You have the right to dismiss my teachers." Dumbledore interrupted, staring down at the little woman. "You do not, however, have the authority to banish them from the grounds. That power remains with the headmaster."

A twisted grin spread across Umbridge's face. "For now."

Dumbledore turned away, his eyes surveying the massive crowd of students that had formed. "Don't you all have studying to do?"

The crowd jumped into motion, Harry pushing his way through to the open courtyard and running after Dumbledore. "Professor!" Dumbledore glanced over his shoulder, but walked on. "Professor Dumbledore!"

When Rebecca, Hermione, and Ron made their way through the crowd to Harry, he was standing and looking down the hallway Dumbledore had disappeared down.

*******************************************

"She's a foul, evil little gargoyle!" Hermione said, pacing in front of the fire later that evening. Ron crossed his arms and looked down at the ground, unknowingly taking the same position Fred and George had on either side of him. "We're not learning how to defend ourselves. We're not learning how to pass our O.W.L.s. She's taking over the entire school." She paused her pacing and looked at those on the couch.

The clock chimed once, signifying it was now half-past seven: The time that Fudge made his nightly address via radio. Rebecca launched herself off of the couch and made it to the little radio on the table behind them a few seconds late, missing the beginning of it. "...and security has been and will remain the Ministry's top priority. Furthermore, we have convincing evidence that these disappearances are the work of notorious mass murderer Sirius Black." She knocked the radio back off roughly.

Fred put his arm around her when she sank back onto the couch and started to complain. "A name like Fudge hardly even belongs on the radio."

"What?" George asked.

"Fudge? That's a dessert. No, a radio name should be something...attractive." She grinned at Fred. "Something exotic. Like Rapier! I'd listen to Rapier everyday."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "That doesn't matter!" She walked away, facing the window in front of them and stared out into the pouring rain, lightning flashing intermittently. "He's really out there, right now. Moving. Getting stronger. We need to know how to defend ourselves and if Umbridge refuses to teach us how, we need someone who will." Hermione turned back around, to Harry.

He didn't understand for a moment, but when realisation struck him he shook his head and stepped backwards. "Me? What?"

Rebecca looked at Hermione a moment before nodding. "She's onto something. You're the only one who's seen him, the only one who's fought him."

"I hardly held my own and somebody died!" Harry snapped, shaking his head again. "No, there's not a chance in hell."

Ron caught Hermione's eye and gestured to Rebecca too, Hermione gave him a subtle shake of her head. She was already ahead of him.

*******************************************

"I said there's not a chance in hell...I put my foot down...here I am though, slave to these witches...slave to women..." 

"Harry, stop muttering. It's very unbecoming of you." Rebecca sighed, turning away from the wind. The rain had turned to snow that very week, coating Hogsmeade in a thick layer of frigidity. 

"Who'd even want to be taught by me? I'm nutters, remember? Just like you."

Ron shrugged, "You're not looking at the bright side: You can't be any worse than toad face."

"Thanks Ron." Harry deadpanned.

"I'm here for you mate, anytime." Ron completely missed Harry's sarcasm.

Fred chuckled and held the door open to the Hog's Head when they reached it. "Remember last time we were here?"

Rebecca jumped into the building quickly, moving to the fire where Hermione looked over the other students already there and put Harry in the front of them. "Yes, I do. Quite fondly." He pecked her lips before taking a seat next to George in the group that had gathered.

"Um...hi." Hermione said, addressing the students that stared on blankly. "You all know why we're here. We need a teacher. A proper teacher. Someone who's had experience." Harry shot her a look, bowing his head for her to revise her statement. "Two teachers, two someones."

Rebecca whirled away from the fire, looking around the pub. "Who else have you found?" She asked quietly, not sure why she hadn't been informed of the change in plan. Hermione stared at her. "Oh! Me?" Hermione went to her side as Rebecca began to whisper. "We only talked about Harry, why're you roping me in!"

"It's the only way he'd agree. Either you do it with him or no one does."

"What bloody qualifications do I have?" Rebecca hissed.

Harry stood up from his chair. "I only know half the spells I do, half the strategy, half of anything, because Rebecca's laid it out for me. I may have waved my wand and cast the spell, but only because of her." Rebecca blinked, acknowledging the compliments in his words. "And as for qualifications, you're the only one in the room who's actually taught a class before."

"Very successfully!" Fred added, standing and clapping for her alone before George pulled him back into his seat.

"Why do we even need a teacher?" A sixth year Hufflepuff asked.

"Cause You-Know-Who's back, you tosspot!" Ron defended gruffly.

"So he says." The boy countered.

"So Dumbledore says!" Hermione raised her voice.

"Dumbledore says because he says!" The boy shook his head, "Where's the proof?"

The door to the Hog's Head opened, a scarf covered face making its way towards them. Cedric revealed himself underneath the scarf, his cheeks red from the cold and his eyes bright. "The proof? Zacharias, where's the proof your mum's your mum?" The boy glowered and looked down. Cedric nodded to Harry and Rebecca, taking over for a moment. "They're not going to talk about what happened last year. If that's why you're here, go ahead and sod off now."

Harry turned to Hermione, "I told you this was dumb, they're only here to look at me like some freak." He whispered angrily, wanting to leave. Cedric took a seat next to George, shaking his hand cooly.

"Is it true you can produce a Patronus Charm?" Luna's voice penetrated Harry's whispering.

"It is, we've seen it." Rebecca answered, gesturing to their group of friends. 

"Blimey Harry!" Dean said from his seat. "I didn't know you could do that. Rebecca?"

Rebecca's face fell as she admitted her failing. "Yes for the charm, but never fully corporeal."

"He killed a basilisk with the sword in Dumbledore's office." Neville contributed, turning the topic.

"Rebecca's training put him through three tasks, minimally scathed." George raised his voice.

"And last year, he really did fight off You-Know-Who in the flesh." Cedric asserted.

"Wait." Harry put his hand up and stepped forward. "It all sounds great when you say it like that. But, the truth is, most of that was just luck or because of her." He pointed to Rebecca. "I didn't know what I was doing half the time, nearly always had help."

"He's being modest." Rebecca interjected.

"No, I'm not!" Harry shook his head. "Facing like this in real life is not like school. In school, you make a mistake you'll just try again tomorrow." Rebecca looked to Fred and George as Harry's paused, noticing how George had his gaze focused on Harry and Fred's was on her. "Out there, when you're a second away from being murdered...you don't know what that's like."

Rebecca sat down in her chair next to Hermione's as Harry did his and Hermione spoke to him. "You're right Harry, we don't. But we're going to need you," She turned to Rebecca, "And you, if we're going to have any chance of defending ourselves against Yo-against Voldemort."

Colin Creevey looked to Nigel as he broke the ensuing silence. "He's really back?"

Harry nodded. Colin spoke once more. "So is there a sign up sheet or..."

Hermione smiled and reached into her bag, taking out a long roll of parchment and a quill. The students formed a line, Fred and George the first two to add their names to the list. Fred leaned over the table and kissed her cheek before stepping to the side. As the list grew, so did the span between the ages of those signing up.

Fred  
George Weasley  
Neville Longbottom  
Dean Thomas  
Parvati Patil  
Padma Patil  
Cho Chang  
Luna Lovegood  
Katie Bell  
Angelina Johnson  
Zacharias Smith  
Colin and Dennis Creevey  
Justin Finch-Fletchley  
Lee Jordan  
Ginny W.

Hermione rolled the paper up as Ginny signed last. The students took their seats and they began a preemptive discussion about where and when they could meet. "We need a place Umbridge won't find out." Harry added as Nigel recommended the Great Hall.

Fred and Rebecca met eyes across the room, Fred raising his eyebrows and shrugging. Rebecca winced and lifted her hand. "I know a place that could work."

"The Room of Requirement." Luna said dreamily. "That's an excellent idea."

"The Room of what?" Harry asked, looking at Rebecca. "How'd you find this out?" 

"I do have a life, Harry." Rebecca hissed, facing back to the group slightly red-faced. "Location, check."

The rest of the meeting was spent working out the times when they'd be able to meet. When one o'clock had come and gone, Rebecca clapped her hands and recapped some of the things they'd gone over. "We've got a list of people, a place, times and days. Let's start to wrap things up, don't want to keep you all day."

Fred watched her answer the few questions kids had, her tone never growing impatient and her smile always beaming. "How can she be so beautiful?" He was thinking to himself, watching how her hands rubbed together and tapped on things: the back of the chair she was standing behind, her legs, other fingers, the entire time she spoke.

"And, please, can we put our chairs back?" Rebecca called over the students as the first few had stood up and left them wherever they had been. They stood returned to their abandoned chairs and stacked them back in the corner, conversing as they went out the door. Cedric stuck around, grabbing the chairs of Hermione and Harry as Hermione ran a few last minute things by him.

"Hey Cedric!" Rebecca called, excusing herself from Hermione's invitation to listen to what she was saying and jogging to the middle of the room where he paused. "Look mate, I was a...well, I was a right bitch last time we chatted. I'm sorry about that, you hadn't done anything and I was out of line."

Cedric shook his head and looked at her shocked. "You're apologising? I was insensitive! I'm only ducking out so you're freed of me!"

They laughed as they tried to convince the other they were the party who was supposed to be apologising before Cho cleared her throat and asked to get through to the door. Cedric stepped out of the way, nodding his head to her as she passed. "Cho didn't happen to tell you-"

"She did. As well as something about how she was happily surprised you'd said something and not just led things on."

Cedric looked relieved. "Oh that's some good news. I really didn't need her to be angry with me before quidditch season." 

Rebecca walked him the rest of the way to the door, waving goodbye as the door shut against the winter-ready temperatures. Rebecca turned back to the others, jumping as Fred appeared right in front of her. "Bloody hell!"

Fred chuckled and reached into his pockets for the pair of gloves he'd offered to hold for her, the tear in her coat's pocket still unmended. "Shall we get these strangers and go?" He pointed over his shoulder

She nodded, "That sounds smart, especially since this went well. We don't want to push our luck."

"You think it went well?" Fred asked.

"Yeah, do you?" She looked up to him, valuing his opinion greatly.

"I do! I really do. George and I weren't sure how you'd feel about the second teacher thing being sprung on you and all."

Rebecca shook her head, "I'm not thrilled, but if it keeps Harry satisfied. It was different with the Infunde Charm, if you mess that up you have a wonky piece of art. This? Defence? This is going to either save their lives or not."

Fred grabbed her now gloved hand. "And we're all certain you're going to do amazingly."

*******************************************

"What do we do if Umbridge finds out?" Ginny asked as they climbed out of the carriage back at the castle.

"Who cares?" Hermione answered instantly. "I mean, it's sort of exciting, isn't it? Breaking the rules?"

Rebecca's mouth dropped open. 

"Who are you and what have you done with Hermione Granger?" Ron asked.

"Besides, there's more than one positive things that came from today." Hermione ignored their laughing.

"What's that?" Harry asked, still laughing at her previous statement.

"Cho couldn't take her eyes off you, could she?" Harry's laughter halted at her words. 

Rebecca snorted, Fred joining the laughter. Rebecca tried to take her hands from Fred's as they entered the castle but he wouldn't let go. She smiled up at him and tried to pull her hand again. They slowed their footsteps, quickly taking the position as the last of their group on their way to supper. Fred stopped suddenly, pulling her against him so that she had to look up to see his face. He leant down and kissed her, a kiss like they'd shared at the top of Grimmauld Place on the night before term started. Perhaps it wasn't a kiss at all, but a snog that was interrupted only by time.

"Fred?" Rebecca asked when he'd let go of her and began to walk beside her. She didn't need to add on her other questions like 'why that now?' or 'are you okay?'.

He turned to her and tried to smirk, but it only came off as a grimace. "I hate these bloody decrees. I want to kiss you when I want to kiss you. I want to hold your hand in the halls. I want to hold you."

Rebecca looked around the hall before jumping at his stomach, wrapping her arms around him and shaking him as he began to laugh. "Like that?" She asked when she let go of him and they continued to the Great Hall.

Fred nodded, "Exactly. That was exactly like I was talking about. I feel so much better now."

Rebecca lowered her voice and gave him the hope he needed to put his sadness behind him. "If we're planning on using the Room for meetings, we should really head up there after supper. Make sure it's still there and all."

Fred's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean 'check' on it?"

She winked and sat down, saying nothing else and leaving him in eager anticipation.

*******************************************

"I don't know if I like this." Fred said, bending down in front of the sixth floor corridor. Rebecca had asked him to bend down so that she could cover his eyes, taking her tie off and wrapping it around his head.

"Do you trust me?" She asked, kissing the end of his nose.

"Oh, I trust you with my life. I don't know if I trust being blind for a second with the pink-demon making her rounds."

Rebecca put her arm around him and walked forward, "I need a room, a cozy, comfortable room. And privacy--Mainly privacy." A door appeared with a silver knob. She reached up and turned it, stepping in and closing the door behind them. The floor was bare, save a dark carpet that laid in front of a crackling fire and a bed loaded with pillows and blankets.

"Can I see now?" Fred whined.

Rebecca reached up and tugged on the loose end of her tie, the blindfold falling around his neck. "Nice!" He walked to the table in the corner, a record player and a stack of records on top of it. He plucked one out from the middle, smiling as the sound began to fill the room. "May I have this dance?" He asked from behind her, following her example and taking his robe off.

She turned to him, both of them standing in their slacks and dress shirts. "Why of course, good sir." Her hand slid into his, his other hand resting on her waist as they began to circle around the room slowly. 

"Is this what you'd asked for?" Fred looked around the room. "A fire and a bed? We could have done this in my room."

Rebecca shook her head. "Not exactly. I'd asked for privacy."

Fred stopped asking questions but, hen the song finished, he bent down and threw Rebecca over his shoulder. "Fred!" She squealed, laughing and grabbing at the back of his shirt as her feet left the ground and he began to spin. 

He gave a little jump and tossed her onto the bed, leaving her breathless. Her glasses had slid down her nose. Fred jumped up onto the bed next to her, putting his arm down so he was holding himself up over her. "What?" Rebecca asked softly, confused why he was looking at her so seriously.

"I love you." His tone was firm, no room for the joking inflections that normally accompanied his words. "So damn much."

Rebecca bit her bottom lip as she looked up at him. "Then kiss me." Fred did as he was told. Rebecca's hand reached up and grabbed the side of his head, her fingers parting his hair. Fred traced his hand up the outside of her knee; starting at the middle of her thigh and resting against her stomach. Rebecca brought her hand away from his face and grabbed his wrist. He paused and pulled back a moment, looking into her eyes. 

"Rebecca?" 

"I love you, too." She dragged his hand up higher, stopping when it lay against the rise of her chest. Fred's cheeks burnt as he stared at his hand against her breast, albeit clothed, his mind blank in awe. She giggled a moment at his reaction, causing him to bring his head down and kiss her again and again.

*******************************************

"It's eight!" Rebecca tried to jump up off the bed, but Fred wouldn't let go of her waist. They'd turned their snogging to talking and, as it always seemed to end up, cuddling. "Fred, we've got to get back!"

Fred groaned. "Do we have to?"

Rebecca rolled so that she was on top of him a moment. She kissed him quickly, distracting him long enough to free herself. "Yes, we do not want detention! Come on, get up." She threw on her robe and dropped to the floor, looking around under the furniture of the room for her tie. "Have you seen my bloody tie? Damn bugger's not-Really?"

Fred dangled her tie in front of her face. "The 'damn bugger' seems to be right here."

Rebecca reached for it as she stood back up, Fred yanking it out of her reach. "Fred! Not funny!" Her laughter took any steel from her words and made him laugh as well.

"Let me help you." Fred insisted. He held the tie above her head until her hands rest at her sides. He flipped her collar up, leaning forward and pressing his lips to her neck. He pulled at the pale skin with his teeth, making her take a sharp breath as a heat spread across her face fiery hot. "Rebecca, there's really no time to play around. It's past eight now." He jumped back and pulled the tie around her shirt's neck.

"What?" She breathed, her mind fogged over momentarily. 

Fred pulled the tie tight close to the top of her collar, leaving it loose like she always did. "That was payback. For earlier."

Rebecca blinked. "What'd I do earlier?"

Fred's mouth dropped open. "You tried to woo me with your womanly ways!"

He tossed her her robe and grabbed her jumper, both of them feeling sufficiently warm. "My womanly ways?" She shook her head in mock disappointment. "I guess we'll just not come back."

Fred stopped at the door, his hand not yet touching the knob. He turned back to her slowly. "Let's not be rash now, love."

*******************************************

"About time!" Hermione scolded from where she, Harry, and Ron had been impatiently waiting in the common room. "We were worried you'd gotten detentions!"

Rebecca shook her head, glancing at Fred. "Business."

Fred nodded. "Business."

Hermione roller her eyes and pointed at the two chairs empty between Ginny and George, Harry and Ron other seats around Hermione. "These are for you all." Hermione declared, taking coins out of the bag in her hand and giving them each one. "We managed to come up with a name while you two were off conducting 'business.'" The look she gave them clearly expressed ehr disbelief in their excuse. 

"D.A.? What's that stand for? Dorks Anonymous?" Rebecca asked, holding her hand up for a high five.

"Love, that'd make you a dork too."

"Oh." Rebecca let her hand fall back down, no high five received.

"D.A." Hermione began again. "Dumbledore's Army."

Ron grinned. "The Ministry's worst fear."

Hermione crossed her arms and sat back. "Are you all going to let me explain or not?" Silence. "Alright. As I was saying, the coins." Hermione took hers and tapped her wand to it. A flash of warmth went through those they held, the faces shimmering and numbers appearing. "We've given one to most of those who went today and can now alert them when meetings will be, without having to meet in a group."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Speaking of, for the two that missed it: There's a new decree. All school clubs and teams have been disbanded and we're not to be seen in groups larger than three."

"What about quidditch?" Fred asked, looking to Ron. He knew how happy his brother had been to make the team.

Harry sighed. "That's the thing. Umbridge decides which teams get to be reinstated. Angelina's made it clear there's to be no trouble in Defence Against the Dark Arts, with Umbridge, or at all, nothing that could jeopardize the team."

"It's not all bad news though." Hermione said, trying to lighten the quickly darkening mood taking them all. She tapped her coin again and smiled. "We've set our first meeting."

Rebecca checked her coin, Harry watching her. "What's that?" He pointed to a spot on his own neck in reference to hers. Fred leaned forward in his chair, curious as to what he could be talking about. There, on Rebecca's neck where her hair had shifted, was a purple mark. 

Ginny jumped up. "Really, Rebecca? After I gave you the cream and everything. Merlin, you make me do everything."

Rebecca stared at her, not knowing what to say to follow along. "What is it? Is something wrong?" Harry asked.

Ginny shook her head. "No, nothing's wrong. I bumped her with her tea last night and it had sloshed."

"Ah, yes!" Rebecca nodded ferociously. "I forgot that! The pain. It was horrid. Right down the front of me. When I say front, boy do I mean it. You would be happy to kno-"

"I would not!" Ron bellowed, standing up and moving to the stairs. "I do now want to know." 

Harry gave her a face and followed him up the stairs. "I won't ask next time."

Fred and Rebecca laughed as they disappeared from sight, their faces falling at Hermione's gaze. "You did not spill your tea last night." 

Rebecca raised a hand weakly, "Are you sure?"

"Yes, quite." Hermione looked to Fred. "What you do on your own is your own business and that's fine with me. But with the state of Hogwarts and the state of the world, you could give a little notice before you disappear."

Rebecca reached up and smoothed her hair over her shoulder, hiding her neck. "You're completely right. That was really unthoughtful of us. We will be sure to give a time we'll be back or where we're going. I'm sorry."

Fred nodded, "Yeah, what she said."

Hermione stood up and shook her head. "Oh, I'm not even talking to you." Ginny cackled as Fred's mouth dropped open. Hermione climbed the stairs without another word, shaking her head disappointedly.

"What?" Fred whispered.

"Don't worry," George said, patting his shoulder. "Hermione's quick to forgive. Oh wait..."

Rebecca shot George a look. "I'm going to head on up. Don't fret, darling. She's just...concerned."

Fred and George were quickly the only of their group in the common room. "So...You and Rebecca conducted 'business?'" 

"George. Not another word."

"Okay. Just remember what Charlie always says, 'if you're about to-"

"GEORGE!"

*******************************************

"Hermione?" Rebecca called yet again, laying upside down and reaching out across the gap between their beds. "You're not going to be cross forever, are you?"

"I'm not cross!" Hermione put her book down. "I'm hurt that you didn't say anything about you and Fred...consummating."

Ginny made a face on her bed. "Ugh, that's absolutely-"

"False! Absolutely, positively false!" Rebecca sat back up and gave Hermione a shocked face. "Hermione, if that had happened, I would have mentioned something."

"Would you have?" Hermione asked quietly, ignoring Ginny's dramatic rendition of smothering herself in the corner.

"Of course. We're best mates. That's what we do." Rebecca lay back and smiled madly at the ceiling. "If you truly must know, we volunteered to make sure the Room of Requirement was in order." Hermione smiled herself, seeing the giddy joy flow across her friends as Rebecca continued. "There was a bed, some records and a player, a fire. It was just a nice private room."

Ginny took the pillow off her face. "Where you were bitten by a wild animal?"

"It was a nibble, but I may have deserved it." Rebecca turned onto her side and closed her eyes as she told them where she'd placed Fred's hand. "Oh, you should have seen it! His brain shut off!"

Hermione's laughter quickly joined Rebecca's, Ginny failing to stop her own from joining as well.

*******************************************

Harry stepped into the Room of Requirement first on the evening of their first meeting, surveying the large room within which stood dummies, mirrors, and even some chairs along the walls. "It's brilliant. It's like Hogwarts wants us to fight back."

Ron nodded and looked around. "So, let's say you needed the toilet."

Hermione rolled her eyes, "Charming, Ronald. But yes, the Room would provide."

Harry clapped his hands, Rebecca moving to his side as the students began to trickle in. Cedric grinned and waved, the last to join them. "Now that we're all here, nice and early." Rebecca smiled, the students giggling at the dig at Cedric. "We wanted to start nice and easy."

"The disarming spell." Harry finished, asking them to line up into two lines. One faced a dummy in front of Harry and Rebecca said that she'd join the others before they started. "We're going to go through, one by one, and show what we can do." Neville frowned, the first in Harry's line.

Rebecca raised her wand, giving an example of what they were to do when casting the spell and addressing them as a group once more before letting them begin. "The entire point of this endeavor, this group, is to help one another. There won't be any tolerance for unkindness."

The students nodded, agreeing with the sentiment. Harry took a deep breath and turned to Neville. "Let's begin."

Rebecca jogged across the room to where Colin was first in her line. "Ready, Colin?" Colin's cheeks reddened as she stepped closer to him. "Here, you've got to relax a little." She grabbed his wrist and waved his arm about. "There you go! It's easy peasy, one fluid motion."

Colin nodded and faced the dummy. "Expelliarmus!" The dummy's wand went flying.

Rebecca grinned and slapped his shoulder proudly before turning to Dennis. "Next!"

When each and every member had gone through the disarming spell twice, over and hour and a half had passed. Harry and Rebecca caught each other's eyes across the room and nodded before making their way to the middle of the room. "We saw some excellent work today." Harry called, looking over them all.

"Really, everyone made progress! You should all feel quite proud of yourselves!" Rebecca smiled kindly.

"Practise when you can, help others if you're able. But for today we're through. You coins will alert you to the next time we can meet."

"Thank you for coming. We're going to leave in small groups every few minutes, younger students taking priority." Rebecca added, the students dispersing about the room. Fred spun his wand in his fingers and worked through the others to get to where Rebecca was answering Neville's question. "No, I did see progress. Here." She turned to where the dummy he'd been practising on still stood. "Try...try flourishing your wand less."

Neville chewed on the inside of his cheek and turned, holding his wand out. He cast the charm to no avail. "You know, sometimes our obstacle is one we make ourselves." 

Neville sighed. "No, it's me. My grandmother thought I was a squib for years, you know. I'm just half a wizard."

Rebecca crossed her arms in front of her, not seeing how Fred pretended to talk to Cedric to watch her. "Neville! That's absurd! Look, we're going to meet again soon and I'm certain you'll have a grip on this. What do you do...say Wednesdays after classes?"

"I don't really do much. Spend some time in the greenhouses, maybe?"

"I'll meet you there then. We'll focus on this until you're solid. Yeah?"

Neville smiled at last. "Thanks. In exchange," he lowered his voice. "Professor Sprout's given me reign over a few rows of plants...I have some ingredients ripened, if you can use them for your, um, work."

Rebecca shook her head and laughed lightly. "Ingredients are always in demand, but there's no need for anything in return. This is what we're doing, we're helping."

Neville excused himself, another student taking his place to ask her a question. 

"She's really something, isn't she?"

Fred was jerked out of his admiring by Cedric's voice. "What?"

"Rebecca. I swear, her patience is endless."

Fred narrowed his eyes at him. "What's your deal, mate? Course I bloody know she's 'really something.' Care to know what else she is?" Fred stepped closer, looking down at Cedric. "Mine."

Cedric's adam's apple bobbed, him swallowing quickly. "No, I know that. Not stepping on toes or anything. You don't-You don't have to worry about me." Cedric's eyes floated across the room to where one of the older Hufflepuff boys was using his wand to juggle the wands of the dummies.

Fred paled, stepping back at the sensed double-meaning to his words. "You're...not something to worry about?"

Cedric scratched his jaw, planning his next sentence. "I guess you could worry about me half the time? If that makes sense." Fred's guard dropped slightly, his face softening as Cedric spoke on. "Not with her though, anyone who tried that would have to be blind or dull. Probably both."

Fred's heart jumped, thinking the worst of what he said. "What'd you just say about her?"

Cedric raised his hands, "Not like that! I mean, the way you two are. It's not like dating or courting or anything like the rest of us. You two are real."

Rebecca made her way to them, yawning. "There, every question answered and most of the younger students have made their way out. What're you two up two?"

Cedric smiled at Fred, hoping there was no animosity between them. "I was actually just making my way out." Cedric stuck his hand out to Fred. Fred shook it and nodded.

"You're not starting something, are you?" Rebecca asked warily after Cedric had left them.

"Why do you say it like that? Am I known for starting things?" 

She grabbed his hand. "Of course not, what do I know?"

Fred looked at her a moment before narrowing his eyes at her. "It was a little something, but it's been dealt with."

She grinned. "Being right probably entitles me to a reward, doesn't it? Perhaps a kiss?"

Fred tapped his finger from his free hand to his chin. "I don't know." He knelt down and held his lips centimeters from hers, making her wait a moment. She opened her eyes and winked, reaching up and grabbing the back of his head. Rebecca leaned forward and closed the distance between them, kissing him sweetly.

"There, I feel adequately rewarded."

"Rebecca!" Harry called as he waved them over to where he, Ron, and Hermione were running over their initial thoughts of the first meeting of Dumbledore's Army. "So, what'd you think?"

Rebecca's smile stretched across her face, Hermione happy to see she thought it had gone well too. "I think this is going to end up a great, great thing."

Ron shook his head. "I think it already is."

*******************************************

<3


	79. Chapter 79

Rebecca's smile was infallible as Angelina addressed the Gryffindor team for the first match of the year. "It's Slytherin, okay? We're expecting some dirty moves, some dirty tricks. We're going to rise above it. We're going to play strong. We're going to play hard."

Angelina answered a question by Ron who was extremely nervous before his first match and having someone like Oliver to step up to. Fred and George put their arms over their youngest brother's shoulders. "Don't worry! Play like you have been at practise and they won't know what hit 'em!" George shouted, Angelina nodded in agreement.

"It's time, let's line up and kick some green arse!" Angelina waved them to get up. "Rebecca! Stop smiling like that!"

Rebecca's face dropped, confused. "Smiling like what?" 

"Like you're on your way to hang out with mates! It's the first match of the season, we want them intimidated!"

Rebecca tried to convey intimidating, narrowing her eyes and crossing her arms around her broom. "Better?"

Katie looked at Angelina and snorted. "Just smile. You're about as intimidating as a cloud."

"Well..." Rebecca wracked her brain for an adequate comeback. "Clouds make thunder."

Fred shook his head and grabbed her hand as they exited the door, having heard what was going on. "You won't be still enough for them to see your face anyway."

She smiled again, overwhelmingly excited and ready for the first match of the year. "Ready?"

He squeezed her hand once before letting go and swinging his broom under his legs. "If you are."

They took off into the line streaming towards the pitch where the crowd cheered loudly. Hermione sat alone, Rebecca noticed. Ginny was in her jersey and down on the bench with the other alternates, Ron in front of the goal posts, Harry wiping his glasses off, she up in the air with them all. Cedric stood from his seat, leaving his Hufflepuff classmates. He weaved his way around others, stepping into the aisle and walking along the front walkway to Hermione's side. Rebecca looked away, giving her attention back to Madam Hooch's opening match announcements.

Lee cleared his throat into the microphone. Rebecca glimpsed back over to Hermione, grinning as Neville and Luna, garbed in an intricate lion's head outfit, had taken seats around her and pointed up to them, waving. The teams were excused to their sides. Angelina held her hand up, "Gryffindor?"

"Gryffindor!" They all shouted, taking their positions. Madam Hooch blew her whistle and the game began.

Katie took the quaffle first, plucking it out of the air just as the Slytherin chaser's fingers brushed against its leather exterior. Katie winded her arm back and sent it soaring through the air, directly to Rebecca.

"Rebecca's got the quaffle, a perfect pass from Katie sent under Malkovich, Slytherin's newest chaser. Ooh, that's got him right riled up, I do believe that finger's out of regulation. Correct Madam Hooch?"

"Jordan, just do your job." McGonagall's tired voice could be heard faintly over the microphone.

"I am! I am repeating the action on the field!" Lee's gasp interrupted his disobedience. "Bludger heading straight for Rebecca's head, she barrel rolls to the right and shoots up, the goal's good! 10 points to Gryffindor!"

Rebecca held a hand up above her head, celebrating the first goal of the match and the season. The players lined back up in formation at the center of the pitch. All three girls failed to secure the quaffle, two of the Slytherin chasers boxing out Katie and Rebecca while one of their beaters sent a bludger at Angelina. The Slytherin chaser who'd been embarrassed by the pass he'd missed tore down the field, dodging a bludger and pulling his arm back for a shot.

Ron gulped, gripping his broom too tightly and tensing up. He jerked towards the left-most goal, thinking that was where he was shooting. Malkovich turned at the last moment and shot for the center goal, making it through.

"10 points to Slytherin." Lee said dully.

Ron stared down at his broom as the crowd largely remained silent, the Slytherins cheering boisterously. The match continued on a rapid pace, Ron letting six more goals through before Angelina called for a time out. 

"Weasley! What's the matter?" Angelina bellowed, landing roughly in the circle that was forming under their goals. "Your freezing up!"

Ron stammered, trying to figure out how to explain his poor performance. "I-I'm"

"Relax Angelina!" Rebecca sharply. Angelina threw her hands above her head and walked a few steps to the side, smoothing her hand over her hair before coming back and nodding apologetically. "Ron?" Rebecca put her broom down and stood next to Ron.

"I know, I'm tossing the game."

Rebecca shook her head, "Hey! I didn't say that shite!" She grabbed his shoulders and turned him so that he was facing her entirely. "Everyone's got a first match."

Fred and George appeared over both of her shoulders. "Yeah, so pull your head out of your arse and let's get back to this one!"

Ron turned his head to the side, the crowd's chants reaching them. "Weasley cannot save a thing. He cannot block a single ring."

Rebecca put her hands up on his cheeks, holding his face tightly. "Ron, let's get back to the game. Okay?"

Ron's eyes fell as the words continued. "That's why Slytherins all sing, Weasley is our king."

Angelina grimaced and called them into a tight circle, putting her arms around Ron's shoulders. "Let's get back up there and finish this!"

The team grabbed their brooms and returned to the sky, the Draco and Pansy clearly standing in front of the Slytherin stands and conducting the horrible song. Angelina flitted about, telling Harry to get the snitch and get it quickly while they could still secure a victory before telling Katie and Rebecca that they were switching to a two-chaser offence so she could stay back and work on stealing the quaffle back before they could get to Ron.

"Just like that, the time out's over and the match begins again. Gryffindor secures the quaffle in the takeaway, Katie dodging the oncoming Slytherin defence." Lee had to raise his voice to be heard over the chanting.

"Weasley was born in a bin, he always lets the quaffle in."

Rebecca and Katie managed to score another goal each, sending Gryffindor's score higher and lessening the lead Slytherin had gained. When Harry caught the snitch shortly after, Slytherin had only managed to get the quaffle in twice more, Ron stopping one shot and Angelina stopping the chasers before they could shoot.

The Gryffindor team landed on the ground and tried to enjoy their victory. Ron grimaced as Hermione made her way onto the pitch. "A victory!" She shouted, smiling and trying to cheer up their dreary moods. "Against Slytherin!"

Fred and George scowled as Draco joined his team, walking towards them. "We wanted to write a few more verses, but we couldn't come up with anything to rhyme with fat or ugly." 

Rebecca looked Ron over head to toe, scoffing. "Well you're dumber than you look then, he's fit and charming. Certainly more so than you." Any sadness she'd felt towards Draco, any camaraderie she felt they shared, it was masked by the outrage she felt at how he had ridiculed Ron so terribly during his first match.

"Not for him, we wanted to write about his mother." The Gryffindor team froze. "We also tried useless loser, for his father. Couldn't get that to work either."

Harry, Rebecca, Ron, Fred, and George moved in unison, launching themselves at Draco. They abandoned their brooms to the floor and pushed through those who tried to stop them. "What'd you just say?" Ron bellowed, winding his arm back. 

Fred made it in front of Ron's arm, grabbing Draco by the front of his shirt and hoisting him up off the ground. "My mother? You're trying to badmouth my mother?" His voice was low and dangerous, a threatening tone Rebecca had never heard lacing his words.

The professors above shouted for students to move out of their way, Umbridge's rising above them all.

"Who would you rather I talk about? Your whore of a mother or the two whores she's assumed?" Draco's eyes flitted to Rebecca. At the blatant insult of Molly's good name, Rebecca's body ignited like it had with Lavender. The rage filled every fibre of her being until all she saw was red.

Harry's vision went black momentarily, an image of Voldemort's smiling face flashing before his eyes. When his vision returned, Rebecca and Fred had Draco on the floor and she was pounding her fists into his face and shoulders while Fred wrestled him into the ground. Ron had been grabbed by Crabbe and was being held away from the fight. Fred had Draco's feet in his hands, trying to held them down so he couldn't get up while also trying to help George deal with Goyle.

"Children!" Umbridge shouted, her short legs whirring underneath her as she took her wand out and separated them. Draco shakily pushed himself to his feet, blood streaming from his nose and his eye already darkening. Rebecca spit at him, blood mixing with her saliva from the split he'd managed to leave her with. "This behaviour is shameful!"

McGonagall walked past Umbridge, grabbing their faces and turning them up to hers so she could survey the damage. 

"You four are hereby issued lifelong bans from quidditch. Your brooms will be confiscated." Umbridge gestured to Harry, Rebecca, Fred, and George.

"And what about Mr Malfoy?" McGonagall called, Umbridge having turned away.

"Mr Malfoy is an esteemed member of the Inquisitorial Squad, whatever skirmish happened here was not preempted by him. Nor Mr Crabbe, Goyle, Zambini, or otherwise present!" Umbridge addressed them all once more. "But, on the topic of additional punishments, you four are also issued two weeks of detention."

Hermione and McGonagall walked with the team back to the locker room, Angelina shell-shocked and Fred wiping his still-bleeding nose on the sleeve of his jersey. "I cannot believe the insanity I just had to partake on. What, in Merlin's long, long beard, would have you turn into such barbarians?"

Ron sputtered. "You couldn't-He said, he actually..." His mouth kept going, but no words came out. 

The hot, burning rage that had consumed Rebecca refused to lessen, her heartbeat pounding in her ears. Rebecca's head stayed turned towards the ground, despite McGonagall's persisting questions. Her fists were still clenched, rubbing her knuckles against her pants--the pain hardly recognising through the fog. 

McGonagall opened the door to locker room and dismissed the rest of the team, pointing to the bench. Rebecca sat next to Harry, McGonagall's voice muffled. The heat rose in her body, sending the hair on the back of her neck and her arms standing up as her skin prickled. 

"You are aware that there's nothing I can do, nothing anyone can do now. You will be subject to her punishment." 

The tile floor Rebecca stared at wavered, the lines fading and suddenly sharpening to a startling definition. "Miss Potter!" Rebecca looked up, her mind emptying. "Have you heard a single word I said?"

"Yes, professor." Rebecca intoned, hoping her tone sounded moderately apologetical.

"Go shower. You've disappointed your house today. Godric Gryffindor himself would be ashamed at your behaviour."

"That is a lie!" Rebecca shouted, the rage bubbling up. Her hand clapped over her mouth as she stood up. "I didn't mean-I didn't mean that."

McGonagall watched Rebecca's eyes flit back and forth, rolling her neck before taking a step closer to the showers doorway. Rebecca continued into the shower, her eyes distant. When McGonagall turned back around, Harry had disappeared as well. Fred and George stood slowly, Fred's nose nearly finished bleeding.

George nodded to Fred and entered the shower, leaving him to deal with McGonagall. "Whores."

"Excuse me!" 

"Whores. He called our mother, our sister, and Rebecca whores." Fred threw his discarded and bloodied shirt into the hamper and turned to the professor before joining the other boys in the shower. "Could you have reacted differently?"

*******************************************

Fred and George took the spots on either side of Rebecca and Harry at their first round of detention that night. Umbridge gave her usual speech and decided they would continue the same lines as last time.

"Perhaps you could all benefit from a lesson on lying."

Rebecca and Harry had learnt that it helped to write slower, you got fewer cuts in the hour Umbridge kept them. Fred and George were surprised to find that the punishment was more difficult than it seemed. It was hard, to continue to write with the quill that was scarring you with every passing second.

Their hands quickly wept blood, the letters opening on the backs of their hands with a painful malice. Their faces remained blank except for the occasional wince as they wrote a letter slightly different than before and the cuts were widened.

None of them spoke a word when they were excused. Fred and George followed Harry as he led the way to the bathroom. Rebecca opted out of accompanying Harry since he had two boys with him this time, entering the girls' lavatory alone. 

She looked at herself in the mirror, her hair having grown since the end of summer cut she'd received months before, the bags under her eyes pronounced. The water washed the rivulets of blood from the back of her hand, the water stinging and providing clarity as she gathered her thoughts.

She was angry, of course. Angry she'd been banned from quidditch. Angry she was subject to this torture again. Angry Fred and George were now being tortured. Angry Draco wasn't in there suffering with them. She was angry, wholeheartedly and entirely angry.

She looked away from herself in the mirror, turning and letting her back rest against the lip of the sink. She held a paper towel to the back of her hand and looked over her knuckles. Rebecca shook her head in disgust and moved to the bathroom door, pausing at the shuffle of shoes behind her.

She walked back, one of the stalls partially open. She nudged it open with her knee, her disgust only growing at the sight of Lavender trying to hide inside the stall. "What? Want to tell the Prophet lies?"

Lavender shook her head, not looking at her. 

"Look at me!" Rebecca hissed. "Don't cower as if I've ever done anything to you that wasn't warranted or justified or deserved!"

Lavender glanced up at her and looked away just as quickly. "You're mad, you've gone mental."

Rebecca scoffed, "Perhaps. What're you going to do about it?" Rebecca turned around and left the bathroom without another word. In the hall, Fred poked at the back of his hand gingerly. Rebecca reached into her pocket and opened the tin of salve he'd given her.

"May I?" She asked, the ferocity gone from her voice and only a tired-wary care left behind.

Fred nodded and watched as she spread a thin layer on his wounds with the utmost gentleness. He took a dollop and grabbed her hand to do the same, spreading the small bit of excess cream to her knuckles before chuckling softly. "You don't even need me, you can clearly handle yourself just fine."

Rebecca shook her head. "I need you, always."

Fred passed the tin to George and Harry who used it thankfully, making their way back to the common room slowly. Fred put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her into his side, pausing at the bottom of the stairs and motioning for the two other boys to head on up. He sat on the bench below a window and pulled her onto his knee where she promptly buried her face into his neck.

"Love?" 

She looked up slightly so he would know she was listening.

"Everything that prick said today was false."

"I know."

Fred shook his head. "No, it's not enough for you to know it's false. I need you to know I know it is, your friends know it is. Hell, most of the bloody school knows it couldn't be true."

"Why?" Rebecca asked, confused.

Fred felt a small smile play at his lips. "You should ask Cedric sometime. Apparently, consensus is we're real."

"Course we're bloody real." Rebecca said, not getting the point.

"Not us as in you and I. Us, together?"

Rebecca put her head back down and closed her eyes. "I can't believe we've been banned from quidditch."

Fred sighed. "I know. Is there anything I can do?"

Rebecca shook her head, pressing her lips to his neck before putting her hand up to his face and turning his head to her, kissing him lightly before entwining her hand through his hair and kissing him stronger.

When she pulled back, she was surprised to see tears welling in his eyes. "Darling, what's the matter?"

Fred reached a hand up and tried to wipe away his tears. Rebecca took her hand from the side of his face and wiped them herself, leaving her hand resting against his cheek. "How can he say these thing--these horrible things--and no one cares? What's happening to our school?" 

Rebecca didn't have an answer. Would anyone? She pulled Fred's head against her, rubbing the back of his head as his breathing slowed and he regained his composure. "I'm sorry." His voice was soft and he avoided her eyes.

She kissed his cheek, swinging her legs off of him and holding a hand out for him to take. "Don't be stupid."

Fred blinked at her, taking the her outstretched hand. "How am I being stupid!"

She shook her head and laid a hand on the bannister, the stairs being all that was between them and the common room. "Let's find a first year. Seeing our genius at work is sure to brighten you right up."

It did. 

*******************************************

Their detentions went slowly, each session bringing more and more students in to join them for the minutest of offences. Nigel had his first detention during the second week of their sentence. The second year whimpered intermittently, unknowingly helping the older Gryffindors as their own pain was masked by their growing anger.

"That will do for tonight," Umbridge smiled over them all. "I hope the message is starting to...sink in." She giggled and waved as they left.

Fred and George put their arms around Nigel, walking him down the hall into privacy as the other students began to dissipate into the evening corridors.

"It's not that bad mate," George said softly, handing Fred a tissue from his pocket.

Fred held the younger boy's hand and dabbed at it gently, wiping away any residual blood. "Here, let's get something on there." Nigel closed his eyes and turned away from the raw, cut flesh of his hand. Fred held his other hand out down the hall, needing the tin of salve Rebecca was holding out to anyone who needed it around her.

Harry followed her down the hall, listening to how she began to speak softly to the younger boy, following Fred and George's examples and passing words of encouragement and praising his bravery. 

Nigel stood slowly, holding his hand against his chest. He sniffled, "Thank you."

"How many more do you have?" Fred asked, keeping his arm around the boy he'd felt so threatening to just the year before.

"Two." 

Rebecca put the lid on her tin and pressed it into Nigel's other hand. Nigel shook his head, trying to give it back. "Nigel, I can always make more. Take it and share it, please." Rebecca's voice left no room for more argument.

She glanced at the back of her hand before letting her arm fall at her side. Fred leaned down and whispered something to Nigel, something that made him grin and run to his group of friends without another word.

"What are you doing?" Rebecca questioned, apprehensive of the sudden change in Fred's mood.

"It's time to fight back. We've got the D.A. for the future, but we're losing the present. Umridge-itis."

"What?" Harry asked, feeling left out as Rebecca and George high fived before yanking their hands back and hissing in pain.

"Illness is afoot at Hogwarts." That was the only explanation Fred would give, making his way to the boys' stairs with Rebecca and George right behind him.

Rebecca took her position in their set up, ingredient allocation and recipe distributor. George sat in front of their cauldron, looking to where Fred took out the box of packaging supplies. "What first?" Rebecca flipped through the box of ingredients as she asked, wanting to know what they were making.

"Doesn't matter. Nigel's telling the others to be ready for tomorrow and we're going to need everything from the snackboxes. She won't know what hit her."

Rebecca grinned, "Let's start with the Puking Pastilles then, more of a mess for her to clean up."

*******************************************

It was nearly midnight when they'd finished, Lee already having gone to bed with plenty of complaining at the inconvenience of lights needing to be left on. Rebecca wiped at her forehead with the back of her non-punished hand, all three of them exerted at the sheer level of work they'd rushed on for hours.

"Think it's enough?" Rebecca gestured to the basket in front of them, rows upon rows of Fever Fudge, Blistering Bon-Bons, and, the sweet they'd made the most of, Puking Pastilles.

Fred shrugged, "For a little bit at least." Rebecca yawned. Fred grabbed a few of the tins they'd made to hand out to other students. One among the stack with a yellow and black label and one with a blue and silver label. He stuck a few onto his robes for the next day, gave a few to George's outstretched hand, and held the rest. "It's late, love. Let's get you on to bed before Hermione combusts."

"I can go, you don't have to walk me down."

Fred shook his head and pulled her to her feet. "I want to."

They snuck down the hall, the doors closed to the other Gryffindor boys who were asleep as they should have been. Fred and Rebecca meandered down the stairs slowly, pausing at the bottom of the girls' stairs. Rebecca tilted her head up to him as he kissed her deeply, his hand settling on her hip and pulling her closer against him.

When he pulled his face away from hers, he looked over her face carefully. "Are you okay? You look...I don't know, off?"

She gave him a slight smile, "I'm okay." He gave her a look. She sighed. "I just have a hard time watching her hurt Nigel, the other children."

"They're children as much as you are." Fred pointed out.

"What, like you're so much older than I am? You know what I mean. They're children still, they're supposed to be happy and carefree and focusing on their schoolwork, not torture and decrees and bullshite."

Fred dragged his hands up her sides, resting them on top of her shoulders. "I know. We're going to take it back though. Meeting's are still going well and Nigel's rounding up forces."

Rebecca nodded and kissed his cheek gently, taking the tins he held out to her. "I'll see you tomorrow. I love you, Fred."

"I love you, too. Don't forget your tea, okay?"

She waved a hand over her shoulder, placating his worries. "Don't know what the bloody point is." She thought as she walked down the hall to her room. She and Harry continued to dream in the bits they had been, inexplicably.

*******************************************

"The stunning spell is a wizard's bread and butter." Harry said, walking in front of the two lines of Dumbledore's Army on either side of him. "It's one of the most useful spells in your arsenal."

Rebecca nodded, agreeing. 

"Nigel, why don't you take the other side." Harry prompted.

Nigel gulped, walking out from in between Fred and George, the spot he tended to gravitate towards ever since they'd cared for him so kindly after detention, and looked down at Harry.

"Give me your best shot."

Nigel raised his wand slowly. He held it over his shoulder and thrust his wand forward. "Stupefy!"

"Not bad! Not bad at all, Nigel!" Rebecca clapped as Nigel pushed himself to his feet from where his spell had thrown him and Rebecca held a hand out to Harry.

"She's right," Harry groaned, popping his neck. "That was certainly not bad."

"Let's break up into partners!" Rebecca called, Harry saying something to her quietly that made her giggle. 

Ron gravitated to Hermione. "Don't worry, I'll go easy on you." He said softly.

Hermione smiled, "Thanks, Ronald."

Ron turned and walked back to the other side of the line. The students whispered. "One sickle on Ron." George hissed to Fred.

Fred shook his head, "You're mad! One on her."

Rebecca went to the middle and looked down at them both, raising her hand. When she let it fall, Ron had hardly moved his wand when Hermione flourished her wand expertly and cast the spell.

Ron let out a yelp as he went flying backwards, landing directly on his back with his unused wand in hand.

Fred rubbed his hands together and laughed, taking the sickle from George with glee. "Thank you!"

"Shut up."

Ron hobbled his way in front of them. "I let her do that. Good manners, isn't it?"

Fred rolled his eyes and slid his freshly earned sickle into his back pocket. "Sure, if that's what you're telling people." Fred left George to rib Ron alone, making his way to where Rebecca and Harry were talking in hushed tones. Harry looked over his shoulder at the feeling of Fred's presence, shaking his head. 

"You're wrong!" Harry hissed before storming away.

"Trouble?" Fred put his hands on her shoulders and rubbed them as she let her head fall back against him. 

"Isn't there always?" She looked up at him, a smile playing at her lips. "How much did you make?" She turned around so that she was standing directly in front of him and connecting her hands behind his back, her face no long upside down for him.

"Are you accusing me of gambling? I would never!"

She disconnected her hands and slid them down his back, pausing at his back pocket and slipping a hand in. "Hey! What're you-Rebecca!"

She grinned up at him, enjoying his flustered panic. "A sickle?"

"Watch your hands!" Fred whispered, leaning down as Neville and Luna turned to look at them.

She winked, "I will."

Harry tried to mask his anger as class finished up, making rounds and helping whomever he could. "You shouldn't be cross." Cho said when he'd made his way to her. "Not in times of strife."

Harry bit his tongue, keeping the snarky remark from leaving his mouth. "You don't understand."

Cho shrugged, "Ravenclaw's know things. I know you're probably in a row about the war against Umbridge."

Harry scoffed, "War? They're pranks. Hardly acts of war. They're acting like fools!"

Cho gave him a small, sad smile before turning back to her partner, "Are you angry about the pranks or angry that you're left out?"

Harry stared at the back of her head a moment before looking back to where Rebecca and Colin were laughing heartily at the dummy Colin had enchanted to ball dance made its way around the room. "That's not all I'm jealous of." He thought as Fred held his hand out to Rebecca and they began to jump and twirl around the room happily.

When their time was up, they started their dismissal like they had perfected. Cedric looked to where Fred and Rebecca were panting, their faces red, and smiled at them. "At least not everything can be ruined, right?" Cedric slapped Harry's shoulder as he past him, making his way to a Hufflepuff first year who was looking lonely.

"Yeah, right." Harry said to himself.

Rebecca's smile dimmed as Harry appeared in front of them. "What now? Am I laughing to loudly again?"

Harry shook his head. "No, well yes, but that's not what I was going to say."

Rebecca scoffed at him. "You know, Harry. Take this however you want, but I don't care what you have to say right now. I'm sorry I'm not miserable every waking second like you are making yourself. I'm sorry I let myself enjoy the happy moments when we get them. I don't know, what else could you possibly expect me to apologise for?"

Fred stood up and stepped away, making his way to where he was going to let them work their spat out before walking with her back to the common room. 

"Rebecca..."

"Don't 'Rebecca' me like that!" She snapped.

"How do you want me to say your name then!" Harry's voice was sharp. "It's not my fault you parade around like a-like a bloody love-struck puppy. It's irritating and annoying. There, why don't you apologise for that?"

Rebecca stepped up to him and looked up into his eyes. "I see." She said curtly. "Well, I'm sorry that you feel that way, but I'm certainly not apologising for that. You are an arse. Pull up your fucking big boy trousers and tell Cho how you feel if you're lonely, but don't spite me my happiness, my sanity, because you're alone."

Harry looked away from her gaze, watching her march her way to Fred whom she promptly kissed passionately before sticking her middle finger up over her shoulder and dragging him out of the Room of Requirement behind her. 

"How is it your legs move so fast!" Fred said as he had to walk faster and faster to keep up with her.

She ignored him, fuming. "Who does he think he is? Really, who does he think he is? Trying to act like I'm the one who's done something wrong."

"These things always work themselves out. Let's just-Oh hell."

Rebecca looked up at what interrupted Fred, sighing at the new box on the wall of decrees: 

Educational Decree Number 83:

Students will submit to questioning about suspected illicit activities.

"That's great. Just fantastic really."

Fred walked faster, pulling her along now. "We've got to get to the common room. Now."

"What's lit your hair on fire?" Rebecca asked as he sprinted up the stairs to the portrait hole.

"Hello? Questioning?" He wouldn't explain further, instead running straight to where Hermione and Ginny were sitting on the couch.

"Oh, hello Fred. No, we weren't in the middle of anythin-"

"New decree. Individual questioning."

Hermione glanced at Rebecca. "Oh, blast."

*******************************************

"Alright, try it again now."

Rebecca took a breath and looked into Ginny's eyes. "No, I don't know what you're talking about."

Ginny narrowed her eyes. "Tell me the truth, Potter. You don't want to see me angry."

Rebecca focused on the muscles in her face, willing them to stay as placid as they'd been working on for ages and really just wanting to go up to bed. "That is the truth."

Fred nodded and sat back. "It's better, not good but not as bad as it was."

Harry had come in the common room in the middle of their lesson on lying, filled with worry after learning about the newest decree in Umbridge's long, long line of decrees. Ron trailed in and sat next to him, tilting his hand from side to side to show how his mediocre opinion on their progress.

Hermione looked up from her parchment and read over it. "You stopped squinting when you lie, but you still bite your lip. If she pays attention to your tells, there's no hope."

"Thanks, Hermione. I'm certainly ready now." Rebecca shook her head. "My lip just hurts, there. Perfect excuse."

"Why would your lip hurt in the first place?" George asked, sitting on the couch upside down.

"Umm...let's see..." She looked at Fred and grinned, finding an answer. "Rough snog."

Ron bent down and put his head between his knees, retching dramatically. Hermione rolled her eyes. "Honestly, that might work to your advantage. If you're crude enough, she may end your questioning early."

"Or she'll give you more detention." Harry offered.

"You're talking to me?" Rebecca asked, standing up and kissing the top of Fred's head goodnight. "Colour me surprised then."

Harry jumped to his feet and followed her. "That doesn't even make sense. Can you just listen to me a moment?"

She paused at the stairs. "Sure, a moment. I was hoping for a moment of peace before bed."

Harry took a deep breath. "It's not that I'm jealous of you and Fred."

Rebecca turned around. "Whatever!"

"No, wait! I am, but not like that. I just...I wish I was able to have something to offer you. I can't wrap my head around how you lot make your goods. I can't play quidditch with you now. It's not like there's an opportunity to just pop out and do something together with all these bloody rules. I feel like-like I'm replaceable and in the process of being replaced."

Rebecca rolled her eyes. "Well that's daft. No one on earth could replace you. I only have one twin. Besides, we've been working on the Army together. Doesn't that count?"

Harry shook his head. "In a way, but it's work."

"Harry, we're entering a war." She lowered her voice and stepped back down a step. "Voldemort is out there, as you well know. We're not always going to be doing fun things together. We should be enjoying whatever we do together."

Harry nodded. "You're right."

"I know."

He looked up at her. "So does that mean we're set?"

"Depends, you pulled up your trousers yet?" Rebecca fought the smile threatening to show and made Harry be the first to laugh.

"Yes, my 'fucking big boy trousers' are up."

*******************************************

<3


	80. Chapter 80

Rebecca managed to escape further detentions during Umbridge's interrogation the next day, although she ended up getting a few each week for one infraction or another.

Taking the seat across from Umbridge, Rebecca knew she was going to end up having to play their last-resort card.

"Miss Potter, you really expect me to believe you aren't up to anything nefarious? With your track records, that's quite a far-fetched story you've concocted. Or, did your brother come up with it, like the others?"

Rebecca's mind screamed, but she wrangled her voice into mild-mannered confusion. "Concocted? I'm sorry. I don't believe I've heard that word before. What does it mean exactly?"

Umbridge pursed her lips. "Concocted, as in the lies you've just told me."

"Oh, see now that makes a lot more sense. I thought you were talking about Fred and his-"

"That's enough!" Umbridge interrupted, raising her hand to silence the girl. "You are a nasty, foul student."

"Me professor? I don't know what you're talking about. I was only trying to-"

Umbridge pointed to the door, commanding her to not say another word. Rebecca did as she was told, poking her head back in on a whim. "Good afternoon."

*******************************************

The days turned to weeks, winter descending onto the castle the worst it ever had in any of their years at Hogwarts. The chill sent the students into miserable moods, the fifth years bogged down with extensive amounts of homework.

The war on Umbridge's classes waged on, Nigel taking the forefront of the younger years. He'd gone as far to create a chart of each Gryffindor hour with Umbridge to randomise who was to 'fall ill' so a pattern didn't arise. Nigel had proven he was a diplomatic prodigy, quickly forming an alliance with a representative from Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw that followed his every word.

"Now, Louis, make sure they have salve if they end up sentenced. You hear me? I've got extra, take this one." Nigel slipped his tin into the third year Hufflepuff's pocket as they swapped backpacks, Nigel's full of the sweets for the week and Louis' filled with the goods the other Hufflepuff students had crafted and made in thanks. There were scarves, gloves, hats, non-magical sweets they'd collected from their own stores, as well as notes of thanks to pass on to Weasley Wizard Wheezes comment box.

Rebecca threw her arm around Nigel, looking over her shoulder to make sure the pink devil wasn't near enough to shout at them. "You're out of salve."

Nigel looked at her, nodding resignedly. "I know. But..."

"What?" Rebecca asked, smiling at him goofily to encourage him to speak, his words trailed away into silence.

"You would have given it. I had to ask myself what would you have done and then I knew what I had to do."

"Bloody hell." She whispered. "You've got to be careful saying things like that!" She reached up and patted around her head. "You'll give me a fat head." Nigel giggled. "No, in all seriousness. There's a line." She looked back into his eyes. "There's a line that is, admittedly, hard to find that marks the point where we give up too much. Just keep that in mind." She reached into her pocket and revealed more salve, this time in an old potions jar. They'd run out of tins ages ago and had to start using whatever they could that could seal.

"Is this yours?" Nigel asked. "You wouldn't want to cross the line of giving up too much."

Rebecca reached up and mussed his hair wildly. "Oi, I'll be the mature one here. Just because you've assumed the role of leader of the short ones."

"The short ones? I'm as tall as you are!" Nigel puffed his chest out. "Besides, I'm at least still growing."

Rebecca's mouth dropped open. "You've done it now." She pulled out a small bag from her pocket, grinning madly. "Now you're testing a prototype." She took a pinch of dust out of the bag and flicked it at his stomach.

He dropped to the floor, writing in silent laughter. Rebecca knelt next to him and watched, the effects lasting until she counted to fifteen. He drew in a long breath, laughter still coming out of him in short bursts. "Why? What could make you think of tickling powder?"

Rebecca held her hand out and helped him up, glad that he was done asking about the jar. "Well, it's a long story, but the short version is that Ginny woke me up violently one too many times."

Nigel sighed and held the portrait hole door open, motioning for her to step through. "This never ends well."

Harry waved to Rebecca from his seat next to Hermione and Ron, Hermione grilling them on the importance of doing their homework on time. "How on earth can you expect to pass your O.W.L.s if you're not even going to do your homework?!"

Rebecca pulled a chair up and took the rest of the scolding before raising her hand like she was in a classroom. Hermione rolled her eyes and looked at her. Rebecca cleared her throat. "I finished my work."

Hermione narrowed her eyes and grabbed the parchment Rebecca had plucked out of her bag. Hermione skimmed it and nodded. "This is complete and correct. Why're you sitting with these two?"

Rebecca shrugged and smiled widely. "Figured I shouldn't be the one to break routine." Hermione handed her parchment back and pretended she didn't see her slip it to Ron. The last D.A. meeting before holiday that night after supper and the last quidditch match the next morning. Then, one more week of classes and the break began.

She stood back up, leaving a quickly as she'd arrived before jogging up the stairs happily. "What's got her so giddy?" Ron grumbled, not even hiding how he started to copy her answers from Hermione.

Hermione shook her head. "I've no idea, she's hardly sleeping."

Harry pursed his lips, revealing nothing. "How do you know she's not sleeping well?"

Hermione knew the answer to her question from his avoidance of it. She sighed, "She stays up as long as she can, far into the morning. Then, when she can't keep her eyes open any longer, she drinks her tea and sits on her bed, still fighting sleep."

Harry looked away, deciding to be more forthright than he generally was. "It's different. The dreams. We're still in the dark halls, still running, but we're running away now. Behind us is nothing but shadow. But there's something in it, something that gets closer. We get to a door and try to open it, but it's locked." Harry took a breath. "Something wraps itself around us and then we wake up."

Ron nodded and added, "Drenched in sweat." Without looking up from his homework.

"That makes sense, with how she moves about." Hermione looked out the window as snow continued to fall. "We just need to make it a few more days, everything will be fine."

*******************************************

Rebecca was positively at peace in Fred and George's room. George was taking stock of their supplies to figure out how much more they could make before break when they'd need to replenish. "Did you ever get a list to Nigel?" Rebecca asked from behind Fred, her arms wrapped around him.

"Yes, I did. Did you not ask me to?" George replied cheekily, turning to them and rolling his eyes at the sight of them.

"Just making sure, he said he'd bring the comments by later."

"When'd you see Nigel?" Fred asked, his eyes still closed.

"I was on guard for the Hufflepuff handoff today. That boy gave away his tin so Louis'd have some to bring back. Speaking of, George, salve needs to take priority, especially with so many of us in detention now."

More students than not had some phrase or another etched into their skin. The dormitories walls had grown accustomed to hearing the soft weeping of children crying themselves to sleep, never enough salve to go around. 

"And you gave yours away?" Fred asked, rolling over so that he faced her.

"She did." Nigel answered, taking his bag off at the doorway. "Here, take it back."

Rebecca shook her head. "No, no. You take it and make sure it gets put to good use, anyone who needs it."

Nigel gave her a face before tossing the box he pulled out of his bag to George. "More responses this time." Nigel gave them a brief status report before pausing at the door. "We meeting tomorrow night?"

"You know it." Rebecca turned her back to Fred and called his name. "Hey Nigel?" The second year turned back. "Fred keeps an extra tin on him. No one's going without. Okay?"

Nigel nodded and continued his way out. 

Rebecca finished telling him what Nigel had told her earlier, that he used what he thought she would have done to decide for himself what as right. 

Fred kissed her forehead. "You're a role model, the way you help the younger ones...it's fitting that they'd look up to you."

Rebecca kissed him, wrapping her fingers through his hair and sitting up farther so that Fred's head fell back against his pillow and she was above him. George turned back to paperwork, rolling his eyes and smiling.

"When did Neville say the plants would be ready for another harvest?" He asked, not turning back around.

Rebecca pulled away from Fred, "Not until after the holidays."

George nodded. Rebecca lay her head on his chest, her hand over his heart. She smiled up to him. Fred brought his hand up from his side and laid it on top of hers. She nuzzled her head farther into him and let her eyes rest a moment. 

When George turned back around, paperwork completed and lists of what they could make with what they had made, Fred was brushing his hand against the top of her head as she dozed. "She really shouldn't..."

Fred shook his head and shushed him. "Look at her, she's exhausted. A few minutes won't hurt anything...I hope."

Rebecca's breathing was slow and steady, her mind dark and blank. She was spared both dreams or mysterious images. Somewhere in her psyche she was aware of the stroking on top of her head, but between the warmth coming off of Fred's body in comforting waves and the rest that came with much-needed sleep, she was soon snoring lightly.

Fred smiled and let his head fall back onto his pillow, his hand still atop her head and sleep taking him too. When George left the bathroom, he shook his head and grabbed the blanket from where it had fallen off of them and pulled it up so that it covered them both entirely. George sat back at his desk and lifted his cauldron on to it, setting it down as quietly as he could.

"Okay...let's see. Aloe vera, drops of nettle juice, sprinkles of lace worm saliva..." 

George set the ingredients in and set them to a simmer, the last batch of salve they could make in production. Harry poked his head in the door, "It's supper time, what're we waiting for?"

George gestured to the bed in front of him. "Look at them! I'm a prankster, not a monster."

Harry chuckled. Rebecca had shifted slightly, her face smushed against him. Ron followed in, his footsteps incredibly loud. "Well! Are they ready?!" He bellowed.

Fred jerked at the noise that shocked both him and Rebecca awake. "Oh, why?" She groaned, turning her head into his chest.

"I'm starved." Ron tried to explain, his words falling quiet at the look Fred gave him. "Just famished."

Fred stretched, sitting up and forcing Rebecca to sit up as well. "C'mon love, we'll eat and then we can go to bed early." Rebecca sighed, knowing she wouldn't be getting any rest as comfortable or restful as she had with Fred.

*******************************************

The hall faded past her faster and faster, the black and white tiles blurring as she zipped around low to the ground. She could hear a pounding in her ears.

The last thing she remembered thinking was, "Is that my heart?"

Her eyes fluttered open from where she'd rest her head on her propped up elbow, the Great Hall appearing in front of her. Hermione looked at her pitifully and slid a piece of tart onto her plate. She nodded, her eyes heavy. "Thanks, Mione." Fred rubbed her shoulder, George sitting back into his seat properly as she sat up off of Fred's side. "I'm sorry," she yawned. "Knackered."

Fred patted her hand before straightening and facing the front, falling silent. The others took similar positions, chewing and looking ahead. Umbridge's footsteps echoed behind them. When she'd walked ahead enough, they all relaxed and continued their hushed conversation.

"You need to see Dumbledore." Hermione whispered. "You two can't just not sleep, it's not healthy."

Harry responded for them both, Rebecca occupied with a bite of tart. "Dumbledore's busy enough!"

"I just was sleeping," Rebecca stifled a yawn. "I'm fully rested."

Ron rolled his eyes and turned back to his dessert, ready for the D.A. meeting. Nigel whistled the opening tune to Weasley is Our King at the end of the table. A Ravenclaw first year leaned turned around as Umbridge walked behind her, holding her hands to her mouth. Vomit projected out of her mouth, coating Umbridge's skirt to her shoes, a puddle forming on the ground where she stood.

The students around her giggled, a wave of humiliation washing over the High Inquisitor. She reached down and grabbed the girl by the ear, dragging her out of the Great Hall. McGonagall surveyed her table proudly, well aware of their actions against the blight on Hogwarts' name that Umbridge had become.

Rebecca scooped the last bit of food of her plate and stood up. "I've got to go on a walk or something, something to wake me up before tonight. I'll see you all, yeah?" She turned away, not waiting for answer.

"Wait, I'll come with you. Shouldn't be off alone anyway." Hermione said, shaking her head at Fred who had moved to get up with her. Fred raised an eyebrow, but sat back down.

Hermione fell into step beside Rebecca, not saying anything until she paused at the exit of the castle. "Rebecca?" Rebecca continued outside, making her way to the snow buried courtyard. "You're not even in a coat! What are-"

"Hermione! You came with me!" Rebecca took her hands out of her pocket and hopped in place, shaking her hands as she did so. "I'm trying to wake up a little."

"We can go to Madam Pomfrey, she could know something that could help."

Rebecca shook her head. 

Hermione crossed her arms and buried her hands in her armpits, trying to hold onto as much warmth as she could. "Ready for tonight?"

Rebecca scoffed, "Oh yeah, my favourite lesson. I don't even know why I'm going tonight. Pathetic and embarrassing."

"Remember what Lu-Moony said." Hermione caught herself, almost forgetting to use the nicknames for those at headquarters. "Have you tried a different memory?"

"I can't." Rebecca said softly. "I have a memory to use that I always have."

Hermione left the cover of the corner she'd been standing behind, stepping into the biting wind where Rebecca shivered. "What does that mean? Why couldn't you use a different memory?"

Rebecca sighed and turned away from her. "My memory is of the first day I met Harry, that should be my happiest memory. How can I use someon-something else? Nothing should make me happier than finding out I had a brother, a twin at that."

Hermione realised what she was really saying. "I see."

Rebecca took a small step back towards the castle, her eyes wide and her mind cleared, albeit conflicted. "That would make me a horrible sister."

Hermione shook her head, "That's absurd! You're one of the greatest sisters in the world, if I had a sister, I'd be lucky if she was like you." Hermione paused. "Try the memory your thinking of tonight and see what happens. I think you'll be surprised."

Rebecca sighed. "It just feels wrong, picking F-picking a different memory."

"Can we stop pretending we both don't know exactly who you're talking about?" Hermione waited for her to nod before continuing. "It's a different kind of happiness, okay?" Hermione put her arm through Rebecca's. "Don't think about it like choosing Fred over Harry, it's just a memory. You have them both."

Rebecca nodded, "You really do know everything."

"Hey! Students aren't to be outside of the Great Hall during scheduled meal times!" Blaise shouted down the hall at them. The Inquisitorial Squad, Umbridge's deputies, took their duties with the perfect bias and cruelty Umbridge had hoped. 

"We were going to the toilet, Blaise. Not all of us have so much shite pour out of our mouths that we don't ever need to go!" 

Hermione clapped her hand to her mouth at Rebecca's response, pulling her down the hall faster as Blaise stammered and tried to come up with a response. He looked around, making sure no one else heard what she'd said and stormed back into the Great Hall to find a first year to take his anger out on.

*******************************************

Rebecca and Hermione took their assigned approach to the Room of Requirement, looking around carefully to make sure no one was following them as Hermione continued to lecture her on how she was asking for detention by saying things like that. Inside, Harry was standing to the side as Dean spoke to him quietly.

Hermione stopped as she was called by someone, Rebecca making her way to Dean and Harry. Over their shoulders, Seamus stood awkwardly. "Why would you even bring him?" Harry hissed. "He doesn't believe us, he's made that clear enough."

"I brought him because I thought this was about helping people. Helping make sure they could defend themselves and others." Dean snapped, his tone sharper than Rebecca had ever heard it. As sharp as hers would have been if someone had been speaking about Fred like that.

"It is." She said, Harry looking at her with his face set in a scowl. "Seamus?"

Seamus walked forward, looking over her face with his eyes filled with regret. "My cousin...she's been-she was found." He didn't have to say anything else. Voldemort's movements were followed by random killings, killings that the Prophet continued to excuse and justify as natural occurrences.

Harry bowed his head, grabbing his wand tightly. "I'm sorry about your cousin."

Seamus looked away, his eyes dampening. "Me too. She was a good person, someone who would have kicked my arse for how I've acted."

Rebecca took a deep breath. "What's passed has passed. Dean? You'll show him around? We're just waiting on our..." Cedric came into the room, his face covered in a wide grin as it always was.

"Waiting for our greatest member?" Cedric called, waving as he took his spot near Louis who started rattling off the statistics of the day's work.

"No, just waiting on you!" Rebecca called back, sending the room into boisterous calls and laughter. "We're kind here." She told Seamus. "Kind or we're not here."

Seamus nodded in understanding, Dean leading him to spot at the end of a line. Harry looked her over before walking with her to the front of the class. "Better?"

She smiled at him, "Yeah, better. Ready?" Harry smiled back at her and turned to the class. as she preempted Harry's introduction. "This is our last meeting before break." The students frowned. "But, we've planned something a little more exciting."

Harry finished. "Today, we're going to finish with the Patronus charm. Most of us managed to get one started last week and I think, if we all pull together and help each other, we'll get some creatures in here today." The students grinned and nodded, making their way to where they had enough room to begin.

Harry made his way to the left as they turned around, stopping at Neville who had his lip between his teeth and his face scrunched up painfully. Fred and George were on the back wall, talking to each other softly. "Everything up to order here?" She asked, tapping her wand to her shoulder with her arms crossed in front of her. 

"Perfectly." George answered before turning to the empty space in front of them. He closed his eyes a moment and let his head fall forward. When he had gathered his thoughts, he held his wand out in front of him and cast the spell. "Expecto patronum!" There was a flash of light out his wand, a shape coming clear in front of him and flying in a small circle before landing on his shoulder. "Ha! It's a magpie!" He called, laughing and turning to them happily as the magpie put its beak against his cheek. 

Rebecca and Fred clapped their hands, his laughter contagious. "You going to give it a go?" She asked, looking up at him.

Fred thought for a moment. "Are you?"

She pursed her lips and nodded. "Together then."

Fred pulled his wand out and moved to take a step to the side, moving back and bending down to kiss her before he looked into her eyes a long moment before standing at her side. Around the room, students who had succeeded and students still trying paused and looked at the two of them.

Rebecca closed her eyes and let her mind go blank save for one memory:

Fred was standing above her, his hair clinging to his the sides of his face as his eyes held hers captive. He traced his thumb over her cheek, smiling cheekily before leaning down and kissing her deeply, passionately, breathtakingly, the chill of the steadily increasing rain fought off as warmth spread through their bodies, their hearts beating faster.

When she opened her eyes, the images of their time spent together after the second task of the Triwizard Tournament overlaid with other snippets of their times together: Flying over the dark hills of the night at home, sitting atop Grimmauld Place's top floor with London spread out before them, laying together in his bed with the beating of his heart echoing in her ears.

Fred's mind was filled with similar images, his main memory a recent one--A memory he found himself returning to when he needed happiness:

The record player spun in the corner, Fred bent forward and held his hand out to her. She giggled, his ears humming in happiness as the sweet sound flowed over them. She laid her hand into his, his hand gravitating to her hip and then guiding them off around the room, spinning them to and fro with the music.

When the song ended, she took her hand from his and held them behind his back, looking up to him with her eyes full of love. The same love that filled his. He gave her a cheeky smile before picking her up and throwing her over his shoulder, tossing her onto the bed. He kicked his shoes off and crawled up the bed, his eyes scanning her face before leaning down and kissing her.

They let go of each other's hands and faced the front of them. "Expecto patronum!" Two white wisps left their wands, moving too fast to decipher their shapes. The room clapped, all knowing to one degree or another that Rebecca had never managed a corporeal patronus. The shapes flew back down from where they chased each other at the ceiling of the room, the birds flew around them, entwining their flight patterns as Fred grabbed her hand and squeezed it.

A bird took each of their shoulders, Fred's a magpie like George's and Rebecca's a bird as well: A cardinal. The students returned to their own attempts, George going to Ginny to give them a moment. They turned and faced each other, their hands taking each other's. "I knew you could do it." Fred whispered.

Rebecca glanced at her shoulder, her smile radiant. "I figured out what I was doing wrong, what I needed to change."

Fred's magpie hopped down his outstretched arm as her cardinal did the same. They perched on their wrists and nuzzled each other lovingly. "I thought of you." Fred confessed quietly. 

"And I you." She looked away from him, reaching a hand out and brushing the top of the birds' heads. 

"Rebecca!" Colin shouted, "Look!"

Ginny's patronus, a horse, galloped around the room wildly. Fred and Rebecca let go of each other, their birds flying above their head close together. "I've got to go help." She said, stepping up for a brief kiss. Fred pecked her lips, moving to walk around the opposite direction and help anyone he could.

Hermione's face was red, her wand only producing a slight white flash whenever she attempted the charm. "Trouble?" Rebecca asked, her cardinal perched on her shoulder again. 

Hermione gave her a look and let her arm fall to her side. "Evidently."

Rebecca stepped up to her side and lifted Hermione's arm. "Relax, you're tense." She shook her arm until Hermione's muscles weren't tense. "Hold your wand looser. Yeah, just like that." Hermione rolled her shoulders, facing the front of them again. 

Hermione took a breath and tried again, a shape taking form in front of them. "An otter!" Rebecca cried, clapping her hand on Hermione's shoulder. Hermione grinned proudly, Ron smiling at her from across the aisle as his little dog, a Jack Russell Terrier, sniffed her otter curiously.

Rebecca stopped in front of Luna, the Ravenclaw bent down and petting her rabbit patronus. Seamus whooped loudly, jumping in the air as his patronus took shape. Rebecca made her way to them, Seamus' fox curled around Dean's hound dog. The boys blushed, looking around as the others saw how their patronus' acted with each other.

Seamus shook his head and clenched his fists, taking a deep breath before looking at Dean, a smile spreading across their faces. Dean leaned down and put his hands on either side of Seamus' face, kissing him happily. The room cheered once more, a happy, happy mood taking hold of most of Dumbledore's Army.

Nigel held his wand sadly, unable to produce even the slightest of wisps as the others in the room continued to persevere. Harry had his hand on Cho's wand, his body behind her as he critiqued her stance before looking at her abashed.

Rebecca put her back on the wall behind him and slid to the floor, patting the ground for Nigel to join her. "Issues, mate?"

Nigel nodded, "I can't even get a flash! I don't understand, I've tried a hundred times..."

Rebecca paused, "Is what you're choosing happiness for the sake of happiness or is it simply happiness you've made in the face of poor circumstance?"

Nigel looked at her. "I don't understand."

"Are you thinking about things you've done to Umbridge?"

Nigel blushed, "No, course not."

Rebecca nodded, "Well, even so, maybe you should think about the friends you've made. True happiness comes in memories without ill-intent." Nigel's eyes drifted across the room to Louis, only one of the many friends he'd made in his newly-found knack as liaison between houses.

Nigel got back up to his feet, holding his wand in front of him determined. Rebecca patted his shoulder and continued on, pausing and watching Cedric interact with the golden retriever he'd produced. "Great job, Cedric!" Cedric smiled over his shoulder, his patronus lying on its back and getting its belly scratched.

Harry congratulated Cho whose patronus had come into shape, a white swan, before joining Rebecca and addressing the group as a whole. Rebecca and Harry ducked as a chimpanzee flew from Nigel's wand over their heads, hooting as it sprawled on the floor behind them before crawling back to the beaming Nigel who was being surrounded by the other younger students.

"As we were going to say," Harry chuckled, "You've all done positively brilliant today. Everyone managed to make some progress and I'm certain anyone who hasn't succeeded yet will when we meet again after break."

"This was a productive, enjoyable final meeting of the term. I hope you're all proud of how much you've managed to learn in these meetings. You certainly should be. Now, we're going to take these last few minutes before we need to start dismissing to chat and enjoy each other's company and..."

"And dessert!" Fred and George called, revealing the table covered with a sheet at the back of the room. 

Harry stepped forward, one more thing occurring to him to tell them. "I just wanted to say one last thing." He paused, letting the room come to full attention before continuing on. "Every great wizard in the world has started as nothing more than what we are: Students. But, in all those great wizards, none have been as hardworking or as determined as you lot." His words left the room in silence, the message brief but the meaning grand. 

"Well, go on! Get some before Ron takes them all!" Rebecca called.

The students swarmed the table, laughing with each other as they left with handfuls of cookies and other treats.

Luna wandered to them, a biscuit twirling in her hand absentmindedly. "Good call on the mistletoe. It attracts nargles, did you know that?"

Harry went to answer, but Luna was gone before he'd even had the chance. Rebecca looked up and noticed the mistletoe hanging intermittently on the ceiling. "It's not Wizard's Mistletoe, is it?"

"Wizard's what?" Hermione asked, looking down from the ceiling confused. Neville's head popped up from where he and Luna were talking.

"Wizard's Mistletoe?" Neville repeated.

Rebecca nodded, "Yeah, Wizard's Mistletoe. If you walk under it with someone and you don't kiss them, something bad happens." Fred's eyes widened from behind her, hearing what they were talking about. Fred tried to back away, wincing as she continued. "How did you not know this?"

Ron laughed loudly, Neville shaking his head slowly as he ran through his extensive herbology knowledge. Hermione pointed behind Rebecca, "Do we need to ask who told you that?"

Rebecca whirled around with her mouth open, her lips raised in a wide smile. "You didn't!"

Fred raised his hands, "I'll never admit it!"

Rebecca tilted her head and walked in front of him, stopping when her chin lay against his chest and he had to look straight down at her. "You know, I've walked a far, far circle around mistletoe for years, thinking I'd have to kiss someone else or face the penalties."

Fred chuckled, "Yeah, I noticed."

Rebecca leaned to the side and saw that he'd backed under a bundle of mistletoe. "We probably shouldn't risk it then, right?"

"Absolutely not." He kissed her in a remarkably thorough way, sending heat across her face. Fred deepened their kiss, his teeth pulling at her bottom lip exploratorily, before separating from her.

Around the room, dismissal patterns had taken hold, only a handful of the older students left.

Ron tossed another biscuit up into the air and caught it, Rebecca in front of the three of them red-faced a moment later. Hermione looked from Harry to Cho, Rebecca catching on. "Your big boy trousers, Harry."

Harry nodded. "Big boy trousers."

"We'll see you back in the common room." Hermione said, Ron shaking his head at Rebecca's words and lecturing her on how, "A man does not say 'big boy trousers!'" Rebecca lingered behind, wishing happy holidays to those on their way out and watching as Fred and George paused in front of Harry, a box in hand.

"For our benefactor," George started.

"A sample of our developed products as thanks." Fred finished, letting the box transfer into his hands.

"Oh, guys." Harry was shocked at how heavy the box was, realising how much work the three had managed to accomplish. "This isn't necessary, I simply...invested in a promising business venture. Can we talk more tomorrow?" Harry looked around them at Cho.

Fred smirked, "Sure. Tomorrow." George patted his magpie once more before he let the spell sever as he and Fred took either side of Rebecca who was in the midst of talking to Cedric, and they left the Room of Requirement.

Harry tried to come up with something to say to Cho, finding his mind extraordinarily blank with only the two of them together.

"Good for them." Cedric said, pausing at the divergence where he would have to go off from Fred, George, and Rebecca. "They could both use some happiness."

Rebecca nodded, "You too, Ced." 

Cedric gave her a sad smile, "Life is my happiness."

George gave him a thumbs down, "Boo! Go get yourself someone to snog!"

Fred rolled his eyes as Cedric left them, laughing to himself quietly. "What is wrong with you?"

"No, I think he was right." Rebecca said, causing Fred to look at her astonished. 

"You're taking his side?"

"Half. Speaking of finding someone to snog...George, anyone caught your eye?"

George looked up from the nail he'd been picking at, seeing how they both looked at him deviously. "NO!" He shouted, taking off down the hall on a mad sprint.

"That was easier than I thought." Rebecca looked over her shoulder before wrapping her hand through Fred's.

"That was planned?"

"More or less. I thought we could talk about tomorrow."

"The match?" Fred lifted his hand and twirled her in a circle before they continued to walk.

"Yes, read this. I've been working on it." She handed him a wrinkled scratch of parchment from her pocket.

*******************************************

"Well, how was it?" Ron beckoned for Harry to join their group as he took a seat on the floor by the fire. Fred had his back against the wall next to the fire, Rebecca between his legs and leaning back on him, lifting her head to hear what he had to say as tiredness washed over her body.

"Um...not bad. Wet. She ended up crying"

"Crying? What'd you do?" Ron slapped his knee and laughed.

"I'm sure Harry's kissing was more than satisfactory." Hermione said sharply. "Cho spends half her time crying these days."

Ron tilted his head. "I'd think a bit of snogging would cheer her up then."

Rebecca let her head fall back against Fred with a sigh as Hermione began to explain the many feelings Cho could be feeling. "She's sad about Cedric breaking up with her, conflicted about liking Harry, conflicted because Umbridge is threatening to sack her mum from her job at the Ministry, worried about failing her O.W.L.s, on top of everything else there is to worry about."

Ron shook his head, "If one person could feel all that, they'd explode!"

Hermione's response sent them all stifling sniggers. "Just because you've got the emotional range of a teaspoon." Hermione joined their laughter after a moment.

"Shouldn't you be off to bed, Ron?" Rebecca asked as she yawned again. "Match tomorrow."

Fred leaned his head down so it was closer to her ears. "You should too, love. You're clearly tired."

She shook her head, "I'm good right here, a little longer."

Fred sighed and let his head fall back onto the wall. "How 'bout this? You go ahead and close your eyes right here and I'll wake you in a bit to go up."

Rebecca considered it, remembering how the peaceful sleep Ron had woken them from before dinner. "If you insist." She smiled up at him before resting her head against his firm chest, his arms wrapping around her.

Harry chatted with Ron about the quidditch match the next day, Ron launching into the game plan Angelina had laid out. Harry felt his heart clench as his best mate mentioned how well Ginny was doing as seeker, but he was happy to see something give Ron so much excitement. When the three of them paused their talking, Fred waved his hand and pointed to Rebecca who was very still.

"She sleeping?" Fred mouthed.

Hermione nodded, grabbing a blanket from the back of the couch and handing it to him. He laid it out over her legs the best he could, smiling. Harry and Ron yawned at the same time. Ron narrowed his eyes and threw himself off the couch, wrestling Harry into the ground and laughing maniacally.

"Hermione, George, please!" Fred whispered, gesturing to them and Rebecca who miraculously slept on. 

Hermione and George stood up quickly, pointing at one of the boys each and nodding. Harry and Ron were pulled to their feet, still laughing. "Really? Blind and dumb, I swear..." Hermione let go of Ron's collar.

George pulled Harry higher and higher, making him stand on his toes a second before setting him on the ground. "That ought to humble him, teach a bit of courtesy." Harry scowled and straightened his shirt.

"C'mon Ron, you've got a match in the morning." Harry turned to Fred and paused. "What're you going to do with her?"

Fred sighed, "I'll figure it out. Surprised she slept through the bloody Wizards' Wrestling Expo you just put on."

Harry grinned, "Yeah, me too. It feels good right now though, you know? Electric and happy."

Fred nodded, "I do know. I think she feels it too."

George and Hermione cleared the couch in front of the fire of extra pillows, laying down a blanket. "Are you sure, Fred? I just as easily levitate her into her own bed."

Fred shook his head, "No, this is fine. I'm going to sleep right here."

George rolled his eyes and shook his head at Hermione and whispered, "He's decided, you've got better luck telling a brick wall to bend over." 

Hermione sighed, "Sleeping over night really isn't allowed in the common room."

Fred stared at her a long moment. "I think your prefect duties can be put on hold for one night. Look at her, you're going to be the one to wake her up?"

"She never had her tea tonight, Fred. You know how important that is."

Fred frowned. "I know, but it's just as important that she get a good night's rest. I'll be right here in case anything happens, okay?"

Hermione and George went to their respective stairs, the final thing they could see being Fred laying a blanket over her. Fred looked at the tops of both stairways, making sure they were both gone. He smiled and brushed the hair off her forehead before kissing it gently, sliding her glasses off and setting them on the lamp table at the end of the couch.

He made sure she was covered before laying a pillow on the floor and tapped his wand to his chin. "Engorgio!" The pillow lengthened to the rough shape of a mattress. He looked at her one more time and smiled to himself before stretching out on the makeshift bed.

*******************************************

<3


	81. Chapter 81

Fred's eyes opened as Rebecca sat up on the couch mere hours after they'd laid down, her hands shooting to her face, one covering her mouth and the other clutching her scar. He sat up quickly, reaching for her shoulder. She yelped and jumped to the side, not expecting him to have been there.

"Hey, hey, hey," Fred whispered, reaching his hand back out slower and rubbing her back. "Dream or..."

She shook her head and scrunched her eyes closed, her breath shaky. "Dream. The door...whatever we need is behind the door..."

Fred shook his head, "I don't understand, love. Here, come down here." Fred lifted the blanket off her as she scooted off the edge of the couch onto his makeshift bed. He put her head into the crook of his neck and held the back of her head.

"The door...it's the locked door." She whispered.

Fred tightened his arms around her, waiting until her breathing had calmed down to pull himself back to look at her. She rest her head against his arm. "Love?"

She shook her head, closing her eyes and scooting closer to him. He put his head against the top of hers, hoping she was able to fall back asleep for the time they had until the morning would come.

*******************************************

Ginny and Ron were the first of their friends down the stairs the next morning, already in their quidditch uniforms and anxious to get to the pitch in time for extra warm-ups. She rolled her eyes at the sight of them in front of the embers: Fred had one arm under the pillow her head rest on, the other across her hip. She had a hand in front of her against his chest, the end of her nose hardly a finger's breadth away from Fred.

Ron scoffed and kicked at Fred's legs. "It's morning, wake up."

Hermione appeared at the top of the stairs just in time to see Ron's foot kick out. "Ronald!" Ron winced, caught. "What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking that it's morning and we should all be up and ready to go by now, not canoodling in front of the fire!"

Fred scowled, making sure Rebecca hadn't been woken in such a rude way. "You give me one damn minute, Ronald. I'll show you some bloody 'canoodling.'" Fred pushed the hair that had fallen in front of her face back, stroking her cheek. "Good morning, love." His voice low and raspy.

Her eyes fluttered open, Fred's face appearing directly in front of her. He pecked her forehead and eased his arm out from under the pillow as he pushed himself to a sitting position before making his way to his feet and holding a hand out to Ron. Ron tried to step out of his reach, but Fred lunged and put his arm around his neck, sliding his youngest brother into a chokehold.

"How's this for canoodling? Are you happy now?"

Rebecca rolled onto her back and sat up slowly, rubbing her eyes before standing and grabbing the ends of their blankets. Rebecca had them all folded and her glasses on by the time Fred had released Ron. She gestured to the enlarge pillow on the ground and grabbed her jumper off of the chair where she'd left it as she slowly climbed the stairs to get dressed for the match sleepily.

"How'd you two sleep?" Hermione asked, Fred knowing what she was really asking.

"She just said something about a locked door before she moved down here, after that she slept like a rock."

"Harry told Ron and I about the door, too." Hermione looked away, deep in thought. Fred turned and ran up the stairs, waving his wand at the pillow he'd made larger at the top so that it was a normal size. George was sitting on the edge of his bed, tying his shoes when Fred ran in and started stripping.

"What's going on?" George asked, filled with worry at his twin's speed.

"Nothing, just want to be down there before she is."

"So nothing happened?" George asked, throwing a shirt to Fred as he flipped through his drawer quickly.

"Well, not nothing per say. Nothing-" 

Lee exited the bathroom, patting his hair and smelling his shirt out the door. "How do the ladies restrain themselves? I will never know."

Fred and George looked at each other a moment before Fred continued, "Nothing out of the ordinary though. Ready?"

George looked him over. "Fred, you're in your boxers."

"Oh, yeah. You got any clean pants?"

*******************************************

Rebecca looked up from the sink, the cold water trailing off her face. Despite the midnight interruption, last night had been one of the best nights of sleep she'd had in ages. She picked up yesterday's robes from where she'd tossed them and contemplated wearing them again.

"Don't you dare." Hermione scolded.

"Bloody hell!" Rebecca hissed, stepping back into the bathroom and snatching her glasses off the counter. 

Hermione gave her a face and pointed back to the closet. "Why? Why would you put on yesterday's clothes?"

"Because they were already out and the belt was in the pants and the tie could have just been tightened! Why are you up here?"

Hermione raised her eyebrows and gestured to her bed, "I forgot to make my bed. You know how I feel about that."

Rebecca nodded, "Yes, I do." Rebecca didn't understand it, but Hermione made her stance on the importance of starting the day off with an orderly bed very clear over the years. Rebecca grabbed at a pair of pants and tossed them over her shoulder, throwing the next pair as well.

"What are you doing now?"

"It's my fault..." Rebecca's voice grew louder as she exited the closet and pulled unripped pants up. "It was George's turn to pick from the prototype bag. Who'd have thought Wedgie-Watch could be such a painful endeavor?"

"Anyone. Anyone would have realised that. Why haven't you sewn them? I told you the spell for your coat pocket. Where's the tear?"

Rebecca sighed and slipped her white shirt over her shoulders, sighing and picking another one as she saw the stain across the front. "I was going to ask Molly for help over break. Magic or not, tears aren't even findable after she fixes them. As for the coat, it's almost a sentimental tear now. The tears...well...let's just say it's far too cold out for such a revealing tear." Rebecca took out another shirt with all of the buttons removed. "What's going on with the laundry? I know I didn't lose every bloody button!"

Hermione pursed her lips. "S.P.E.W has come to a standstill at the moment. The house elves have politely declined to...provide anymore upkeep in here..."

Rebecca slid her tie under her collar, holding a hand up to Hermione. "Not a word. I get to leave it undone a while. Punishment."

Hermione bit her cheek, saying nothing. Rebecca grabbed a jumper from her drawer and left the room ready for the match.

Ginny stared at Hermione as she and Rebecca made their way to their group at the portrait hole. "Hermione, do you see something wrong? Something that's undone, perhaps?"

Hermione shook her head, "No, not at all Ginny. Unless of course you're talking about your shoes."

Ginny looked down let her head fall. "I can't believe you just got me with that."

Hermione laughed loudly, "Me either!"

Fred grabbed the ends of her tie and tied her tie expertly, pulling it up most of the way before looking into her eyes. "Ready?"

Rebecca nodded and turned to the door, "Ready."

*******************************************

The match was going as every other match had of the season: Ron had let more shots through than he'd saved and the Slytherin students had started their singing. Fred laid a hand on Rebecca's thigh and squeezed it, nodding his head. 

Rebecca stood up and stepped on to the bench, raising her hands for the attention of those around her.

"Weasley is our king, Weasley is our king." Fred stood up and cupped his hands around his mouth, joining in as others fell silent and listened. "He didn't let the quaffle in, Weasley is our king."

Cedric and Louis were the first standing for Hufflepuff, Luna and Cho the first for Ravenclaw. All four motioned for their houses to stand and join the growing number of voices.

"Weasley can save anything! He never leaves a single ring! That is why we all sing: Weasley is our king!"

The Slytherin students sat down in shame as the chant continued on and on, their words no longer heard over the other houses. Ron found strength in the loudly-proclaimed support of his peers and used that strength to stop the quaffle more and more: Slytherin unable to score another point in the entirety match.

When Ginny caught the snitch, the houses stood and cheered, their feet stomping loudly at Gryffindor's final victory against Slytherin for the year. "Slytherin's given up their last chance at redemption for the season. Their win-loss ratio has passed the point of no return. They'll play one more match against Hufflepuff post-holiday, but win or lose, Slytherin is out." Lee paused, expecting a scolding. "Wow! Look at that! I'll just keep going then. Weasley can save anything! He neve-"

"That's plenty enough, Mr Jordan." McGonagall's voice was heard over the announcements, interrupting Lee's warbling. Her voice was flooded with pride, she'd resigned herself to expecting a bitter loss in the defending of the house cup with so many of her players forcibly removed, but while the beaters were sorely lacking and Katie and Angelina flew circles around the replacement chaser, Ginny made an excellent seeker and Ron had only continued to improve as keeper.

Harry pushed his arm against Rebecca's shoulder as they filed their way out of the stands. "You write that?"

She smirked, "I know, right? I'm a natural poet."

"I can see I don't need to compliment it then, you're more than capable of doing that yourself." Harry shook his head, laughing at how she bowed to him. "Honestly though, it was great."

Fred put his arm around her shoulder, "And we only needed one rewrite. Turns out, not a lot rhymes with...what'd you have?"

Rebecca looked away, "...stupid Slytherin scum of the earth..."

"Ah yes, that was it. Nothing rhymes with that."

George put his arms around Ginny as she and Ron ran to them. The two quidditch players were quickly enveloped in a group hug, their friends congratulating them and their victory. Ginny stepped out of their hug and dragged Ron back to the locker room where Angelina stood in the doorway calling for them. Umbridge marched past sourly, pausing in front of Fred and Rebecca. "Eight inches?" A silence fell over the group.

Rebecca looked between them, plenty of space. "We haven't gone that far yet so I'm not quite sure. Fred? Anything to contribute measurement-wise?"

Umbridge's cheeks tinted red. "Detention, girl. Tonight." The High Inquisitor continued on, muttering under her breath darkly. Fred's face burnt brighter than the sun as their friends turned towards them. 

"What...is...wrong...with...you?" Hermione enunciated carefully. 

Harry shook his head and put his face in his hands. "Why? Why?" He paused before asking again. "Why?"

Fred sighed and took a deep breath. "Nope, still can't believe you just said that."

"Well no one else was saying anything!"

"You could have said anything else! Anything at all!" Harry offered, still in awe at her audacity.

"Or nothing. That would have worked too." George walked backwards in front of them, shaking his head at Rebecca. 

Fred looked at her a long moment before lifting his eyebrows, "Did you see her face though?"

*******************************************

"I feel like you should really be writing lines about your foul, foul mouth." Umbridge scolded, Rebecca having a seat at the very front of her office with the other detention-goers. "But you will continue with what you have as you continue to fabricate stories to the Prophet."

"How would I be reaching the Prophet?" Rebecca asked at Umbridge's turned back, picking up the quill on her desk boredly. "You read our mail now."

"I think you are trickier than you look. Write your lines."

Rebecca sighed and began to write. "I must not tell lies. I must not tell lies. I must not tell lies..." Her hand began to bleed quickly, the cuts opening from detentions-passed and smarting like she'd dipped it in an acidic potion.

When Umbridge released the punished students, she actually felt light-headed, something that hadn't happened since their first detention. "Rebecca?" Cho called from down the hall, accompanying the young Ravenclaw who had just finished exchanging bags with Nigel. "Oh!"

Cho grabbed Rebecca's other arm and put her arm through it, making her follow her into the bathroom. "It's nothing, I'll deal with it in the common room."

"It's not nothing!" Cho's tone was uncharacteristically aggressive. "Look, your skin is raw and your dripping! This is going to hurt, I'm sorry." Cho turned the water onto a slow trickle and plunged her hand into it.

"Fuck me!" Rebecca hissed, Cho keeping her hand under the water until the water ran clear. 

"Above your heart." Cho commanded, turning to grab a paper towel. Rebecca did as she was told, Cho folding a stack of paper towels before pressing them onto her hand sharply. Rebecca winced in pain, Cho shaking her head slowly. "I heard about what you said."

Rebecca sighed, "Of all the witty, albeir crude, things I've said, that's the one everyone hears about."

"Why would you do that? Why antagonise her so directly when you knew she'd put you in detention?" Cho looked into her green eyes, finding a glimmer of rigidity behind them. 

"Because it rattled her. Because it made me feel like I was bigger than she was. And...partially because it was bloody hilarious."

The girls stood in the bathroom another minute, Cho letting her bring her hand down and peeking under the paper towels. "You're going home for the holiday, yeah?"

Rebecca nodded ferociously, "I said I liked to rattle her, not spend unnecessary time with her. I'm not mental."

"Good, this needs time to heal. In the bag Nigel got are tins and jars of a new salve we've been working on. I'm pretty sure we addressed one to Weasley Wizard Wheezes specifically, it's a tin with a lion on it. Listen," Cho waited for Rebecca to give her her full attention. "I want you to use it. We're hoping it will increase the rate of healing."

"Yes ma'am." Rebecca gave a salute. "I shall do that the second I get back."

Cho nodded, "It's important." Cho waved goodbye at the end of the corridor, Rebecca turning and heading back to the common room where she found her friends sitting around the room peacefully.

"Hey! I'm back!" Rebecca held her hand up, the paper towels still held against it. "Umbitch sends her warm regards to you all and wishes you all well."

"Really?" Ron asked, looking up from he and Harry's game of wizard's chess.

"No."

Fred chuckled and patted the seat next to him. When she'd sat down, Nigel and George came down from the boys' dormitories with a tin in hand. "Here, Cho sent word through to Nigel that you're supposed to use this?"

Rebecca's mouth dropped open, "How? She only just told me in the loo!"

Nigel shrugged, "I have my ways. She said you would forget."

Fred opened the tin and smelt it, noting the difference between what they made and what it was. "What is it?" He took a dab of it and lifted the paper towels over her hand, frowning at the bloodstains that had blossomed on them. 

"'A better salve made by the better potion makers.'" George read off the card. "Arrogant arses, aren't they?"

Harry shrugged, "Let's see if the salve is better before we call them arrogant."

Rebecca couldn't feel a difference upon Fred's application, the salve just cooled the stinging like theirs did. "We'll have to see later," She yawned. "In the morning." Rebecca sat with them a little longer, Fred watching her carefully. "Fred, you're staring."

Fred jerked his head away. "No I'm not."

Rebecca laid her cheek against his arm. "What darling?"

Fred glanced at her and looked back away. "I'm just..." She nudged him. "I still can't believe you said that."

Rebecca giggled, "Yeah, I was a little shocked too. It wasn't that bad and, if all goes well, that should be my last detention before we go home next week."

"We're not going home, remember?" Fred said softly, making sure no one else in the common room could hear him.

"Home is where those we love are."

Fred looked at her a long moment before nodding his head. "You're right. And I'm luckier than most." He gestured to the rest of their friends who were chatting loudly. "I can feel at home whenever I'm with you."

*******************************************

"He said that?" Hermione asked from the bathroom, listening to Rebecca as she told them what Fred had told her.

"Yes!" Rebecca sat up on her bed and took her glasses off. "How can he just come up with things like that?"

Ginny huffed, "Rebecca! Please! It's been half a bloody hour! Just go to sleep!"

Rebecca narrowed her eyes in her general direction. "Sorry princess, I didn't realise you were so touchy."

"I'm not touchy, I'm trying to go to sleep."

Hermione grinned as she slid into her bed. "I think it's sweet, Becs."

"I know, it's too sweet. God...he says things like that and my heart pounds out my ears."

"Poetic." 

Rebecca reached up and turned the lamp next to her bed off, leaving the room only illuminated by the stars shining through the window. "Do you like it?" Ginny asked after a few minutes.

"Like what?" Rebecca sat up and moved her layers of blankets around so that she was covered more.

"Being in love."

Hermione's eyes opened back up, watching Rebecca as she tried to come up with an answer. "Yes...and no. It's more than the snogging, not that that isn't great, which it is. It's everything. I see him and he just fixes me, makes me feel like I'm floating or falling or flying" She took a breath." "Not to mention that cheeky smile." The room was quiet a moment. "But it's also terrifying. We're entering a war. A war against someone that's killed so many people. If something were to happen to him and I couldn't-I couldn't be there or I couldn't..." She didn't finish her sentence and rolled so that she was facing the window.

"I'm sorry." Ginny shook her head. "I shouldn't have asked."

"No, I'm glad you did." Rebecca looked back across the dark room and hoped Ginny could see how she wasn't upset by the question. "It's important to remember why we have to fight, why we have to win."

"Why do we?" Hermione asked, wanting to hear Rebecca finish her thought.

"Because love will always beat hate and that's all Voldemort does, all that he is. Hate."

*******************************************

"You think I cannot love?" The voice hissed inside Harry and Rebecca's heads, their scars igniting. "You think I can only hate?"

They were gliding on the floor, the forefront of the darkness they'd spent countless nights running from. Rebecca and Harry were frozen, unable to move--Forced to look ahead as they continued to move down the hall. The head turned to the side, showing the reflection of a snake in their black and white tile surroundings of the hall that had grown familiar.

"That is where you are wrong." The pain in the foreheads grew, their sleeping bodies clenching and writhing. "There are things I love..." The snake slowed as the door at the end of the hall, the locked door opened.

Their vision blackened a moment, flashes of the orb, Voldemort, and the back of a red head flooding their vision before they were looking through the snake's eyes again.

"I love pain."

The snake turned up an aisle, Rebecca's hands clutched the blankets at her side as she realised who it was they were creeping up on. "Arthur! Arthur! Run!" Her voice was useless. Silent except for the echoring in her own head.

"That's so...childish. Go ahead, try and warn him. Maybe he'll hear you."

The snake's body paused, rearing itself for the kill.

"Maybe not."

Harry and Rebecca attacked Arthur, the first bite landing on the back of his leg. He let out a pained shout, grabbing his wand and trying to move away. Harry and Rebecca lunged again, forced to accompany the snake as it bit Arthur again and again and again. His arm, his shoulder, the side of his neck, the snake bit anywhere it could. 

Arthur's screams echoed into the darkness. The snake detached itself from Arthur's side, hissing as it looked over his bleeding, shaking body and forcing them to watch what they'd participated in. 

"Your pain is exquisite. Do not doubt for a single second of your dwindling lives that I do not love it."

*******************************************

Rebecca kicked her legs out from under her blankets, tangling herself as she tried to get out of bed at the same time. She fell to the floor with a thud. Rebecca grabbed the edge of Hermione's bed, shaking her awake.

"Wake up! Something's happened, something-It's Arthur, he's been attacked!"

Hermione was awake in seconds, shaking her head. "Rebecca, you were dreaming. Let's take a second."

Rebecca threw the bathroom door open and turned the light on. "Are you sure?" Ginny asked, getting out of her own bed and grabbing all three of their coats.

Rebecca nodded, all the assurance the girls needed. Hermione grabbed Rebecca's glasses and put them into her hand as they hurried out of their room and down the hall, Ron and Harry tearing down the stairs with Fred and George running behind them. "What's going on?" Fred demanded, grabbing her face and looking over her carefully, "They're not making sense."

"We need to go, there's no time!" Harry shouted, pushing open the portrait hole and motioning for them to follow him. The children sprinted through the halls, pounding on McGonagall's door first.

"What in Merlin's-What's happened?" The professor's voice shifted from outraged to concerned as she saw their faces.

Hermione gave a rundown of what she'd pieced together, Harry and Rebecca's eyes flitting about as their bodies twitched intermittently. Had any of them had the ability to step into another person's consciousness, they would have found that Harry and Rebecca's minds felt like they had been sprinkled with shards of glass and trodden on by masses of people. They couldn't differentiate between what was their and what was their twins, what belonged to them personally and what belonged to Voldemort.

McGonagall grabbed an arm of each of them, noting how their clothes were sodden with sweat. She brought them straight to Dumbledore's office.

"In the dream, were you standing next to the victim? Or looking down at the scene?" Dumbledore faced away from where Harry and Rebecca stood, McGonagall directing the others to stand in a group apart from them.

"Neither." Rebecca answered, her voice coated in a strange quality. The more she had to think about what they'd seen, what they'd played a part in, the louder the pulsing in her ears got. "It was-we were-"

"Professor, will you please just tell us what's going on?" Harry interrupted, his eyes following Dumbledore as the headmaster crossed the room and directed the man in the painting next to George. "Everhardt, Arthur's on guard duty tonight. Make sure he's found by the right people."

"Sir?" Harry tried again, Dumbledore crossing to another portrait.

"Phineas...go to Grimmauld Place, tell them Arthur Weasley is gravely injured and his children will be arriving at St Mungo's soon by portkey."

Rebecca grabbed the sides of her head, her neck twisting in a circle. 

"They got him, Albus. It was close, but they think he'll make it." Everhardt reappeared in his portrait and gave a status update. "What's more, the Dark Lord failed to acquire it."

"Look at me!" Rebecca shouted, her voice sharp and pained. Fred clenched his hands, looking away. "What's happening to us?" Her voice lost its edge. Dumbledore looked at the two of them, none of them sure of the last time he'd done even that.

Harry nodded, reaching his hand down, grabbing her arm, and reiterating her question. "What's happening to us?"

Snape entered the room, looking at the occupants before turning to Dumbledore. "You wished to see me, headmaster?"

"Severus." Dumbledore walked to the Potions professor. "I'm afraid we can't wait, not even until morning. Otherwise, we'll all be vulnerable."

Severus nodded and grabbed both of them by the shoulder, steering them towards the exit. "Where are they going? Why aren't they coming with us?" Fred called out.

"They will join you all later, Mr Weasley." McGonagall laid a hand on his arm as Severus disappeared from their view. "Let's get to now, your mother will be expecting you."

"What if dad-"

"They will both meet you there!" McGonagall's voice sharpened, ending all questions.

Snape threw them into two chairs upon entering the Potions classroom, the dungeon cold and damp as ever. He's refused to answer any of their questions on the walk down, only propelling them forward faster and rougher as they got closer.

"It appears that there is a connection between the Dark Lord's mind and yours. Whether he is aware of this connection, for the moment, is unclear." Snape unrolled a wrapping of metal tools, turning as Rebecca spat a response.

"He's aware, well aware. He knew what I'd spoken about before bed."

Snapre narrowed his eyes at her. "You had best pray he finds ignorance then."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked, Snape turning to him. "If he knows about it, he'll be able to read our minds?"

"Read it, control it, unhinge it." Snape stalked towards them. "In the past, it was often the Dark Lord's pleasure to invade the mind's of his victims, creating visions designed to torture them into insanity." Rebecca looked up and glared at him. "Only after extracting the last exquisite ounce of agony, only when he had them literally begging for death, would he kill them."

"Why are we here? Why aren't we with the others? We're not going mad, we're not being tortured." Rebecca's voice dripped in malice, Harry not sure where such fury was coming from within her.

Harry noted the crazed light in her eyes as she turned to him when he spoke softly. "Rebecca, who knows how long this has been going on? Remember..." Snape leaned closer, listening to Harry's softening voice. "Lavender. You couldn't explain it, you just acted."

"I reacted in a," her neck rolled and paused her voice. "In a perfectly acceptable manner!"

"I did not ask to witness this familial strife." Snape gestured between the two of them. "Used properly, the power of Occlumency will help shield you from access or influence." Snape stepped closer to them, moving so that he was solely in front of Rebecca. "In these lessons, I will attempt to penetrate your mind. You will attempt to resist."

Rebecca's face settled into a scowl. "Do what you will, just hurry it up!"

Snape raised his wand and waved it at her head, "Legilimens!"

The effect was instantaneous. Snape was inside of her mind without the slightest difficulty, images flashing behind her eyes that he watched with a bored fascination. Jane smiling down came first, one of the earliest memories she had. Then, darker times. Rebecca's hands pounding on Jane's seat, screaming for her to wake up. William stumbling into her room and dragging her out of her bed, kicking her from behind when she failed to move at the pace he wanted. Rebecca was confused as to the last memory, certain it was false. She'd had her head down, her old neighbourhood behind her, as she walked home from school. A hand grabbed the top of her backpack, yanking her forward roughly. Her hands hit the pavement in front of her, scraping painfully. 

William's face glared down at her, muttering something darkly before dragging her towards the decrepit, tilted house ahead. Her shin caught on the broken stair, slicing the skin deeply. She looked down in silent horror, knowing that crying only made him angrier. "Now look what you've done!" William dropped his hold on her, storming into the house. He came out with a bucket and a sponge a moment later, smacking her head with it before setting it on the porch next to her. "When the blood is gone, you can come in."

Rebecca's eyes opened, the last image being the sight of her gnarled leg and the blood that had seeped on their stairs disappearing and Snape's disgusted face in front of her. "That was pathetic. No wonder the Dark Lord has had such success, you have no defence at all."

Snape turned to Harry and repeated the process, Harry shutting his eyes and grunting.

"I didn't...I didn't remember that." Rebecca thought, running a hand through her hair. "What else have I forgotten?"

"Concentrate, focus!"

Snape kept them in the dungeons until they couldn't keep their heads up, their reserves of strength spent and their bodies weak. "Go on, Dumbledore will direct you to St Mungo's."

*******************************************

Rebecca pushed herself out of the chair, Harry following her out the door. Rebecca's mind was overrun with images she could have lived without seeing again, the memories she'd buried having been resurfaced. "I can't-slow down." Harry gasped. 

Both of them were coated in a new layer of sweat, their shirts sticking to them and their hair plastered to their foreheads. "We have to get to St Mungo's!" Rebecca said, taking the stairs two at a time and starting to run. 

Harry held his side as they turned into the corridor with Dumbledore's office, a pinch paining him with every breath. "Peppermint." The statue didn't move. "Lemon drops." Rebecca watched the statue remain still. "I don't know!" Her voice cracked, emotion pouring out of her. "I don't know, let me in!" She grabbed the statue's arms and pulled on it, planting her feet and trying to force her way into the office.

"Miss Potter!" McGonagall pointed back to the ground beside Harry, giving the statue the password. McGonagall shook her head as Rebecca dashed madly up the stairs, skidding to a stop at Dumbledore's desk where he looked up without emotion.

"Is he...He hasn't...Arthur..." She couldn't bring herself to say the words.

Dumbledore shook his head. "No, Arthur is expected to make a full recovery, albeit slowly." McGonagall levitated the book that the others had used as a portkey to St Mungo's in front of them. "I trust you remember how to use a portkey?" Harry nodded, stepping to Rebecca's side. "You will both continue studying occlumency after the holidays. Your professors are being made aware of an emergency that called you both away unexpectedly, you shall return in the new year."

Harry stared at Dumbledore, ready for an explanation as to why they'd been ignored. "Professor, wh-"

Rebecca grabbed Harry's wrist and placed it on the book, grabbing it herself with her other hand. Their surroundings began to blur and she held her eyes open despite the fact that she wanted to squeeze them shut as Harry was in the nauseatingly dizzy travel. Rebecca tightened her grip on Harry's wrist, signifying that it was time for them to let go of the book when she hoped it was time.

They dropped to the snow covered ground, finding themselves in front of the massive hospital building. Rebecca was on her feet in seconds, slipping on the icy sidewalk. Harry grabbed the hand rail next to him and held his hand out to her, steadying her enough so that they could make their way towards the entrance. The sweat on their bodies made it feel like they'd been bathed in ice, the door seeming much farther than it really was.

When they got to the door, Harry opened it quickly and ran in, Rebecca overtaking him, her legs pumping furiously. The receptionist looked at them incredulously, their pounding footsteps echoing in the empty halls. "Hey! Visiting hours are over!"

"It's alright, Jordie." Molly's voice was hoarse, though she tried to put a smile on as she walked down the hall. "They're with us." Molly held her arms out and pulled Harry and Rebecca against her chest, stroking their heads. "Oh my! Did Albus have you run here?"

"Arthur?" Rebecca asked, ignoring the jest at their worn appearances.

"Arthur is doing well, better than to be expected. He asked about you two before he fell asleep earlier."

Harry looked around, "Where're the others?"

Molly kept her arms around their shoulders, walking them down the hall and pausing outside of the waiting room the floor's manager had given them to spread out and have to themselves as Arthur rested. "Everyone's in here, Arthur's quite tired. I only saw him a few minutes before-" Molly blew her nose into the tissue she clutched in her hands. "Before the sleep potion took effect."

"What do they know?" Harry's question was left unanswered, the second the door to the waiting room opened, he and Rebecca were yanked inside and wrapped in an endless stream of embraces, caresses, and questions.

Fred pushed his way to the front, putting his hands on either side of her face and pressing his lips to hers desperately. "They're saying the only reason he's alive is because you two knew. He'd have bled out." Fred said softly, closing his eyes and putting his forehead to hers. "You two saved him."

Rebecca shook her head, the tears streaming out the corners of her closed eyes. "No, we didn't."

Fred opened his eyes and held her roughly, "How could you not have?"

Harry looked up from in between Ron and Hermione's arms. "Because we were the snake."

*******************************************

<3


	82. Chapter 82

"What?" Fred's voice was the first to break the silence that settled over the shocked room. 

"We were the snake." Harry repeated. Rebecca closed her eyes in shame, nodding her head slowly.

"What does-What does that even mean?" Fred looked to Harry and then back at her, taking a half-step back and holding her at arms-length, scanning her face frantically. "You couldn't have stopped it?"

"It wasn't like that." Her voice was soft. "I tried to. I wasn't there, I was in bed. I was asleep. He was making us watch--taunting us while..."

"It was Voldemort." Harry's words brought a gasp from Molly's mouth. 

Fred pulled her into his arms, holding the back of her head into his chest and wrapping his arms entirely around her. "I'm sorry." She whispered.

Fred shook his head, tightening his embrace and saying nothing. Ron stared at Harry. "How was he...you know. In your heads?"

Molly smacked the back of Ron's head. "Not now, Ronald. Use the manners your father and leave well enough alone!"

Ron rolled his eyes at the admonishment, taking a seat next to where Harry dropped into a chair exhaustedly and shook his head. "It's alright."

Rebecca stuck her arms out under Fred's, holding his back and burying her face into him. He walked backwards a few steps, bending down onto a chair and turning her so that she perched on his knee and remained in his arms.

"Dumbledore says that there's a...a connection. Between us and him. He had Snape see if we could block him out, that's why we couldn't come with you at first." Harry couldn't look any of them in the eye as he finished.

Fred leaned his head back, looking down at her. "Did it work? Are you protected?"

"It's not that easy. It will require practise and work. And...I can't drink my tea anymore." Rebecca tried to answer gently.

"Right now though. Are you safe right now?" George sat forward in his chair by the door, looking at both Harry and Rebecca concerned. "How do we know if it's really you or not?"

"I don't know." Her voice was small and tired and scared.

"We're here, aren't we? We must be safe enough." Harry's tone was harsh, not liking the insinuation George had made.

"Who cares about right now!" Fred snapped. "What about the visions? How will you sleep without the tea?"

Molly looked across the room, glad there was a knock at the door that stopped the children from talking further. "Mr Weasley is asking for you all."

Fred stood up, setting her on her feet before putting her hand in his. Molly followed the nurse out of the room, turning left into the hall and making their way to a room at the end of a brightly illuminated room. The nurse paused at the door and addressed the group as a whole. "Calm and quiet, all of you. He's lost a lot of blood and needs rest. He's quite difficult, refusing his next Blood-Replenishing Potion until he sees you all. It's the only reason such an exception is being made."

Molly shook her head and entered the room slowly, the children filing their way around his bed. He smiled at them, his face a cut and painful-looking mess. "Molly, children, you made it."

"Where else would we be?" Molly asked, leaning over and kissing the top of her husband's head gingerly.

Arthur closed his eyes. When he opened them, he looked over the kids and settled his eyes on Harry and Rebecca. "Do you know what they're telling me?" The two shook their heads. "They're saying that if you two had been half a minute later than you were--thirty measly seconds--it would have been too late for me."

Molly shook her head, "Love, let's talk of different things."

Arthur looked at her, "No, we can't Molly. They need to know that I am only here because of them, because of their strength."

"It wasn't strength. It was weakness. We let Voldemort in." Rebecca looked at his frail frame in the hospital bed that seemed far too large for Arthur and flinched.

"Don't!" Arthur's voice was as sharp as Rebecca had ever heard it directed at her. "Don't you dare!" He put his head to the side and coughed. "I better not hear a single word as stupid, as sheerly stupid as that, come out of your mouths. Not now, not ever." Arthur let his head fall back onto his pillow, "I won't stand for it."

Ron looked up, "But you're lying down."

*******************************************

Sirius and Remus were pacing in the living room of Number 12 Grimmauld Place, counting the minutes as they waited for the multitude of children to return to headquarters.

"They're late, something's-"

"Sirius!" Remus' voice was layered in exhaustion, the full moon from the night before last having been an exceptionally hard one. "They'll be here any minute, just wait!"

The door opened with a thud, the children marching in solemnly. "Sirius? Remus?" Molly called from the entrance. 

Remus and Sirius poked their heads out of the parlor they had been in, finding the children grim-faced and Molly wearing a phony smile. "Yes, Mother Hen?"

Molly rolled her eyes, "Do not call me that! They're all here, supper's in the fridge and only has to be reheated, just...don't set anything on fire. Okay? No fire." Molly turned back to the door, kissing every child's cheek on her way past them. "I'll be back in the morn, my loves. Behave."

Molly was gone as quickly as she'd appeared. The children all turned and looked at the men in front of them, their eyes not blinking.

"Remus?" Sirius hissed out of the side of his mouth. "What was she thinking leaving us?"

Remus rolled his eyes. "First things first," Remus turned towards the kitchen. "We need chocolate."

Remus took the key out of his pocket and unlocked his cabinet, the cabinet Sirius had spent weeks nagging him to open. Inside, Remus took out a small set of wooden drawers. "Now, dark, milk, white, with nuts, with berries, or...lets see...ah yes, or with sprinkles?"

The children were mostly silent, Ron raising a hand. "Nuts, please."

Remus took a handful out and slid different types down the table, pointing at them until each child had a piece in hand. "Chocolate." Sirius said softly, picking up a piece and looking it over like it held the secrets of the universe. "You've been hiding chocolate in there."

Remus ignored Sirius' growing laments and took a seat at the end of the table. "How's Arthur?"

"What was he doing in the Department of Mysteries?" Fred demanded, ignoring the question. "That's where Kingsley said he'd been found when he stopped at St Mungo's. Why was he there?"

Remus looked away. "It was Order business."

Fred stood up and laid his hands on the table, staring down the men. "What business has got Voldemort in their heads and my father in the hospital?"

"Your father knew what he was getting into, and he won't thank you for messing things up for the Order!" Sirius responded, standing as well. Fred looked down at him, far taller than him.

"He's not messing anything up!" George shouted, standing up on the other side of Fred. "He wants to know something for once! Not be left in the dark like children!"

"You are children!" Remus roared, pushing his chair back as he stood up and pointed at the door. "That's it! Go to your rooms! All of you!"

Fred and George stood their ground, their faces setting in the narrow determination their friends knew all too well.

"This is why you're treated like children, why you're not in the Order! You still don't understand that there are things worth dying for!" Remus growled.

Fred scoffed and took a step away from the table, pulling Rebecca with him and turning once more at the exit. "I know damn well there are things worth dying for. What I don't know is when you'll see that not keeping us informed is not any form of so-called protection, but endangerment."

The stairs creaked as they made their way up the stairs, Ron eating the last of the chocolate he'd brought with him before they even reached the top. Fred stormed his way into he and George's room, the others following close behind. He let go of Rebecca's hand once they were all inside and slammed the door shut behind them loudly. 

Sirius flinched at the noise from the kitchen and looked to Remus with his eyebrows cocked. "I'm so happy we never had kids."

Remus reached his arms across the table and swept the chocolate they'd left behind into a pile in front of him. "What they hell are they right now if not our kids?"

Sirius sighed, "Look, don't fret. We'll let them stew a little and then, when they're hungry, we'll put the lasagna out and feed them into subdued happiness." Remus stared at him. "If Molly's lasagna doesn't fix them, they're broken and Molly and Arthur will have to start all over."

Upstairs, the kids fit their way onto the three beds and miscellaneous chairs around the room. Rebecca sat on the edge of Fred's bed, Fred was in the closet, digging around noisily. She stared down at the ground, her eyes not seeing the wooden floorboards but the sickening image of Arthur bleeding on the ground.

Fred came out a minute later with a jumper on, climbing up the bed and pulling her down next to him gently. He put his arm around her middle and his head against her chest. "Fred?" He looked up at the sound of his name leaving her mouth.

She turned onto her side and scooted down the bed, putting her face across the pillow from his and bringing a hand to his cheek. "George was right, when he asked about how you were to know if Harry and I were us or not."

"We can talk about that later."

"No." She brushed her hand back, combing it through his hair. "I need you to watch me, okay? And if you think something's off--If you think for a second I might not be me, you need to make sure I am."

Fred's eyes closed and he brought his hand up and held it over hers. "How am I to do that?"

Rebecca shifted her body lower, her frame fitting in the crook of his like puzzle pieces. "You'll figure it out." He put his arm over her shoulder and laid his head against the top of hers. George crawled onto the bed and took the other side of her, joining their embrace without a word of complaint by the two of them.

Hermione and Ron had their heads on Harry's shoulder, Ginny under Ron's arm. When the smell of marinara-based heaven floated up to them, Ron fell of the bed and clutched his stomach. "I'm starving to death!"

Harry pushed himself to his feet, holding a hand out for Hermione and Ginny to take. George used Rebecca's back as a bouncing board, making his way to his feet after sending the two of them shaking. 

Fred put his face closer to his, pausing as his lips barely brushed against hers. She looked up at him and closed her eyes, turning her face and kissing him deeply. When they pulled apart, Fred's eyes were glossed with tears. Fred frowned and wiped them away before the others could see. Rebecca sighed and wiped a stray tear off his cheek. "It's okay to be sad, darling."

"I'm not sad." Fred explained, taking her hand in his and sitting up. "I'm...thankful. Grateful. Scared. Worried. But I'm not sad, how could I be? Willingly or not, you saved him." Fred made his way to the door and pulled Harry into a hug, repeating himself for them all to hear. "You both saved him."

They clomped down the stairs, Sirius watching them all carefully from in the kitchen, a plate held in front of him like a shield. Remus carried plates from Sirius to the table, sitting down with his own and sighing. "Sirius."

Sirius came into the room slowly, scooting his chair closer to Remus as the kids watched him with identical blank looks. "Moony, I'm frightened."

Ron took a bite of the lasagna and frowned, shoveling a larger bite into his mouth before excusing himself. Ginny stared at her plate, the kids all showing more and more signs of distress. "What? I heated it just like she wrote!" Sirius' voice took on a frantic tone.

"It's not the same." George said, pushing his plate away from him. 

"Don't be absurd, it's the same recipe it always has been." Molly's voice rang out from the doorway.

The kids turned in their chairs quickly, standing and swarming around her. "Oh my!" Molly laughed as they shuffled into the dining room without letting go. "My sweet, sweet children." Molly scooped as many of them as she could into her arms, making sure Harry and Rebecca were in them. "Now, let's eat!"

Molly insisted that they all eat seconds, spooning pieces onto Sirius and Remus' plates and ignoring their protests.

"Molly, please." Remus put his head down onto the table and holding his stomach. "I'm going to be sick."

"Then you'll be able to finish your supper, won't you?" Molly said as she moved onto Sirius. Sirius threw his head back and cackled, falling silent as Molly filled his own plate.

Fred smiled and took another bite, reaching his hand out under the table and grabbing Rebecca's. She glanced up at him and tried to return his smile, only managing a grimace. He brought her hand up to his face, kissing the back of her hand before setting their entwined hands on the table.

Harry cleaned his plate off quickly, rivalled only by Ron's gusto. Molly placed a head on top of their heads and ruffled their hair proudly. "I forgot how much fifteen year old boys eat!" Sirius and Remus lifted their plates above the two boys and scraped what was left onto them, grabbing plates of those who were finished as they ran into the kitchen and shouted excuses about going off to start the cleaning up.

The kids grinned at each other as Molly stormed away from the table and waved her wand in the kitchen, the clean up finished instantly. "There! No get out here and eat something nutritious before you wither away, both of you!"

*******************************************

"Snug as a bug?" Molly asked softly as she smoothed her hand over Rebecca's head, just as she had done for each and every other child before her at Number 12 Grimmauld Place. Rebecca let her eyes close, taking a slow breath as Molly kissed her forehead. 

"Are you going back to St Mungo's?" 

Molly smiled, "Yes, sweets. I'll be back in the morning." 

"Will we be able to go back?" Molly noticed how worn Rebecca's face looked, how tired her eyes were. 

"I'm not sure yet, we have to see how things go. He should be back in right order soon."

Rebecca yawned. "Did he drink his potion?"

Molly chuckled, "Yes, yes he did. You need rest. We'll talk more tomorrow." Molly made her way to the door and turned back to the three girls. "Sleep, ladies. No chatter."

Molly's warning was unneeded as Harry and Rebecca had remained closed-off throughout the evening, answering direct questions but mostly looking off in the distance. Rebecca rolled over so that she was facing the wall, pulling her blankets over her tightly. 

*******************************************

"I cannot love?" Rebecca's head buzzed. "And yet, I find great love in this. Strange."

The snake was back in front of her, Rebecca frozen in place as Arthur's side. Her vision overlapped, seeing both from the snake's eyes and her own, as the snake reared its body back in preparation for the first strike. Rebecca tried to look away, tried to shut her eyes, tried to move between Arthur and the snake, unable to do anything but stare ahead in rapidly increasing horror.

"And I will love ending you just the same."

*******************************************

"Rebecca!" Hermione shouted, shaking her harder. Her thrashing had woken she and Ginny up from their beds, Ginny running out of the room to get Fred and Hermione trying her best to wake her from her terrors. "Wake up!"

Rebecca's eyes flew open, Arthur's dead body disappearing and being replaced by Hermione's worried gaze. Fred ran in the room shirtless as he was when he went to sleep, Ginny right behind him. "What's wrong?" His voice was frantic. "Who is it now?" Fred crawled over her legs and up her bed, sitting on his knees across from Hermione.

"It was a dream." Rebecca said softly, shaking her head and closing her eyes tightly, flashes of Arthur going through her head. "Just a bad dream."

Fred and Hermione looked at each other, agreeing that whatever she'd seen had certainly not 'just' been a bad dream and that she wasn't being forthright with them. "Love?"

Rebecca rolled on her side towards Hermione, putting her back to Fred. "I'm fine, Fred. Go back to bed." He paused a moment before he lowered himself behind her and put an arm over her. She jerked away from him. "I said I'm fine!"

"You're not." He said softly, his tone light. "We can see that you're not. There must be something I can do."

Rebecca stared at him, Fred's gaze unwavering. "There isn't."

Fred bit his lip, shaking his head slowly. "I am going to try." He laid down on her bed, maneuvering his arm under her pillow. "Lay down, love. Let's try and get some rest."

Hermione nodded to him, thanking him for settling the situation before climbing back into her own bed. Fred laid his hand on Rebecca's cheek, brushing it slowly as she fought to keep her eyes open longer. "I'll be right here." He whispered, leaning forward and kissing the end of her nose. "You can go back to sleep."

Fred stayed awake long after she had drifted off, his hand still tracing across her face as he thought and thought. He worried about this connection they'd talked about, the connection between them and Voldemort. How much of her behaviour this year could be traced back to it? Was it the reason she'd continued to get herself into detention? The reason for the uncharacteristic altercation with Lavender? What about the future? Would what makes her her eventually disappear and be replaced or destroyed? 

He shook his head, forcing the thought from his mind and trying to fall asleep as she had.

*******************************************

Rebecca opened her eyes the next morning to Fred's sleeping face, his mouth slightly open and his hand resting at her hip. So far, no issue without the tea. She couldn't help the momentary smile across her face at his sleeping innocence. Her smile faded quickly, fear grabbing at her heart with its cold hands. 

The idea of a connection, a connection between her and one of, if not the most, evil person in existence, scared the hell out of her. Voldemort had known what she and Hermione and Ginny had been talking about before they'd gone to sleep! There was no way to know how much else he knew, how much else he was learning from she and Harry. How could she live with herself if she put Fred in danger? 

Fred stirred, stretching and opening his eyes slowly. "Good morning!" His morning voice sent shivers down her spine and she hated herself for how he affected her.

"Morning." She said curtly, sitting up and getting out of bed. She grabbed random clothes and left the bedroom without another word, going into the bathroom. Fred sat up blinking, confused by her behaviour.

He stood up out of bed a few minutes later, more awake than he had been and ready to address her coldness to him. The bathroom door was open and empty, the only sign Rebecca had even gone in their being the pajamas she'd tossed in the hamper. Fred brushed his teeth quickly, running down the stairs as soon as he'd finished. "Rebecca?" He called, poking his head into the dining room and kitchen doorway.

"No, you're the first one." Sirius responded. Fred turned and went back up the stairs. "Good morning to you, too."

Remus shook his head as he entered the dining room and poured a cup of tea. "Good morning."

Sirius beamed, "Good morning! It's nice to know someone still has their manners!"

Fred peeked back into the girls' room and found that, like he thought, she hadn't gone back in there. He stepped back into the hallway and looked around, trying to think about where she would have gone. His eyes settled on the doorway that took you to the stairs they'd climbed on the night before they left for school and noticed how the door was slightly ajar.

He climbed the spiral staircase slowly, not sure if he wanted his presence known until he'd seen what she was doing. The door at the top--the door to the room with the wall of windows--was open and the light from the rising sun poured into the dark stairway, illuminating Fred's face to her turned back.

She had her hands held against the glass, her body held upright by her palms as she stared out at the world. Fred leaned against the doorframe, crossing his arms and watching on in silence. 

She sniffed and wiped at her cheek angrily with her sleeve, crossing her legs and sitting down harshly. Her hands fell to her knees, drumming nonsensically. "What are you thinking about?" Fred called from the door.

Rebecca jumped and clutched her hands together, turning at his voice. "What?"

He walked forward, pausing at her side and lowering himself to the ground. "You were patting. that means you're either in thought or nervous and," he looked around the still-empty room, "Not a lot is up here to be nervous about."

"I don't want to talk about it." She turned back and looked out the window, peering down at the kids playing in the park across the street. 

Fred stared at her.

"Just leave me alone, Fred." He was taken back at her dull tone. 

"I don't..." He shook his head, "I don't know what you want from me."

"I want to be left alone!" She raised her voice and turned on him. "It's not that hard, just leave me alone!"

He looked at her face, looking for a trace that she didn't mean it and found none. "Okay, I'm...I'll be downstairs." He leaned forward and tried to kiss her before he left, but she turned her head away. Fred's face fell before he got to his feet and left without another word.

Rebecca faced the outside world again, resuming her internal search.

*******************************************

Fred walked down the many stairs slowly. Her rejection of his company and then his comforting affection had hurt him deeply. He'd, more than once, felt that he wasn't able to be there for her due to circumstances beyond his control in their years together, but he'd never felt like this. That he wasn't able to be there for her because she didn't want him.

Ginny watched as Fred exited the stairs and crossed the hall to his room, staring at the ground. Harry had already snapped at Ron and demanded that no one bother him in the study he'd made his brooding place. "One Potter and then the other, let's not get ahead of ourself." She thought, turning away from Fred and George's room towards Harry.

The door squeaked when she opened it, Harry sighing heavily. "I don't want anyone to talk to me. Go away."

"Do you know how stupid you sound?" Ginny crossed her arms and marched to the chair opposite of him. 

"I don't sound stupid! I just want to be left alone!" Harry's green eyes were alight with something Ginny hadn't noticed before, and intensity that stuck with her long after they'd left the room.

"You do sound stupid, troll-level stupid." Ginny raised her shoulders. "Who else can understand how you're feeling? Who else has been possessed by You-Know-Who?"

Harry looked away from her. "It's not the same."

"Isn't it?" Ginny sat back in her chair. "I can still remember everything, every single thing, he had me do. Everything, Harry."

Harry was silent a moment. "How did you fix this...this feeling that nothing is me anymore?"

Ginny pulled out one of the two journals she'd found after asking Remus if they had any lying around unused. "I wrote down everything I could. I filled a journal with memories, my memories, and then I put it somewhere safe where I could read it when I needed a reminder that what he made me do...that wasn't me." Ginny made sure she had the right book in hand before resting it on his knee. "We've already started for both of you. If you're done sulking, I think you'll find that you're not as alone as you feel and that shutting us out doesn't do any good."

Harry took the book and looked up at her as she stood, something in him noting that she wasn't the little girl he'd known her as anymore. "Rebecca, is she-"

"She's next, figured you'd be easier." Ginny smirked and patted the top of his journal. "Read. Write. And for Merlin's sake, apologise to Ron." A smile hit Harry, a surprising smile. 

Ginny left the study and paused in Fred's doorway. He was in his bed, his back facing the door. "Go back up there in five minutes."

"She doesn't want me there." Fred rolled over, "In fact, she doesn't want anyone. She wants to be left alone, she made it clear enough. Don't go bothering her."

Ginny rolled her eyes, "Don't be such a drama queen. Five minutes, do you hear me?" Ginny threw the journal to him. "Write something. The others already have."

"What?"

Ginny didn't want to answer his question, instead, turning towards the door she'd seen Fred come out of so dejectedly earlier. She looked up the handrails, seeing how high the stairs stretched. "Couldn't have been closer. Oh no, that would be easy."

*******************************************

Ginny knocked on the wall next to the doorway to the empty room. Rebecca didn't react. Ginny sighed and entered slowly, looking around the room as she made her way to where Rebecca still sat cross-legged.

"I really don't want to talk."

"Fine with me, you only have to listen." Ginny crossed her arms as she put her back to the window and took a stern tone with Rebecca, a tone she'd never used against the person who'd become the closest thing to an older sister she'd ever have. "This," Ginny gestured to the space between her and Rebecca, "Is done. This seclusion? This separation? It's not helping you and it's certainly not helping Fred."

"It doesn't matter!" Rebecca snapped, looking at Ginny harshly. "Ginny, Voldemort knew what we were talking about before bed. How can I know when he's listening or watching? How can I keep Fred, keep any of you, as close as I have when it could be putting you in his sight?"

Ginny scoffed, "Yeah, like You-Know-Who's going to think because you're not snogging Fred you don't love him."

"I have to try."

"No. You have to stop." Ginny reiterated the points she'd made to Harry. "Rebecca, I've been where you are. I've had to deal with the fact that my mind, my body, my self, was taken from me. I've had to sort myself, and I've hurt as I did, and I've managed to do all that without shutting anyone out."

Rebecca shook her head slowly and tried to word her thoughts coherently. "I'm afraid the more I look, the more I'll lose. The more I won't be able to tell what's me and what's not."

Fred appeared in the doorway, his timing impeccable. Rebecca avoided his gaze, glancing at Ginny instead. Fred held the book out in front of him, his handwriting evident. "This is a start then. This is you."

Rebecca took the book, reading over the words he'd written.

Who are you? My love, for one. But your not just mine. That's impossible. You are the shield that falls whenever someone, anyone, needs protecting or defending. Your the inspiration people use to do what's right. My inspiration to do what's right. More frequently than I'd admit to anyone else, I have to imagine what you would do before I know what I need to do.

You are kind. You are good. You are a friend, a teacher, a leader, a fighter, a defender, as well as countless other things that make up all that you are. You're smart, you're determined, you're beautiful...

He went on, describing moments she'd shown high character and special moments they'd shared.

She looked up at him and wiped at her face, "But how can I tell if this is me? How do I know that the person you've written about here is who I actually am?"

Fred bent down to one knee and tilted her chin to look at him. "Because we know that you are." 

Ginny slapped Fred's shoulder loudly. "Go on then! Hop to!"

Fred held his shoulder a moment before putting a hand to Ginny's face and pushing her away. He moved closer to Rebecca, looking at her for permission before closing the distance between them entirely. Ginny gave the back of Fred's head a face, moving towards the door before he or Rebecca said anything.

She looked up at him, placing a hand against his face. "I don't want to hurt you, I could never want to. But I can't do this, I can't be apart of this, if it's going to end up putting you in danger."

Fred shook his head, leaning closer until she leaned back and put her back against the floor. "Love, there isn't anything to 'be apart of.' You and I, we already are. There's no going back now. Besides," He leaned down to her ear and whispered slowly. "You couldn't get rid of me if you tried."

He kissed the corner of her jaw below her ear, moving down the curve of her jaw inch by inch until he was right next to her mouth. "I love you. Promise me you'll never forget that."

She opened her eyes, staring into his. "I promise."

Fred kissed her quickly, lowering his body to the ground next to hers and deepening the kiss passionately. Rebecca leaned forward, keeping him against her as he tried to move back. He chuckled and smiled against her lips. When Rebecca finally pulled her lips from his, she laid her head on his chest and held onto him tightly.

He brought his arm up around her back, rubbing a small circle between her shoulder blades and looking over her head out the window. "One day things will be simple."

"You think?" She asked, not moving off him.

"I know."

*******************************************

<3


	83. Chapter 83

The days passed quickly. The kids spent the mornings puttering around and trying to do something that needed to be done, the afternoons were spent studying for their O.W.L.s or spending time with each other quietly.

A morning a few days before Christmas, Sirius and Remus were sitting at the table, finishing their teas in silence as both men read what they had laid out in front of them. Rebecca pointed to the article Remus had finished, asking a question about the legality of the new legislature Fudge was putting out. Remus put the paper down, launching into an incredibly academic, albeit boring to Sirius and Fred, explanation that Rebecca pondered about before asking another question and countering with more academia.

Fred scooted closer to Sirius, laughing at the joke one of the characters in the comic he was reading had made. "I know, right! Moony here says this isn't 'humourous.'"

Fred looked up incredulously. "How isn't it?"

Remus sighed and started an explanation that was so perfect, it had clearly been recited before. "Cats do not eat tomatoes, pasta, or cheese. The sheer insistence of that cat eating lasagna is an indicator of underlying issues, not humour!"

Fred and Sirius banded together, arguing like they were in a court. "Objection!"

Rebecca stood up and rolled her eyes, entering the kitchen and taking out two cups before starting the kettle and spooning the tea. "Who in Mer-Not this again!" Molly shouted from the door, waving her wand at the comic and sending it somewhere else. "Pick something else to bicker about!"

Rebecca grinned and took out another cup. "How'd the night go?" She called, Molly turning at the sound of her voice.

"It went well, dear." Rebecca opened her mouth to ask the same question she had every morning. "Not just yet, soon though. One of those doesn't happen to be for me, does it?" Molly raised her eyebrows and looked at the third cup on the counter.

"Course it is." Molly wrapped her arms around Rebecca and kissed her forehead before turning back towards the dining room. "I'm popping upstairs to put on clothes that don't smell like a hospital ward."

Rebecca poured the water when it was ready, finding comfort in the warm smell of tea that came off the cups. "Here," Rebecca set a cup in front of Fred. Fred smiled at her, watching her leave with another cup in hand a moment before diving back into the quickly-restarting argument.

Rebecca wasn't entirely sure which door was Molly's, she had succeeded in memorising how to get to her room, the bathroom, and the room she and Fred liked to disappear into when they had a chance, but hadn't quite managed the rooms that she rarely frequented. She worked her way down the hall, knocking on the closed doors and hearing no response. Rebecca went up a floor, finding a few doors open and the curtain at the end of the hall drawn, shrouding the area in darkness.

The first door to the left was closed, or at least, it had appeared so before Rebecca knocked on it. It swung open lightly, squeaking. The window inside the room was drawn as well, leaving Rebecca squinting in the darkness and walked into the room. There was a chest in the room--Only a chest in the room. There was a scuff to her right, sending her heart to her toes. Kreacher stepped out of the shadows, grinning horribly.

"He wants you. Mistress says so." Kreacher moved closer to the trunk.

Rebecca took a step back towards the door, shaking her head. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"Kreacher does." His smile melted away into a snarl. He threw the latch to the trunk up and ran out of the room, cackling and slamming the door shut behind him.

The face stepping out of the trunk changed in flashes. Fred, Harry, Hermione, Ron, Molly, switching between everyone Rebecca loved. Their faces were twisted in horror and fear and blood dripped down them all. "YOU DID THIS!" They shouted.

The cup Rebecca held in her hands fell to the floor, smashing into pieces. She shook her head, backing up into the wall, frozen.

"YOU'VE KILLED US!" The boggart jerked sharply and slumped to the floor, a new face taking over it when it pushed itself back to its feet and a new body stretching out of it.

Rebecca's hands shot to her mouth, a scream escaping her.

Fred's head jerked up at the sound, the men in the dining room falling silent a moment. Fred stood up roughly, running out of the room with Sirius and Remus behind him. Ron stood in the hallway of their rooms, shaking his head. "Not here, up!"

Fred used the bannister as he threw himself up the stairs faster and faster. Molly ran out of her and Arthur's room farther down the hall, just as Fred threw open the first door on the right. Remus went left, fearing the worst and throwing the door open as roughly as Fred had across the hall.

The boggarts forms stared down from where it stood in the middle of the room, an exact copy of Rebecca and Harry, save for the blood splatter and the evil smirks on their faces. Sirius flung his wand forward. "Riddikulus!" The boggart took a step back, fighting to stay present.

"You'll end up with him, on his side. You know it." The Harry-boggart laughed, waving its hand around. 

The Rebecca-look-alike tagged in. "Look around! This is what you'll become!"

"Sirius!" Remus said, grabbing the back of Rebecca's head and pulling her against him, hiding her from the boggart which began to turn into Sirius' fear. The boggart flashed as a dead Remus, Sirius froze at the sight.

Molly pushed her way into the room, the boggart changing from Sirius to dead children. Ginny, George, Fred, Ron, Percy, Charlie, Bill, Rebecca, Harry, Hermione, all the children Molly loved. "Riddikulus." The boggart was pushed the final few meters into the box, the latch catching as it closed.

Remus backed out of the room, not letting Rebecca off him until Fred appeared in front of Remus and opened his arms. Rebecca had her eyes shut, but she knew there was only one person Remus would have put her towards and she put her face into Fred's chest without hesitation.

Molly and Sirius were staring at the trunk, still mulling over what they'd seen. Remus put his arms around both of them, pulling them close. Sirius buried his face into his neck, showing a level of tenderness Molly rarely saw. Molly patted Remus' hand, leaving the two men and making her way to the hall where Fred had Rebecca's back against the wall, her arms the only thing Molly could see of her as they were wrapped around Fred's middle.

Molly rubbed Fred's back, motioning for him to make enough room for her to hug them both. Rebecca's heart pounded still, her mind stuck on her boggart's final form. Molly's arm snaked around both of them, holding them and rocking from side to side in the continued silence.

*******************************************

Fred didn't let her out of his sight for the afternoon, following her from room to room and helping her with whatever she did. She was withdrawn, but not in the purposeful way she had been before. She simply didn't have anything to say--Her mind was preoccupied.

Harry nodded to Fred as Rebecca made her way into the room he and Sirius were talking in. Fred raised an eyebrow curiously. Sirius waved a hand out the door, shooing Fred away.

Sirius apologised to Rebecca, gesturing to the receding shadow of Kreacher who ran as soon as he'd seen her walking towards them. "I'm sorry about that miserable monstrous beast's behaviour." Harry glared at the houself's back. "He never was very pleasant, even when I was a boy." Sirius offered, hoping it was comforting.

"You grew up here?" Harry asked, glancing around one of the many, many dark rooms.

"Yes, this was my parents' house. I offered it to Dumbledore." Rebecca looked around the room, tree branches and roots decorating each wall with different spots burnt out. Spots, she realised as she looked closer, that used to have names under them.

"This is the Black family tree." Sirius explained, putting an arm around Rebecca and Harry as he gave them the tour. "My deranged cousin," He pointed to the woman standing over the name 'Bellatrix Lestrange.' "I hated the lot of them." He pointed down the room towards where that wall's section started. "My parents and their pure blood mania." Harry and Rebecca looked to the burn mark Sirius gestured to next. "My mother did that after I ran away." He looked to the wide eyes of the Potter children and smiled at them weakly. "Charming woman. I was sixteen."

Harry frowned, "Where'd you go?"

Sirius stepped away from them, facing the wall as he responded. "Your dad's. I was always welcome at the Potter's." Sirius turned back around, glancing between the two of them. "I see so much of him in you two, Lily as well. You are so very much alike."

Rebecca shook her head, "I'm not so sure."

Sirius sighed, "Yes, I was getting to that."

"What? What do I not know?" Harry asked confused, looking between them quickly.

"My boggart."

Harry shook his head, "I already know that, you're afraid of anything happening to us."

"No, don't interrupt." Her tone wasn't harsh, it was saddened. "It was that, at first. Then it-it changed. It changed into..." She couldn't finish.

Sirius caught her eyes, making sure she was okay if he finished. She nodded slightly. "It was you two."

Harry's eyes shot off Sirius and to Rebecca. "What?" Harry shook his head, "Why?"

"Because Harry!" Rebecca ripped her arm from where he'd grabbed it. "What if this connection, this connection between us and him," The anger left her like the light does when a candle is blown out, immediately and all at once. "What if it's because we're becoming more like him. What if that's why we're so angry all the time."

"What? You think something's gone wrong inside? That we're becoming bad?" Harry asked, he and Sirius looked at each other before stepping closer to her, her body turned towards the fire. "We aren't bad."

"How do you know?" Rebecca asked.

Sirius grabbed their shoulders, turning them both so that they were looking directly at her. "I want you both to listen to me very, vary carefully. Neither of you are a bad person. In fact, you're both very good people. Bad things have happened to you, understand?" They nodded. "But that doesn't make you, either of you, a bad person." Sirius shook his head and sighed, "The world is not split into good people and Death Eaters. We've all got both darkness and light inside of us. What matters is the part we choose to act on."

Rebecca took the words and thought them over, memorising them to add them to the journal Ginny had given her. She'd added to it every evening, Fred having asked for it back once already. When he'd returned it to her, he'd filled pages. "The part we choose to act on."

Sirius nodded, "Yes, exactly." He pulled them into a hug, putting an arm around both of their necks. "We may not be exactly proper, but we are a family. Don't forget that. And families keep each other sane and good."

Harry shook his head into Sirius' shoulder, putting his arm around Rebecca and squeezing her. "We choose our families, and we're luckier than most. Proper or not."

Sirius pulled his head back and looked at him. "That's exactly right. Where'd you hear that?"

Harry nodded his head to Rebecca, "Fountain of wisdom over here." Harry paused a moment. "Why didn't you think I'd said it? I can be wise."

Sirius winced, raising his hands in defence. "That's not what I was saying."

Harry ducked to the ground, preparing to lunge at Sirius. "Sounds like it is."

Sirius ducked too, grinning. "It was."

Harry and Sirius collided, laughing madly as they tried to wrestle the other to the ground. Rebecca shook her head and stepped back, smiling as Harry laughed triumphantly. Sirius whirled him around, ending up sitting on Harry's stomach and crossing his arms victoriously. Remus entered the room, attracted by the clamour. "Hey there."

Rebecca looked up at him. "Hey."

"So, this morning..."

"We don't have to talk about it, not if you don't want to."

Remus frowned, "I think I'm supposed to be the one to say that. Hold on," He turned to the side and peeked at a small piece of parchment he pulled out of his pocket.

Rebecca leaned forward and smiled. "It's okay, really."

Remus put his notes back and looked on as Harry and Sirius rolled to the side, still fighting to get on top of the other. "I know what it's like, too. Remember, monthly monster here." He gestured to himself.

Rebecca shook her head roughly and put an arm around him. "People could say the same about me then."

"What do yo-oh." Remus grimaced. "Never mind."

"Sirius really helped. 'We've all got both darkness and light inside of us.' We just have to choose what we act on."

Remus rolled his eyes and put his arm around her as well. "He said that, huh? I told him that first. What are we even going to do with them?"

They winced as Sirius slammed into the wall, Harry apologising before Sirius launched himself on with a renewed vigor. "Go on, I'll make sure no one kills the other."

"Go?"

"Go." Remus shook his head and chuckled. "He's like an abandoned puppy out there."

Rebecca stayed a moment more, glancing at Remus before looking towards Sirius. "We got really lucky."

Remus blushed, "We're not..." He sighed and smiled, looking at Sirius too. "Yeah, we did."

*******************************************

"Fred?"

He shot up, his eyes lighting up as she stepped into his sight.

"Yes, love?"

"Couldn't see you down there. It's strange, looking down to you."

He stood up and smirked, "Better?"

She grabbed his hand and changed the subject. "If you could do anything, right this second, what would you do?"

Fred answered immediately. "Kiss you."

Rebecca laughed, "No, something to do."

"Kiss...you..." He answered slowly, not able to think of anything else.

"How about a compromise then. Let's go get some work done and then we can take that into consideration?"

"What about records? We could listen to records as we...Remember last time we listened?" His eyes flitted down her body, causing her to shake her head and point up the stairs.

"Go on, you animal!" She put her hands on his back and propelled him up faster.

Hermione was in Fred and George's room, listening to George annoyed. "That won't work! You're going to end up hurting someone!" She stood up and stormed out of the room, exchanging a brief hello with Rebecca on her way.

"What was that about?" Rebecca asked, sitting on the floor and pulling out the boxes of ingredients. Sirius had placed a box in front of their room days earlier, the box filled with their desperately needed supplies and a note asking for something that would drive Remus batty.

"She won't help." George scoffed, pushing the paper off his desk angrily. "We've got the best idea in the world and no solution to bloody flammability!"

Fred grabbed the paper and read over their proposed 'Indoor-Fireworks' again. "We'll figure it out, it'll just take a bit more time."

"Can I sleep on it?" Rebecca asked, Fred handing her the paper. "I know it's something simple, it'll come to us as soon as we stop trying."

George rolled his eyes, "Sure. You do that."

Rebecca pursed her lips. "Aren't you going to feel like a right twat when I figure it out."

"You figure it out..." George paused. "You figure it out, they can be named after you. Don't figure it out, you have to let me-"

"No!" Rebecca shook her head, knowing what he was going to say.

"You have to let me test the Beard-Berries on you." George had done nothing but nag her to try one of their untested second edition facial hair producing pranks ever since she'd made a joke about what had happened when they tried to fool the age line the year before. The reason there was a second edition? The first covered a first year in a thick layer of hair that sprouted off every inch of his skin.

Rebecca narrowed her eyes at George, George narrowing his in return.

"Fine." She said, folding the paper and sticking it in her back pocket. "You're going down."

George smirked, "I can't wait to see you with a beard. Or more."

Fred shook his head. "Forgot to tell you lot, Charlie sent a box from Greenland."

"What's he doing in Greenland?" Rebecca wondered.

Fred shrugged, not knowing any more than what Tonks had told him when she handed him the box that tinkled with every motion. "No clue, but he heard about what we've been doing with the other houses." He slid the box over to them, Rebecca grinning as she saw the rows upon rows of small jars and miscellaneous tins.

"Guess we're making more salve."

"Especially since the Ravenclaw one failed." George couldn't hide the pride in his voice. "Book-nerds don't know everything."

"It didn't fail!"

"It didn't work, did it?" George's eyebrow was cocked cheekily. "Sounds like a fail to me."

*******************************************

Rebecca yawned again, Fred sighing. "Love, we can finish in the morning. It's mostly finished already anyway."

She shook her head, "I can work a little longer."

Fred stood up and put his hands under her arms, pulling her to her feet. "Look, George has already passed out. It's late, let's call it a night."

She looked up at him, "I didn't mean to let the evening pass by. I know we were supposed to...find some privacy."

Fred wrinkled his nose, "You make me sound like a pervert. Records. I wanted to listen to records. That's the permanent code phrase."

"I thought you want to get a chance to grab my-"

Fred turned quickly, silencing her with a rough kiss. He held the back of her head tightly, his other holding her up as he leaned her farther and farther. When he let her go, she was breathless and flustered. 

He smirked and leaned back against the wall, crossing his arms in front of him. "A chance to, what were you saying?"

"I-" She looked up at him, blinking. "I'm not sure."

He pushed off the wall and walked her down the hall, stopping in front of the girls' room. "Say, if I were to sleepwalk..."

Rebecca smiled lightly, her mind pulling itself from the fog he'd brought onto her. "You have to get up and out before they're awake."

He winked and opened the door quietly, waiting in the hall as Rebecca glanced over Hermione's and Ginny's beds. She turned back to the door and waved him in, both girls asleep. Fred took his shirt off in one fluid motion, tossing it on the floor in front of her bed. He took his spot next to the wall, laying on his side to face her.

She took her glasses off and set them on the desk, reaching a hand out for the end of the bed with difficulty in the darkness and without her glasses. Fred smiled, reaching his hand out and grabbing hers from where she grabbed the air.

She climbed into bed and rearranged the mess of blankets Fred was becoming accustomed to sleeping under. When she lay back, resting her head onto her pillow, Fred kissed her tenderly, lovingly.

"Sleep well."

Rebecca turned so that she was on side as well, facing him. "I always do with you here."

*******************************************

Christmas Eve proved a day more special than any other for those at Grimmauld Place for the holidays. Molly called for everyone in the house to line up around the dining table for presents.

"Mum, it's only Christmas Eve." Ginny said, curious as to why they'd get their presents early.

"Is it? I hadn't noticed." Molly smiled at them all and shrugged. "I guess the holiday comes early this year." Molly finished pushing Arthur up to his spot, the Weasley patriarch's stipulation for an early return being that he promise to stay in the chair. "Besides, daddy's back."

Fred crinkled his nose, catching Rebecca's eyes across the table. "Daddy?" He mouthed. Rebecca gave him a similar look, the word strange coming from Molly. They looked away from each other, clapping as Arthur lifted the paper crown in front of him and placed it on his head.

"Sit down, everybody. Sit down." Molly waved them down, pulling presents off the shelf on her right. On the bottom-most shelf sat the parcel Percy had sent back earlier in the week: His Weasley sweater. Molly kept a blank face on in front of the children, but she had quickly excused herself from their presence and retired in her room for a long time. When she finally left, she put the sweater back into the box and put it on the shelf where it had sat since.

"A nice big box for Ron!" Arthur chimed in, the rest of the table laughing as Ron nodded excitedly. Molly held two bags out to Fred and George, alternating who they went to before deciding. They looked at each other and shrugged, switching them again before waiting for the others to get their gifts. Sirius' box was small and flat while Remus' was a large bag. Molly beamed as Harry and Rebecca took their gifts last, thanking her profusely.

Ron pulled out his present first, a jacket coming from the box. "Go on, I want to see your faces!" Hermione smiled at Ron, knowing it wasn't something he would have picked out for himself. "Just what he wanted!" Molly told the table, clapping her hands excitedly.

Fred and George unwrapped new scarves, oppositely patterned to the new scarves Harry and Rebecca opened. They all smiled grandly, appreciating the winter wear in what was seemingly an endless winter.

Sirius slapped the table and laughed loudly, pulling out a collection of Garfield comics. Remus rolled his eyes and thanked Molly for his gift: A nice, thick sweater. 

"Now you can toss out some of your old ones, the ones with all the holes." Molly offered.

Remus' face fell. "They're well-worn, not old."

Arthur cleared his throat, calling for their attention. "Fred? George? Hermione? Thank you." Arthur leaned forward and raised his glass. "To the Potter children," Harry and Rebecca shook their heads, raising their hands to ask him to stop. "Both of which without, I would not be here."

Rebecca bit her lip, Fred staring at her from across the table and nodding in agreement. Fred raised his glass higher and added on to Arthur's toast. "Both of which..." He paused. "Both of which also being good people, through and through."

Arthur looked at his son proudly before turning his attention back to Harry and Rebecca. "Harry and Rebecca."

"Harry and Rebecca." The table intoned, taking a drink to them. 

Dinner began and was a celebratory affair, Sirius dragging Remus to the sitting room with a piano when all was through. "Moony, please! Just a few?" Sirius pouted until Remus sighed and agreed.

"Just a few! You know how much I hate to play," he lowered his voice. "With an audience."

Sirius nodded and clapped his hands to a beat, Remus stretching his long fingers out along the keys and beginning to play Christmas carols. "I can't understand why you don't want to wear it, Ronald." Hermione scolded, Ron fidgeting in his new jacket.

"Cause I look like a bloody idiot, that's why!"

Rebecca laughed next to Fred as Ginny leaned forward and whispered to them. "No more than usual."

Fred laid his hand on her knee, holding it as he joined in to "Wizard's Have White Christmases." Rebecca laid her hand on top of his, swaying side to side with him on the couch with the music. His voice added a new layer to the medley, Rebecca finding herself positively enamoured with him.

Fred glanced down at her and smiled, pausing his singing. "Love, if you keep looking at me like that. I'm afraid some...some records will have to be listened to."

She blushed and looked away from him, Tonks storming into the room with a big box in hand. "Happy Christmas!" The room responded alike, Remus taking the opportunity to step away from the piano and help himself to another drink. Tonks took the lid off the box and walked around the room slowly, handing smaller, wrapped gifts to them all.

"You two." She said, pausing in front of Fred and Rebecca with a joking look of distaste on her face. "I see she still hasn't found any sense and you haven't screwed up yet." Her face broke and she smiled, handing them two stone-shaped boxes. 

"Gee Tonks, you shouldn't have. I've always wanted a rock." Fred bantered back, holding his bag across Rebecca to his other hand instead of taking his arm out from around her neck.

Rebecca shook her head at their antics and opened her gift as well, gasping as she opened a shrunken trunk. "Tonks?"

Tonks shook her head, pointing to the adults behind her. "Just take it, thank me, and grow it at school." She said quietly, moving onto the next person.

Fred took out a trunk of his own, confused but excited. "Did you do this just because we'll have to wait?"

Tonks winked, "I would never."

Fred put his into his pocket, holding a hand out for Rebecca's as well. "What do you think?" Fred whispered, "Drugs?"

Rebecca rolled her eyes before smirking at the idea of the terror they'd bring on Umbridge. "No, I think she just funded our war."

*******************************************

Christmas faded to New Years, the sitting room full once more with loud, slightly intoxicated adults like it had at Christmas Eve. Sirius had pulled out an old record player, playing records as the clock ticked farther and farther into the night. 

Tonks sat in a chair with a bottle of Firewhiskey in her arms like a baby. Ron and Hermione were in an intense game of would-you-rather with Ginny and Arthur, Arthur failing to remember the point of the game was to pick one option and not make a combination of both as he continued to do each turn. Remus looked up, Sirius putting on a song he knew would catch his attention. Remus shook his head, sitting down lower in his chair.

"You can't ignore me!" Sirius sang, dancing slowly across the room before pulling Remus up to his feet. "You can't ignore the music!"

Fred laughed, standing and holding a hand out to Rebecca. She took it happily, following him to a space in front of the piano where he stood and swung her arms with his, kicking his feet with the music. He looked up quickly, the song turning to the next one. "Oh-this the song!" He shook Rebecca's hands, making her listen to the song closer. "This is the song when I-"

Molly appeared in front of them, her eyes flickering between them. "When you what?"

Sirius cackled from across the room, "This song? This is the song when Moony and I-" Remus stepped on Sirius foot, silencing him. "Well they didn't do that, did they?" Sirius hissed, moving his foot away from Remus.

"When we decided to be together formally." Rebecca explained, trying to keep her face plain. "It's a special memory, that's all."

Molly took the answer, ignoring the blush spreading across Rebecca's face as exertion or embarrassment, not thinking that she was lying. 

Fred widened his eyes, turning his back to his mother before whispering. "No it wasn't."

"Fred!" Rebecca's voice was sharp and she glanced around to make sure no one could hear her. "I couldn't exactly say what really happened, could I?"

Fred smirked, "Well, you could. I wouldn't mind hearing it again."

Both of their faces flushed as they remembered their afternoon in the Room of Requirement. "Maybe we don't have to talk about it..." Rebecca nodded her head, deciding to be more forward than she was apt to be normally. "Why don't we relive it?"

Fred's mouth dropped open, "Are you-? I'll go now, you leave in a few minutes." Fred was gone a second later, his heart racing in anticipation. Rebecca meandered around the room, ignoring the curious look Harry was giving her and leaning against the wall next to a very intoxicated Tonks. 

"You two are gross." Tonks said, her head lolling towards her. "Adorably repulsive."

"Thanks, Tonks." Rebecca's tone was flat. She looked at the clock on the wall.

"I'm going to be sick." Tonks groaned and leaned forward. Rebecca caught her shoulder and put her arm around her shoulder, guiding the woman out of the room. In the hall, Tonks straightened herself as best she could and raised the bottle of Firewhiskey to Rebecca. "Go on then, bought you the best exit I could."

Rebecca stepped back, "So you're not going to be ill?"

Tonks shook her head, "I most certainly will later, but not right now. Go on! Idle hands are dangerous with that boy!"

Rebecca grinned madly, kissing Tonks on the cheek before turning and running of the stairs. She knew exactly where Fred was going to be. Her suspicions were proven when she reached the door to the spiral staircase and saw how it was left open. She grinned and closed it behind her, climbing the stairs excitedly.

Fred had laid a blanket out on the ground and was debating on whether or not he should unbutton his shirt or not when she appeared in the doorway. "That was fast! You didn't get followed up here, did you?" He peered over her shoulder, crossing the room to her.

"No, Tonks came up with an excuse." She tilted her head up to him, putting her hands against his stomach and leaning into the kiss he offered. "We can still hear the music up here."

He nodded, walking back to the blanket. Her eyes drifted out the windows, smiling as the fireworks exploded over London's center in the distance. Fred laid out, putting his hands under his head. She lay next to him, resting her head against the side of his chest. He pulled a hand from behind his head and put it on her back.

She looked up at him and sat up, kissing his neck before moving up to his jaw. He tried to sit up to kiss her from the top, but she put a hand on his shoulder and held him down. "Let me." She whispered. He nodded, his eyes widening as she brought her hands to the top of his shirt. She undid the top button, kissing the skin that was revealed slowly as she made it down to the end of his shirt, the last button having been bunched up above his belly button.

He had his eyes closed, desperately trying to distract himself from her and the effect she was having on him ineffectually. When she paused, he took the opportunity to jump up and lay her down, not letting her stop him this time.

He looked into her eyes a moment before following her lead and reaching for the buttons he failed to find. 

"Babe?" She giggled as he blinked, noticing that she was in a tee shirt. "Here, how about this." She grabbed the bottom of her shirt and pulled it up slowly, closing her eyes as she peeled it off and set it on the blanket next to her.

Fred's eyes traced over her, her chest covered only in a bra now. All pretense at distracting himself from his arousal was gone and he now could only pray she didn't notice. She cracked open her eyes, blushing at the look he was giving her. He lowered himself to his side, pressing his lips to the corner of her jaw and making his way inch by inch to where the locket rest at the center of the bottom of her neck.

"May I?" He whispered, tracing his hand higher and higher up the side of her stomach. She nodded, her breath catching in her throat as he kissed centimeter by centimeter down the center of her chest, his hand cupping her gently.

"Fred," She whispered, grabbing his head and pulling him back up to her face as he reached the center of her stomach.

He closed his eyes and kissed her deeply, his passion meeting her passion and sending the both into a frenzy. The hand of hers that was against his hip slid forward, hooking on a belt loop and pulling him closer to her. He pulled himself away from her lips, letting his head fall into the crook of her neck. "I want you. So, so badly."

"But?" She asked.

"But not like this." 

She sighed, knowing he wasn't going to budge. 

He continued. "Not on a blanket on a dusty floor, our family downstairs. I want it to be special for you."

"For me?" She asked curiously, wondering why it wouldn't be for him.

"Every second with you is already special for me, but I want this to be right. I already can't imagine waiting until we're married. I want to make everything else right."

"Married?" Rebecca's heart paused and her stomach fluttered.

Fred stammered, "W-Well not tomorrow, or the day after, or the day after that...I was just talking. Rambling really. Too many words, much nonsense-"

Rebecca scanned his face, seeing how frustrated and panicky he was getting. She kissed him and pulled him back into her. "You are simply too good for me."

He pulled away quickly, "Don't say things like that!"

"What are you going to do about it?"

His eyes set, a dastardly grin taking over his face. "You don't want to know."

She narrowed her eyes, "I think I do."

He swung his leg over her feet, holding her legs down as he sent his fingers dancing across her stomach. The effect was immediate, her mouth opened in silent laugh-screams and she tried to push his arms off her.

When he felt that she'd had enough, he paused a moment. "Are you done?"

She let her head fall back to the floor, his chest rising and falling quickly as the remnants of his attack lingered. "For now."

*******************************************

Fred and Rebecca went back downstairs shortly before midnight, their respective shirts worn once more. Tonks held the bottle up to them as they entered individually, Sirius noting the action. Remus grabbed his hand. "You don't think..."

"No." Sirius said surely. 

"Are you sure?" Remus asked, squeezing his hand.

"Yes, Moony. I happen to understand the youth of today in ways you can't even imagine."

Remus looked at him strangely. "You do hear how that sounds, right?"

Sirius shook his head and kissed him gently. "Just stop talking."

Molly and Arthur followed suite, sharing a brief kiss. Ginny lifted her leg and kicked Ron on to the floor in front of the couch, waving a hand over the now available seats. "Bloody hell!" Ron hissed, rubbing his side. "What have you been eating?"

Fred grabbed Rebecca's hand and pulled her away from the couch, laying a hand on her hip again. Sirius reached his hand behind Remus head and swapped the record, putting on an old jazz track. Fred swung their hands down, weaving around the room happily. Arthur pushed himself out of his chair, holding a hand out to Molly.

"You're really not supposed to..."

"To dance with my beautiful wife? That's impossible, illegal actually." Arthur smiled cheekily, Molly getting up.

"Slowly!" Molly demanded, brushing her hand across Arthur's cheek lovingly.

"Yes, ma'am." They swayed in place slowly, Arthur attempting to spin Molly like Fred did Rebecca and laughing as Rebecca twirled back into Fred expertly while Molly landed against his chest ungracefully. "We'll have to practise, it seems."

Harry leaned against the wall next to Remus and Sirius, both of them bobbing their heads to the beat. "Lames' song?" He asked, pointing to the name written on the record's cover.

Remus chuckled, shaking his head as Sirius explained. "James, he insisted that he and Lily's names be combined. Jily was obviously his creation, but we only called the Lames. Remember how he red he used to get?" Sirius asked Remus, leaning his head on his shoulder.

Remus nodded.

"This was there song?" Harry followed with another question, his eyes falling on Fred and Rebecca across the room. 

"It was. I don't know if it is anymore though..." Remus tilted Sirius' chin towards the sight ahead of them: Rebecca's head lying against Fred's chest as they swayed about slowly.

"Like father, like daughter." Sirius' head jerked up. "Oh my god! She's got a red head too!"

Remus placed his hand over Sirius now rambling mouth. "Go on, Harry. Clock'll strike twelve any minute and he's not going to stop now."

Harry laughed and took a seat with the other kids. "We're not late, are we?" A voice called from the front of the house. 

George jumped to his feet. "Bill! Thank Merlin. So much...snogging..." George's voice trailed off as Fleur appeared at his side.

"Can't help you there, Georgie." Bill winked and entered the room which cried out happily at the sight of them. Molly's eyes narrowed slightly at the French woman, still not happy with Bill's announcement at their coupling.

"Bugger me." George muttered, taking his seat back on the couch stormily.

Rebecca steered Fred off to them, greeting both Bill and Fleur warmly. "C'mon George." She sighed, taking hold of his hand and putting an arm around both Weasley twins. "Harry? You too. In fact, I need everyone."

Harry begrudgingly wormed his way in, Hermione and Ron shaking their heads at her until she insisted they jump in. She pulled those around her closer. "Happy New Year!"

Fred laughed, "It's not New Year just yet."

They kids separated, grouping up around the room as Tonks stood wobbly on her stool and checked her watch as she wavered side to side. "Ten, nine, e-eight,"

Sirius jumped up and dragged Remus up with him. "Seven, six, five, four,"

Fred turned towards Rebecca, his voice lowering. "Three, two,"

"One." She finished, turning her head as he closed the distance between them and the room was, for the most part, filled with couples kissing sweetly. Hermione became very occupied with the seam of the couch. Harry sighed at the sight of his sister so entirely enveloped in love.

Tonks sat down roughly, shaking her head. "Don't pout Potter. You'll find someone someday. Don't be as nauseating as them though."

Harry looked at her sharply, feeling defensive. "They're not! You-you're just jealous."

Tonks glanced at Remus across the room. "Of what?"

Harry noticed her fleeting glance, understanding dawning on him. "Nothing."

Tonks lifted her bottle, finishing it and thrusting it into Harry's hands, stumbling out of the room. "You'll find that," She paused and held onto the wall. "Love isn't all it's chalked up to."

Harry looked back across the room, Sirius and Remus hugging each other, Molly guiding a breathless Arthur back to his chair and laughing happily, Bill whispering something into Fleur's ear, and, finally, Rebecca and Fred staring into each other's eyes as they spoke to each other quietly. Fred laughed lightly, bringing a hand against the side of her face and kissing her tenderly.

Harry turned to the side, watching how Ron and Hermione talked explosively, Ginny secretly mocking Fleur's accent to George and George responding in the same level of horrible accent-mimicry. Harry shook his head and squeezed in next to his friends, listening to the arguments they made.

"I'm telling you right this second, right this second Ronald. No, a merman would not beat the giant squid!"

"How do you think they get along right now?!" Ron bellowed, pointing at her. "They fight it into submission!"

*******************************************

<3


	84. Chapter 84

"How can you know?" Fred whispered, his head nuzzled into Rebecca's neck as she stared up at the ceiling the last night they would be at Number 12 Grimmauld Place. The idea of her sleeping without the tea--unprotected from the premonitions--left him riddled with anxiety.

"How do we know anything Fred?" She glanced at him and laid her hand against his arm across her middle. "I've brought people back from the dead. How can we know anything after that?"

He sighed and closed his eyes. "You're changing the subject." He opened his eyes and looked at her carefully. "You'll come get me if you see anything, right?"

She turned towards him, his hand snaking behind her back and holding her close. "Yes, I will. I'm going to miss this."

Fred smiled and kissed her lightly, pulling the top most blanket higher over his shoulder. "I will too."

"I bet Nigel worked on his charts all break." Her words made them both laugh softly, peeking across the room to make sure Hermione and Ginny slept on. 

"I'm certain he has." Fred shook his head. "He's probably been working with Louis and...what's his Ravenclaw connection?"

"Yara. You always forget."

"No, I don't. And even if I did, you always remember." He smiled cheekily and stole one more kiss before insisting they go to sleep. "You'll need rest for your lessons."

Rebecca frowned deeply, Molly having received a letter from McGonagall that stated she and Harry were to attend Occlumency lessons with Snape three times a week. He stroked his hand on the small of her back, singing softly a song that made her eyes open immediately.

"Is that-?"

He nodded, smiling sadly. "I asked mum. She knew it."

She moved closer to him, her hands laying against his bare chest as he finished the brief verse. "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. Please don't take my sunshine away." His words fell away, her eyes closing and her heart swelling with love.

*******************************************

"My loves," Molly pulled Ron back into a hug, kissing his cheeks repeatedly as she had already Rebecca, George, and the others. "My sweet babies."

"Mum!" Ron hissed, pulling back and straightening his shirt. "Please, we're going to school, not war."

Ginny rolled her eyes, knowing Ron didn't see the irony in his words. "Shut it, tosspot. Let mum be."

"No, no. He's right." Molly sighed, patting their heads motherly. "I hate that we can't go with you."

Arthur spat angrily from his wheelchair. "It's bloody bull-"

"Arthur!" Molly scolded quickly, shooing the children to the waiting Tonks and Kingsley at the door. "Go on. I better hear only good things! You hear me? Good things!"

Fred poked his head back in the door and grinned widely. "What else could you possibly hear?" Molly shook her head and laughed as the door closed behind them, Remus and Sirius turning to the Weasley adults silently.

"House is too quiet, isn't it?" Sirius noted, looking around sadly.

Remus shot him a look, gesturing to the looks crossing Arthur and Molly's faces. "No, Sirius, it isn't. Molly," Remus held his arm out towards the dining table. "I'd love to ask you a question about your..." Remus struggled to come up with something.

"He wants to know how you manage to keep your stitching so orderly." Sirius added, proud of his excuse. "He's struggling."

Molly looked up confused. "You're taking up knitting, Remus?" 

Remus nodded slowly, "Uh, yes. I've been trying at least."

Arthur looked to the men appreciatively as Molly and Remus made their way out of the hall. Sirius grinned, asking if he could wheel Arthur into the parlor for a brandy. Arthur peeked over his shoulder. "Just don't tell Molly and we're set."

Sirius chuckled, pushing him and appreciating the company in the absence of the children that seemed to take with them the very livelihood out of the dark safety.

*******************************************

Inside the Hogwarts Express, the train compartments were a constant flurry of motion. Nigel had, in fact, drafted up entirely new schedules of who was to cause what sort of trouble in Umbridge's classes and he planned on going over each and every name with Rebecca or Harry in the train ride. Harry grinned deviously and stepped between Fred and Rebecca, pushing Rebecca towards the eagerly waiting second year. 

"Becks, you were just saying how excited you were to get back into the throw of things. You go on ahead and fill me in later."

Fred made a face, confused as to why Harry was leading him away from her so quickly. "Guess I'll catch up with you later?" She called after them, Nigel grabbing her sleeve and dragging her into the compartment he'd already sent Louis and Yara to.

"Let's go, the train rides only a few hours and I have a lot to go over!" Nigel commanded, shutting the compartment door behind him quickly. "So, step one..."

Rebecca followed along the best she could, but the second Louis shouted in French and they all agreed she held her hand up. "Hold it, hold it, hold it." She pointed between them all. "Since when do we speak French?"

Nigel smirked, "Since I contacted Beauxbatons' to reach the sister of their champion. We thought: Who else is better at revolutions than the French?"

Rebecca nodded slowly, "That doesn't answer my question. Makes more, actually."

Louis tried to explain. "Nigel wrote to her because we wanted to know if they had a-"

"Something private!" Yara interjected, looking between Nigel and Rebecca before Louis continued. "Something we couldn't quite solve ourselves, don't worry though. N'est pas votre problème."

Rebecca stared at him. 

"It's not your problem." Nigel translated. 

Rebecca narrowed her eyes at them all before shaking her head and standing up. "I'm so confused. Is anyone doing something they shouldn't be?"

Yara tilted her head, "Technically, this is all stuff we shouldn't be doing."

"Yes, but outside the regular umbrella of not-supposed-to-be-doing?"

They three second years looked at each other before shaking their heads.

"Excellent, you are all promoted to not needing to run everything past us because I'm so, so very lost."

Nigel smirked at the second years after she closed the door and left. "I kissed her, you know that?"

*******************************************

Rebecca wandered down the hall, waving to her friends as she saw them. Neville and Luna were sharing a compartment with Dean and Seamus, all four of them laughing madly. Farther down, she passed Draco and Pansy's Slytherin-filled compartment. 

"Potter!" Pansy giggled, opening the door. "Where's your robes?"

"In my bag? We haven't arrived yet."

"Ten points, you should be changed by now." Pansy smirked and went to close the door behind her. 

"What do you get out of being cruel?"

Pansy looked her over, scanning her body lewdly. "Cruel? That hardly scratched the surface of unkind, nowhere near 'cruel.' Get a move on before that red-haired oaf comes around."

Rebecca stepped forward, her hand flying to her wand. "Woah!" Fred shouted, stepping between the girls. "What is going on?"

Rebecca pushed against him, sending one more insult Pansy's way. "Oaf? You're one to talk! Trailing Draco like a shadow, like a leech! He hardly looks at you, but you've noticed that haven't you? Must be why you're such a cold b-"

"Rebecca," Fred's voice was low and he turned her shoulders to that she was walking down the hall again.

"Don't stop her, soulless poverty-monger! Let her say what she wants!" Pansy shouted at Fred's back. Fred turned his head, scoffing at her and continuing down the aisle with Rebecca in front of him. Draco stood up and crossed his arms in the doorway of the compartment, beckoning for Pansy to sit down again. "No, that freak can't get away with this!"

Fred halted, his feet turning him back to her. He slipped a hand into his pocket and squeezed the little tube between his fingers. "Would you like to change your words and try again?" He murmured plainly, towering over them all. Rebecca watching him pull something out of his pocket as Pansy laughed loudly.

"Change what? A freaks a freak no matter how you spin it!"

Fred nodded, "I'm not sorry about this then."

He took another step forward, Pansy moving into the compartment to avoid the encroachment of her personal space. Fred flicked the small, dark object into the room and slid the door shut quickly, holding it as Draco tried to open it. "What?" Fred tilted his head towards the glass. "I don't understand."

Pansy shrieked loudly, a fog filling the room for a few seconds before dissipating and showing her holding her bag in front of her. Blaise turned toward the wall, hiding himself. Draco glowered darkly, taking his hand off the handle and drawing the shade between them and the hall.

Fred turned and bowed, raising his voice above the laughter of those in the hall. "Piss-pills. Soon to join our regular line up!" He scooted between the crowd that had formed, shaking his head at Rebecca as he joined her again. "My sweet, sweet love..."

"I know, I know. Technically I didn't go against what we'd agreed to."

Fred raised an eyebrow. "How wasn't that a poor reaction to what someone said?"

Rebecca shook her head and poked him in the chest, "No, you said to work on reactions to things people said about Harry and I. She tried to bad mouth you, that's where the line is drawn."

Fred kissed the top of her head and slid open the compartment where Harry and George were. "We may need to redraw that line then. Please darling, we talked about not looking for extra detentions."

"What now?" Harry sighed. "I thought Nigel would have you busy for at least another hour."

"What was that?" Rebecca asked, turning on Harry. "How could you leave me to them alone? You know they've learnt French?"

Harry shrugged, "You should get along excellently then. You speak a little French yourself."

George scoffed, "Asking someone to bed does not qualify as speaking French."

Harry argued adamantly, "Yes, it most certainly does. Think about it, what other sentence could you possible want to know in any language!"

George fell silent a moment. "Merlin...he's right."

Fred reached down into Rebecca's bag, taking out the journal she thought she had hidden excellently. He pulled a pen out of his pocket and opened to a page, hiding his words from her and telling her to read it later. She sat back against the seat and looked out the window, finding herself colder just watching the winter views slide by so quickly. Fred watched her profile, admiring the subtle curve of her jaw and the slight upturn at the end of her nose, her glasses sitting in front of her eyes alight with thought. He smiled, tuning Harry and George's conversation out and turned back to the book at hand. When he'd finished his sentence, he pulled the jumper she had wrapped it in and placed it back where it was.

Ron and Hermione opened the door, their robes on and their prefect badges on display. "Why did we just have to listen to Draco and Pansy rant about you two?" Hermione asked tiredly, sitting next to Rebecca and shaking her head. "We haven't even gotten off the train!"

Ron tried to discreetly high-five Fred, having heard about what had happened. Hermione saw the exchange, "Ronald!"

Ron sighed and pulled the card Hermione had forced on him. "I am really disappointed." His voice was bored and monotonous. "I expect more from you," He looked up, "My brothers and you, Rebecca," He turned back to the card. "This behaviour is distouching."

"Distasteful!" Hermione sharply corrected.

Ron nodded, "Yes, that."

He stuck the note back in his pocket and looked at them proudly. "There, business. Where's mum's sandwiches?"

Hermione sighed and pushed her bag to him. Molly had insisted Hermione be the one to carry them because Ginny ran off as soon as they entered the train, Fred and George would do something to it, Rebecca would forget she'd had them and there they'd stay for days, and Ron...Ron would eat them all.

"Great, I'm starved!" He picked through the labels, tossing the owner's their sandwiches and sighing when he opened his. "Beef, again."

Rebecca peeked in and found that hers was jam. "Here you go." Rebecca offered, holding hers out.

Fred's eyes widened as they swapped. Ron glanced over the sandwich before he looked between Fred and Rebecca. "This is for you..." Ron said quietly and embarrassedly, handing the piece of paper on top of the bread back. Rebecca took it curiously, shame covering her face as she discovered it to be of mature content--asking when they'd find a moment to 'listen to records' and partake in the activities therein. Fred evaded her gaze, his cheeks darkening as Harry leaned over. 

"Excuse me!" Rebecca snapped, holding the note to her chest. "Is your name Umbridge? I think not. Stay out of my mail."

Harry retreated at the admonishment. Taking a large bite out of his sandwich and pretending she hadn't scolding him so ferociously.

Fred became very preoccupied in the precise unwrapping of his sandwich. Ginny opened the door a few silent moments later. "It's like the crypt in here, what'd I miss?" Rebecca shook her head, begging her to not push on. Ginny smirked, remembering Fred asking Sirius how to phrase a few choice adjectives this morning. "I see, what an 'electrifying' turn of events."

Fred's face darkened deeper, the nature of what had been written on the note dawning on Hermione. Rebecca stared at her sandwich, taking a bite quietly. Harry rolled his eyes. "Tonks is right, you two are positively disgusting. I can't take it any longer. I'm going to change." Harry turned at the door with a grin so that they'd know he was only joking with them. "Positively disgusting."

Hermione turned back out the window, tearing the crust off her sandwich and handing it to Ron without a word. They'd done this with their sandwiches for so many years, the action had become routine.

Fred and Rebecca skirted around each other the rest of the train ride, avoiding speaking to one another directly. When the train sounded its whistle to alert the passengers that they would be arriving soon, both Fred and Rebecca moved to leave the compartment to change.

Fred scratched the back of his neck, stepping back and motioning for her to be the one to leave the room. "Please, after you."

Rebecca shook her head, setting her bag back down and waving him on. "It's alright, you go first."

Ginny snorted from where she'd perched on the seat next to George, both of them mocking their awkwardness. "Or you could both go. It's not like you use the same toilet."

Fred gave her a look before turning back to Rebecca and opening the compartment door so they both could exit. "About the sandwich," Fred began sheepishly. "I had no idea anyone else would be the one to open it."

Rebecca smiled briefly, "I had no idea you could be quite so...descriptive." Fred's face burnt hotter. "It was sweet, thank you."

Fred reached for her hand, holding it tightly as they walked down the long train to the toilets. "At least, with quidditch over for the both of us, there will be more time to...listen to records."

"I think you mean 'more time to study' or 'more time to work.' We've got customers to keep satisfied, products to keep producing, not to mention the sheer chore it is keeping Nigel supplied."

Fred sighed, "Study?"

She nodded quickly, "Umbridge or not, O.W.L.s are in a few short weeks. I feel so unprepared, can't even believe I've brought them up. Now I'm thinking about them."

"You'll do just fine, I know it. How'd your career meeting go with McGonagall?"

Fred watched her face flash nervously. "Not yet, closer to O.W.L.s."

He lifted her arm up to his lip, kissing the back of her hand quickly before releasing her and diverging to the boys' room. "And that shall go as perfectly fine as your exams will."

"Shall they?" She called cheekily.

"They shall." He responded, winking as the both let the door shut between them.

*******************************************

Cho hurried to them in the courtyard as they followed the stream of students into the castle. "Harry!" Harry ran a hand over his hair quickly, straightening his glasses and tidying himself as Cho appeared in front of them. "You've heard, right?" Cho asked and waved to them all in greeting as Harry shook his head. "Hagrid's back." Cho knew how worried Harry had been, it had been one of the recurring topics of their quiet conversations after D.A. meetings.

Fred grabbed the loop of Rebecca's backpack, swinging it over his shoulder and pushing her off towards Hermione and Ron's disappearing figures. "Go on, we'll catch up later."

She smiled appreciatively, pausing to peck his cheek before running off after the rest of them. The cold air blew past them swiftly, reddening their noses and quickly leaving them snivelling. Harry and Rebecca slowed down, crouching as Hermione and Ron motioned for them to do so and leaning under Hagrid's window as they were.

"I order you to tell me where you've been!" Umbridge's voice could be heard faintly within his home.

"I told you. I been away for me health."

"Your health?" Umbridge sounded entirely unconvinced.

"Yeah, fresh air does the body good."

Harry pulled Rebecca down from where she'd stood up to peek over the sill. "Ah, yes. As gamekeeper, fresh air must be difficult to come by." Umbridge giggled her evil, high pitched laugh. "If I were you, I shouldn't get too used to being back. I might not even unpack!"

Ron jumped back, putting his back against Hermione and holding his hands out in front of them all to hold them closer to the wall as Umbridge left Hagrid's hut, pausing on his front step and showering herself and his door in her perfume.

The second her pink behind poked out of their view, they ran around the corner and knocked on the door quickly. Hagrid opened the door with a large smile, laughing loudly as they all jumped into his house and wrapped their arms around him. "Alright, alright! That's enough a 'at." Hagrid put the kettle on and gestured for them to have a seat. 

"Where have you been?" Harry asked quickly, Rebecca taking note of his beaten appearance and the massive steak he held in hand.

"This is top secret, okay?" They nodded. "Dumbledore sent me to parlay with the giants."

"Giants?" Rebecca asked loudly, immediately shhed by Hagrid.

"Giants..." Hermione mused. "You found them?"

"They're not that hard to find, to be perfectly honest." Hagrid lifted the steak and held it against his cut and bruised cheek and eye. "I tried to convince them to join the cause. But we're not the only ones that are trying to win 'em over."

"Death Eaters?" Ron asked quietly.

Hagrid nodded solemnly. "Yes. Trying to convince them to join You-Know-Who."

"Did they?" Harry asked, Hagrid raising his shoulders slightly and sitting back in his chair at the question.

"I gave them Dumbledore's message and I suppose...I suppose some of them remember he was friendly to them."

"Did they do this to you?" Rebecca asked, gesturing to her face where his was injured.

"Not exactly, no." Hagrid looked away, evading further questions on his health. Fang barked loudly, pawing at the ground and whining pathetically. "Alright, take it you dopey dog." Hagrid let the steak fall to the floor with a wet slap.

A whistling sound came from Hagrid's back room, the hay on the ground blowing slowly. Rebecca peered over the table at it, the children standing and following Hagrid as he paused in the doorway. "It's changing out there. Just like last time. There's a storm coming." He turned and looked over the four of them carefully. "We'd all best be ready when she does."

*******************************************

A storm was coming indeed, Rebecca found as the common room listened to Fudge's nightly address after the silent supper that Umbridge reigned over tyrannically.

"We have confirmed that, earlier this evening, ten high-security prisoners of Azkaban escaped. The muggle Prime Minister has been alerted of the mounting danger. We strongly suspect that the breakout was engineered by a man with personal experience escaping Azkaban, notorious mass murderer, Sirius Black. Cousin of escapee--Bellatrix Lestrange."

Neville looked up at the name, his face pale. Rebecca noticed. She patted Fred's leg before getting up and making her way across the room to him. "Hey Neville! How'd the holiday go for you?" Her tone was chipper, contagiously so. A smile grew across his face as he spoke about the specific seeds his grandmother had given him and how excited he was to get to the greenhouse and plant them.

George scooted over to Fred's side and looked at him carefully. "You still haven't said anything, have you?"

Fred shot him a look. "How can I, George? I don't even know how to bring it up, let alone actually think about...not..." His voice petered off, George nodding sadly.

"We still have time," George shook his head. "Not much, but there is still time to back out."

Neville hopped out of his chair and ran to the stairs, telling Rebecca he'd be right back with his herbology book. She smiled across the room at Fred and George, shrugging happily. 

"I'm sorry I said anything." George apologised as pain shone through Fred's eyes clearly.

"No," Fred looked to his twin and made sure he wasn't feeling guilty. "You're right. I just...I haven't found the right moment. Move ahead though. The moment to bring it up will come and we can't afford to miss an opportunity like this."

Harry watched the secretive looks between Fred and George, their glances at Rebecca between bouts of hushed conversation and he felt his curiosity grow stronger. Hermione waved a hand in front of Harry's face. "The first meeting back?" She repeated.

"Oh yeah, sounds great!" Harry said, hoping that answered the beginning of the question he hadn't paid any attention to.

Ron laughed, ignoring the look Hermione gave him. "When is it, mate?"

Harry sighed, "How about Thursday? Enough time to get into the swing of things before we add extra."

Hermione nodded and tapped her wand to her coin, the other members being alerted to the date and time instantly. Rebecca pocketed the coin quickly, Neville appearing at the top of the stairs with a book rivalling Hogwarts: A History in size. Neville let it fall onto the table he'd been sitting at, patting the chair next to him so Rebecca would take a seat with him. "These are the seeds, yes, they're quite hard to find..."

*******************************************

"I really appreciated you checking on me." Neville told Rebecca at the end of Thursday's meeting, he being one of the few older students lingering about the room before they all had to return to their rooms. "Truly, it meant a lot."

Rebecca shook her head and put her arm around him, glancing up at the picture of the original Order he stared at intently. "That's what friends do, don't be silly."

"It's not silly though." He sighed and tore his eyes away from those of his young parents. "Lestrange escaped with them all and...if she's with V-Voldemort, we're all in more danger than we were."

"Neville," She patted his back, steering him towards the exit. "Say, I've got some biscuits I've been hiding from Ron. Let's go grab them and eat until we're ill."

Neville chuckled, "Is that supposed to be comforting?"

She grinned, "Isn't it?"

Neville nodded and told her he was just going to grab his coat. Rebecca popped over to the couch where Fred was sitting with Cedric and George. "I'm heading back," She pecked his cheek and patted his head lovingly.

"Want me to come?" He asked, already sitting up.

"No, no. It's alright. Neville and I are going to chat a bit."

George accepted her hug begrudgingly, not appreciating the way she mussed his hair up. Cedric raised his hand as he waved goodbye and Rebecca slapped it, thinking he had been asking for a high five. Their minds linked momentarily, Rebecca feeling the longing and the questioning that swarmed Cedric's mind. "I should ask...if I'm wrong though...He'd never like me...Just sit and chat!...What's wrong with you?..."

Rebecca yanked her hand back and apologised immediately. "I'm so sorry!" Cedric clutched his hands together, standing quickly and excusing himself from the other boys.

"The hell was that little show?" George asked confused.

"It's...complicated. I've got to go." Rebecca looked at them, her eyes absent as she realised the gravity of what she'd done.

Neville noticed her flustered appearance at the door, but simply chalked it up to Fred's effects. "Ready?"

She nodded, running a hand through her hair and smiling up at him, trying to force her thoughts away. "Oh yes, I think you'll like these. Chocolate, that's why I've had to hide them so long." She peeked over her shoulder to make sure Ron wasn't near. "He's got a problem."

Neville laughed and opened the door, peeking out carefully. They made their way down the halls silently, unconsciously separating the mandated eight inches that had become regular. "You want to find a seat and I'll pop up and grab them?" She asked, laying a hand on the bannister of the girls' stairs.

"Yeah, yeah. Sure." He surveyed the room and made his way to the two secluded seats near the back window. He sat quietly as he waited, looking up from his hands when she sighed and took the seat across from him.

"You are not going to believe this," She opened the tin and revealed the half-empty container. "He found them."

Neville shook his head at her crestfallen face. "Perhaps for the best then, I don't think eating until we're ill was an admirable goal." She nodded and took a biscuit, sliding the box to him to eat some. "I don't know how much you know, although you do know something. That's clear."

She raised her hand, covering her mouth before stopping him. "Nev, we do not have to talk about this, not at all."

He persisted. "No, I'd like to. No one else understands, could understand, really." He nibbled at the chocolate dessert. "It was fourteen years ago Lestrange found my parents. The war was over, Voldemort had already fallen and the Death Eaters were being caught left and right." Neville paused. "Though, it was still debated as to whether or not he was truly defeated or simply captured. That's what she wanted to know, where the Order was hiding him."

Rebecca gasped, realisation dawning on her.

Neville nodded, "She tortured them for information they didn't even have, tortured them until they were gone. Who they were, that is." Neville leaned closer, feeling that he could admit to something he never had anyone else before. "I worry sometimes, that they'd be disappointed in me. I'm not great with magic and...and plants aren't all that important anyway."

Rebecca smacked his leg hard, sitting forward and putting her face in front of his. "That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard." Neville's eyes widened at the shift in her calm demeanor. "Neville, plants are important. How do you think we make the salve that's been so helpful? Stones? How do you think Madam Pomfrey makes her poultices and how do you think anyone would possibly make a potion without one plant or another?"

Neville opened his mouth to agree with her.

"And don't even get me started on the rest of it! Neville," She laid her hands on his knees and stared into his eyes. "You have managed every spell you've tried this year. You have improved on things you didn't even know you could. Your plants, your contributions, you, have done so much this year, last year, and your entire life. Your parents have so, so much to be proud of." She reached her hand up, following the whim she'd worried might have be too much. Her hand rest on his face, her thumb tracing the top of his cheek. "Even without all that, you're a good person. That's all anyone can hope to be."

Neville stood up, a blush steadily growing across his cheeks at her words and the maternal nature of her actions. "Thank you, for the biscuits and, well, for everything." He took a few steps away before returning and lowering his voice. "I'm proud to be their son, I'm proud of all that they accomplished and what they sacrificed themselves for, but I don't want the others to know. Not yet."

She nodded, agreeing. "Of course. When you're ready, I think you'll find that everyone will agree with me: You're much more than you give yourself credit for."

Neville shrugged, returning his path back to his room. Fred and George ran in the room, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny appearing behind them before George closed the door quickly. Rebecca was across the room in a second, looking them over and noting their panting. "What? What's happened?"

Fred shook his head, putting his hands on his knees and catching his breath before explaining. "Nearly got caught, that bloody squad was patrolling the sixth floor."

She turned to Hermione and Harry, Ron having taken her seat across the room and helping himself to the the few biscuits he'd left behind. "What does this mean for next time?"

Harry sighed, "I don't know if there should be a next time. They're narrowing us down, questioning has only been more frequent since we've been back."

Hermione shook her head, "No, it has to continue. We'd be better off than we would have at the beginning of the year, but we're not strong enough to defend ourselves completely. Not yet."

Ginny agree vehemently, "If the D.A. is cancelled, what do we really have?"

George laid a hand on her shoulder, "Each other?"

Ginny shrugged him off her, "Not so sappy, twit. What do we have to say that we're trying to make a difference? To show that we can fight without the Order?"

Harry held a hand to his brow. "We can meet on Monday then, perhaps they won't be expecting another meeting so soon and it'll be okay."

*******************************************

"First years, get to the back!" Rebecca hissed, pushing Nigel behind her arms even though he fought to stay at the front. "Put them towards the back!"

Fred reached down, grabbing her hand and using his other to keep Louis and Yara from storming the wall ahead of them. The wall to the Room of Requirement was thudding rhythmically, the mirrors falling being another indication that trouble was descending.

"I'll make short work of this." They all heard Umbridge's voice say confidently through the hole that had formed. "Bombarda maxima!"

The wall was blown in. Rock, shrapnel from the shattered mirrors, smoke at the destruction, the room was filled with confusion and flying rubble. Those who had arrived at Monday's meeting early stood up from where they'd been thrown, the older students standing their ground and staring at the faces that appeared in the doorway.

Draco dragged someone into their sight, a certain someone notorious for being the last to arrive. Cedric looked up briefly, a black eye and a split lip marring his handsome face. He looked away, shame filling him entirely.

"Get them!" Umbridge hissed, smiling hideously.

*******************************************

<3


	85. Chapter 85

Draco threw Cedric to the floor at the destroyed entrance to the Room of Requirement, grabbing two fleeing members by the arms and holding them at his side. Umbridge, with the help of the Inquisitorial Squad, had them all subdued and lined up in Dumbledore's office before the hour was through.

"I've been watching them for weeks!" Umbridge explained to Cornelius. "And look, 'Dumbledore's Army,' exactly what I've been telling you from the very beginning, Cornelius!"

Percy narrowed his eyes at Harry and Rebecca, shaking his head in silent, but clear, disapproval. A low growl escaped Fred, his arm forcefully yanked free from the squad member holding him back and reaching for her as he glared murderously across the room. Percy's eyes widened and he looked away, rattled. Cedric was wavering where he stood, his body throbbing painfully.

"All your fear mongering about You-Know-Who never fooled us, not even for a minute." Umbridge declared, staring up at Dumbledore behind his desk who looked down at her without emotion. "Nothing but a smokescreen for your bid to seize control of the ministry!"

"Naturally." Dumbledore intoned.

"No, professor!" Harry pulled his shoulder out from Crabbe's meaty hand and stepped forward. "He had nothing to do with this!"

"It was us, our idea all along!" Rebecca tried to step forward, but Draco pulled the back of her robes higher, cutting her off.

"It was me." Dumbledore shook his head at the two of them. "Most noble of you to try and shield me, both of you. But, as it has been pointed out, the parchment clearly says 'Dumbledore's Army,' Not 'Potters' Army'."

Dumbledore turned and addressed the adults in the room. "I instructed the formation of this organisation and I, I alone, am responsible for its activities."

Cornelius took a triumphant breath, announcing his next orders loudly. "Dispatch an owl to the Prophet. If we hurry, we should still make the morning edition. Dawlish, Shacklebolt, you will escort Dumbledore to Azkaban to await trial for conspiracy and sedition."

"Yeah, cause you've had such luck keeping people in there recently." Fred called, relishing the way Umbridge's face reddened with anger and the shock that covered Percy. Shacklebolt bit his tongue, fighting to keep the amusement off his face.

"Ah," Dumbledore stood and raised a finger, walking around to the back of his desk. "I thought we might hit this little snag. You seem to be labouring under the delusion that I'm going to--what's the phrase?-- Come quietly." Umbridge stepped forward. "I can tell you this: I have no intention of going to Azkaban."

"Enough of this, take him!" Umbridge hissed, gesturing for Dawlish and Shacklebolt to get him.

Fawkes let out a screech, launching himself from his perch and hovering over Dumbledore just long enough for the headmaster to raise his hands and clap them above his head. His departure sent a shockwave of energy through the room, sending more to the floor than not.

Rebecca jerked her elbow back, striking Draco directly in the stomach. He doubled over, holding his middle as he tried to regain his breath. "Oops!"

"You may not like him, Minister, but you can't deny...Dumbledore's got style." Shacklebolt ignored the sharp look Fudge gave him and glanced momentarily at the children around the room. "What shall happen now?"

Umbridge looked to Cornelius expectantly. The Minister sighed and nodded. "Now, Hogwarts is in need of a headmaster."

"And there are children in need of detention." Umbridge finished evilly.

*******************************************

Rebecca and the others were dragged out of Dumbledore's office by the Inquisitorial Squad who had just received orders from "Headbastard" Umbridge as Rebecca muttered far too loudly on their way out the door.

"Rebecca!" Fred hissed from beside her, Crabbe pulling him to silence him. "Don't ask for more trouble!"

Crabbe looked to Draco, wanting to know if he should designate additional detentions for her insolence. Draco shook his head, dumping them at the bottom of the Gryffindor stairs.

"What'd you do to Cedric?" Rebecca demanded, calling after their retreating backs. "You did something to him--he never would have told."

Draco froze, pointing ahead for Crabbe and the others to continue on. He turned back, seeing how Rebecca had walked away from the bottom of the stairs and made it halfway towards him. "How can you be certain? Maybe he really did just come clean. Maybe everyone isn't a good as your naivety has convinced you they are."

She shook her head, "No, I know he didn't."

"Tell me how you can know and I'll consider telling you."

She glared at him. "I know he didn't on his own free-will because, strange as this is for you, some people choose to do the right thing. No one just is bad, they choose to be so. Look at you, for example."

Draco stared at her a moment, wondering if she was implying he wasn't bad. "I considered it, the answer is no." He turned back and joined the rest of the squad, evading their questions as to why he prolonged their exposure to such scum.

Rebecca slowly turned back to the others, joining them and taking the back of the group. Her mind was going over every possibility, every facet of Cedric she knew. No matter how she looked at it, she knew he would never have betrayed them. "He's a bloody Hufflepuff, they're known for their loyalty!" She whispered.

"What?" Fred asked, startling her.

"Nothing."

"Wait!" Cedric's voice echoed up the stairs, making them all stop and run back down. "I didn't-I would never have!"

"Then how'd this happen?" Harry demanded, not cruelly, but in need of the truth. "How'd she figure it out."

"She had Crabbe and Goyle bloody me up," He pointed to his damage and winced as his split lip stretched with every word. "When she told them to stop, she tied me to a chair and forced me to drink Veritaserum, a-"

"Truth-telling potion." Rebecca finished, slapping her forehead. "So obvious."

Cedric looked up at them. "I-I never would have, not willingly. You knew that, right?"

They nodded and answered immediately, knowing the bonds they'd formed with their group were unshakeable. "You shouldn't have come." Hermione insisted, peering down the corridors to make sure no one was coming. "It wasn't worth the risk."

Cedric shook his head, "The truth is always worth the risk."

Harry worked his way around the others and exchanged a few hushed words with Cedric before Cedric nodded. "Ron? Help me get him back. The rest of you head on up, we'll need our rest for tomorrow."

They collectively paled at the thought. "One month of detentions...Bloody hell." Rebecca thought, turning back to the flights of stairs above them.

"We'll worry about that tomorrow, okay?" Fred reassured, knowing what she had to be thinking about. He squeezed her shoulder lovingly once inside the safety of the common room. 

Out in the corridors, Cedric, Ron, and Harry made their way back to the Hufflepuff corridor in complete silence. Ron or Harry would look down and wait a few seconds at each intersection, making sure there wasn't a patrol that would spot them in their creeping sprint to the next spot they'd have to look at.

When the three boys finally made it to the doorway where Cedric paused and looked back at him, his one, not-swollen eye gazed at them sadly. "I cannot even word how sorry I am, nor how badly I feel."

"Don't." Harry commanded strongly. "You couldn't have not said anything, not with that potion. It's my fault really, I'm the one who chose to meet."

Ron's voice whispering into the darkness. "Hermione and I, we're the ones that talked you into it. It's our fault, if anyone's."

Cedric raised a hand and brushed it against his lip, wiping away the blood that threatened to drip down his chin. "Perhaps we don't need to blame anyone."

Harry shrugged and waited until Cedric entered the safety of the Hufflepuff common room before he and Ron turned back, walking slower than they had on their way. "I tried so hard to help and all it's done is make things worse."

Ron scoffed, "How do you figure?"

Harry ignored him and continued. "I don't-I don't want to care anymore. The more you care, the more you have to lose. I just-I think it would be better..."

"To what?" Ron spat, looking at Harry with disgust.

"To go it alone." Harry murmured.

"That's the problem with you both, you're so selfish." Ron said uncharacteristically sharply, poking his head around the corner before he continued. "Soon as there's a little danger, soon as there's trouble, you and Rebecca think you can just cut everyone off. That you're 'protecting' us."

"How isn't it protecting you? We're the ones bringing the danger, bringing the trouble!"

"When we need protecting, we'll tell you. Until then, stop pushing us away. You're not protecting us by doing that, you're hurting us."

Harry and Ron finished their walk in quiet, the Fat Lady letting them in quickly. Once they were in bed, they both lie on their backs and staring at the ceiling. "I'll try." Harry said softly into the room.

"You'd better."

*******************************************

"Rebecca!" Hermione shouted, sitting up in her bed. "Shut up already!"

"I'm just saying...If we were to stick a rod up her arse and slap some plastic on her head, we'd have an Um-brella."

Hermione fell back onto her bed and groaned. "I'm begging you for mercy, begging you."

Ginny cackled and closed the bathroom door behind her, jumping onto her bed and pulling the covers over her legs. "You should sell those!"

"They should not! Do not put such meddlesome ideas out for them to latch on to!"

Rebecca sat up and peered out into the darkness. "I have yet to hear of a 'meddlesome' idea, only strokes of pure genius. Thank you, Ginny."

"Now you've done it," Hermione lifted her pillow and held it against her face. 

Rebecca laid back and drummed her hands along her bed. "So much to ponder...so much..."

*******************************************

The hall of orbs flickered into view around her. Whispers called out from them, blurring, overlapping, ebbing and rising like they were alive.

"Seventh month dies..."

"Thrice defied them..."

"Wand with a past, history shall run its course..."

A figure turned into the end of the hall, shrouded in the shadows. A whistle floated down the hall, the tune haunting and slow.

The tune of the lullaby Jane sang for her reached her ears, a shiver shot down her spine and reverberated in her soul. The whistle halted, the figure raising a hand. "Crucio!"

*******************************************

Rebecca's eyes shot open, her head twinging painfully as her eyes adjusted to the early morning light. She allowed herself a single moment to collect herself, holding a hand to her temple while slipping her spectacles over her ears. "Hardly a premonition at all!" The images she'd seen were filed away to be thought about later, when she had a moment with Harry, perhaps. When she stood up, her headache had faded to a manageable annoyance and she focused on the day ahead.

The common room was a flush with whispers, even though so few students were awake that early. The news of Umbridge's new status made its rounds around the students, some students growing angry, some growing quiet. Rebecca caught Nigel just as he'd made a move to disappear out the portrait hole, coordinating one scheme or another no doubt.

"Nigel, we have to chat." She warned ominously.

"Do we though?" He shrugged. "I've got a pressing appointment and, as much as I'd like to gab, I cannot be delayed."

"Your appointment has been cancelled."

Nigel shook his head, raising his voice as he understood her meaning. "No, it hasn't! The fight's still on, we'll buckle down, get more students, more pranks-"

"No! You will not!" She lowered her voice from the shout it had reached. "Nigel, Dumbledore isn't here anymore. There is no one to protect you. And these pranks? This fight we've been fighting? It ended last night. You hear me? I'd better not hear a single word of you or Louis or Yara planning anything else, not even a little disturbance."

Nigel glowered up at her. "If someone had ever told me you'd be the one to give up, I'd have told them they were mad. I can't believe this. Who needs Dumbledore to protect us? You have been just fine!"

She grabbed his shoulders, holding him against the wall roughly. "You listen to me, carefully and entirely." Her eyes racked his face quickly, her eyes showing an alarming level of ferocity. "Do you see this? This right here proves I, nor anyone else, are protecting you. I won't watch you waste your talents needlessly." She took his hand and lifted it to the light, hating how red and angry the skin was. "We're not giving up anything. What we're doing is making sure that when we do strike, it'll be enough to do more than simply inconvenience, that it'll do some damage." 

Nigel stared into her eyes a moment, regretting the harshness of what he'd said but still doubting her words. "How do I know you're telling the truth? How do I know you aren't just lying so that I call the others off?"

Rebecca held him at arm's length, releasing him so that he stood once more. "Have I ever lied to you?" Nigel shook his head. "Well, there's your answer then."

Nigel returned to the portrait hole, turning back to where she stood with his hand on the doorknob. "You're wrong."

"What?" She looked at him a moment before taking her glasses off and wiping them with the bottom of her tie.

"You said there's no one to protect us, that you haven't been. You have though, you and Harry and Ron and Hermione and the D.A., we all protect each other--No matter what. This?" He gestured to his hand. "This is nothing."

"Get out of here, you sap." She slid her glasses back on and walked to him, pushing him out the door. 

He righted himself out the door, smiling back at her before the door closed and her face became serious once more. She paced in front of the portrait hole, waiting until the others began to trickle down the stairs, their faces thick with sleep.

George laid a hand on Fred's back and a hand on Rebecca's pushing them together with a scowl. "I swear to Merlin, if I have to listen to him go on one more night, I'm throwing myself from the Astronomy Tower."

"Missing me?" Rebecca asked cheekily, Fred kissing the top of her head. 

"Worrying, incessantly." Lee cried from where he stood behind them. "'How's she sleeping? Hope she's not cold. Maybe I should see if she's in the common room.'"

"Don't forget, 'Did I say goodnight? What about 'I love you'?" George cackled, forgetting his anger as he and Lee continued to make fun of him.

Fred peered down at her. "I was worried, slightly."

"Don't be darling, things always turn out okay in the end."

*******************************************

"Turn out well in the end." Fred whispered, writing his line for what felt like the thousandth time that night, only half way through their month of detentions. "We'll be okay in the end."

Rebecca's face was as stoic mask from where she sat in the seat closest to Umbridge in the detention modified Great Hall. The new headmaster had cleared the floor for the evening, setting up row after row of single-student desks and laying a torturous quill on each one. Umbridge sat at the very front, sipping at a mug of tea and smiling over them all.

Umbridge leaned forward, checking the time and grinned at them. "Ten more minutes!"

Rebecca clenched her jaw, continuing to write as the pain provided the mental clarity she needed. "Dumbledore's gone, the professors can't do anything, Voldemort is still out there...What are we to do?"

No answer came. What could they do? A grey fog settled over the students at Hogwarts, what was once their place of learning had become their place of pain, sadness, and mistreatment. Dennis Creevey was their youngest first year, one of the bravest eleven year olds Rebecca had ever met.

"You are excused. We shall meet again tomorrow evening, as you well know." Umbridge stood up in front of her chair and gestured to the doors, the doors she left open for their punishment so that any passing by could watch.

Rebecca stood up slowly, having found that it upset Umbridge more to see them linger. She laid her quill next to the parchment, straightened the top of her desk, pushed her chair in expertly, all before slowly walking out of the hall, the last student to leave. "Rebecca," Harry hissed, looking to Dennis beside him. "Do something!"

Rebecca rolled her eyes at Harry and made sure Umbridge couldn't see them anymore. "Dennis?"

"I want to go home." He whimpered, wiping at his cheeks uselessly; Any tear he wiped away was replaced instantly. "I miss my mum. I want to go home." His weeping grew to broken sobs, his little shoulders shaking harshly.

"Go get Colin," Rebecca delegated to Harry, wrapping her arms around Dennis and pulling him into a warm embrace. She lifted her hand and ignored how it pained her to stroke the back of his head. "I know," She said softly, "We all want to go home." She lifted her head off his, looking into his eyes. "But do you know why we can't?"

Dennis shook his head. "Because Umbridge won't let us."

"No, not really. Sort of," Rebecca spoke on, wiping his cheeks with her sleeves and hoping her words were bringing him comfort. "We can't go because if we're not here to protect the others, who will? We're Gryffindors, we're brave and courageous and we fight for those who need it."

"I'm not a good Gryffindor." Dennis whispered, tears forming in his eyes again. "I don't want to fight, I just want...I'm tired of being scared."

"I didn't say that Gryffindors like to fight, I said that we do fight." Draco and Goyle turned into the corridor they were in and walked faster, ready to punish them all for walking in such a large group and not being eight inches from the opposite sex. "And everyone's afraid, Dennis." She watched Ron step up to Draco, staring down at him.

"You're afraid?" Rebecca put Dennis behind her as Goyle pushed Ron back. 

"Everyday." Fred looked behind him, making sure she wasn't at the front. "We can't tell now, but one day we'll see that fear is good."

Dennis buried his face into the back of her robes, grabbing her sides and squeezing. "How can being afraid ever be a good thing?"

McGonagall's footsteps echoed down the hall, a path clearing between the students of Dumbledore's Army to where the Inquisitorial Squad stood their ground. "You leave these students alone!" McGonagall scolded, pointing them back in the direction they'd come in. 

Draco sneered, "The Inquisitorial Squad answers to the headmaster and the headmaster alone."

McGonagall gave him a curt smile, "Well, Mr Malfoy, your marks answer to me and me alone. Do you care to continue?"

Draco stammered before turning away, taking his cronies with him. "Because as long as we're afraid, we know that we are still good." Rebecca said softly, Colin taking his brother into his arms.

McGonagall turned to them all, shaking her head at the sight of them. "Students, children..."

Ginny shook her head, squaring her shoulders and standing tall. "Your students don't need pity, professor."

A sad smile crossed McGonagall's face, "No, they do not. Let's get a move on, it's growing late." McGonagall herded the collection of Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, and Ravenclaws down a few corridors before Professor Sprout appeared. 

"I've got it from here, Minerva. Trouble?" The women exchanged brief words, Professor Sprout waved her hand over her shoulder, stopping only when Professor Flitwick appeared and called for the Ravenclaw students to follow him. They separated from the group, saying their goodbyes quietly.

George watched Cedric leave, his eyes following the back of his brown hair until he turned back and fell into step with Rebecca. "I've been meaning to ask, what happened between you and Cedric? When the Army fell, right before. Something happened."

Rebecca sighed, "A connection is made." She looked around and lowered her voice so low, it was hardly audible to George. "When I bring them back, something's formed between us."

"So you saw into his head?" George asked curiously.

"Exactly."

George bit his lip. "What did you see? Anything interesting?" Rebecca gave him a small smile, but said nothing. "What--You're not going to tell?"

"George." She warned.

He raised his hands and stepped away from her, making room for Fred who was making his way between them. "Fine, keep your secrets. I'll just keep all of mine."

"What secrets?" Fred murmured, looking at her carefully.

"He's nagging about what I saw from Cedric."

Fred nodded his head, "That last night?" 'Last night.' It's what they'd all grown accustomed to referencing the night of Dumbledore's exit, Umbridge's ascension, and the destruction of their club. "I was wondering too."

"Well, I'm not saying a word. It's not my place and I won't be-" He grinned and kissed her quickly. 

"Persuaded?" He asked cheekily.

"Yes, I will not be persuaded." She hoped he hadn't noticed how he affected her. He wouldn't have been able to hear how her heart began to pound, but if he'd looked carefully enough, he would have seen the tinting of her cheeks in the firelit hall.

"Fine for me, we both know who Cedric was thinking about anyway." He stood up straight, ignoring her motions for him to bend back down so they could talk more. "You won't be persuaded, remember?"

She stared ahead, fighting the smile that threatened to show. 

"We have to talk." Harry said, pushing his way next to her and ignoring the look Fred gave him. "Tonight."

Professor Sprout stopped at the bottom of the stairs to the Gryffindor Tower, smiling at them all sadly. "Mr Longbottom, I expect to see you reining in those-"

"Yes, professor!" Neville said quickly, not letting her finish. "I'll do that tomorrow, first thing."

Professor Sprout shook her head and turned away, laughing softly and shooing them up the stairs. "To bed, children. The morrow brings its duties with it."

Their moods heightened as they got closer and closer to one of the few places in the castle Umbridge hadn't ruined yet. Angelina paced in front of the fire, waving for the quidditch team, save Ginny and Ron, help all returning Gryffindors. She opened the box they'd hidden behind the bookshelf, the box filled with excess stock of salve.

Rebecca hissed, pulling her hand back as the replacement chaser roughly hit her cuts. "Sorry," he whispered, looking around. It was too late, Fred looked up from where Angelina had his hand at the sound of her pain. He crossed the room darkly, his face masked by a dangerous scowl.

He took the salve from the chaser, not saying a word until he saw the look Rebecca was giving him. Fred pursed his lips and glanced at the nervous boy. "I'll take it from here."

The chaser all but ran away, making his way to the farthest couch. "What was it you said on the train, something about not overreacting?"

He held her hand in his, turning the back of her hand up to his eyes and marvelling at how his palms enveloped hers. He took a fingerful from the jar and passed it to the not-so-patiently-waiting Harry at her side. "I have yet to overreact. But, when I do, I'll listen to my wisdom." Fred's eyes set in concentration, sliding over her skin delicately.

"Angelina get you?" 

"Yes, I'm set. Harry sounded urgent and--believe it or not--I don't particularly love his newfound distaste of me. Let's not make it worse. I'll see you in the morning?"

"Course, I'm not going anywhere."

She watched his eyes widen before he kissed her briefly and brushed a hand against her cheek tenderly. "I love you."

"I love you, too. What's wrong?"

He shook his head, pushing the hair off his forehead like he did when he was nervous. "Nothing. I'll see you in the morning." He repeated.

She stood a moment, watching how quickly he excused himself from anyone who tried to stop him and then hurrying up the stairs to his room. Harry dragged her to where he pulled a note out of his pocket, Hagrid's handwriting evident in its large, block letters.

"We're not done for the night." Harry said, handing the note around. "Hagrid's asked us to go see him at midnight, he said it's important."

"You think it's news from the Order?" Hermione asked, handing the note to Rebecca.

"I don't know." Harry sighed.

"It's not." Ron said surely. "He would have said something if it was."

Rebecca nodded, "Ron's right. Let's not worry before we have reason."

Harry snorted. "Hypocrite."

She smacked his arm. "I am not!"

Harry rolled his eyes, "If you'd watched after Fred any harder just now, your eyes would have fallen out. Pretty sure that counts as worrying."

"That made absolutely no sense." Hermione said, looking between Rebecca and Harry.

"Thank you, Hermione." Rebecca turned back to Harry. "I wouldn't have anything to worry about if you weren't being such a..." She struggle for the word. "Such an arse! Why are you being cross towards him?"

Harry crossed his arms and lowered his chin. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Rebecca shook her head quickly. "You most certainly do! What has Fred even done to you?"

"I think you're moving too fast!" Ron looked up from his hand at Harry's outburst. "You're fifteen! We all saw how you and Fred disappeared on New Years, how could you act so irresponsibly? With a mounting war, above all!"

Hermione shook her head, already having tried to tell Harry nothing had happened between them and that he was only going to cause a fight if he didn't mind his nosing about.

Rebecca looked at Harry a long moment before lowering her voice and leaning closer to him. "I'll say this once more because, apparently, it still hasn't sunken in." She paused, Ron wincing at her tone and glad it wasn't directed at him. "I am more than capable of lording over my actions myself. The line between caring and controlling? You've crossed it, again. It's none of your business what Fred and I do. It's none of your business how far we go. Essentially, Fred and I are simply not your business at all. Age? Harry, really? We've got the same bloody birthday!" 

She stood up and sighed. "You always could have just asked me."

"What?" Harry looked up at her, his eyes flitting away from hers.

"Unlike this little game you've played, making Fred feel badly, acting coldly, trying to keep us apart. You could have asked: Hey, Rebecca--You and Fred having sex?" Harry grimaced. "What? That's what you've assumed. That's what's got you acting a twit. That's you're justification for your actions."

"I wasn't so crude." Harry's voice took on a pleading tone, aware of the hole he was digging himself but unable to stop talking.

"Crude?" Rebecca laughed. "Crude. You and Ron sit on the couch and talk and whisper about tits and arses, who's hot and who's not, demeaning any girl you please, but the word 'sex' is crude."

"Why am I being dragged into this?" Ron whined.

"Rebecca," Harry tried.

"Not tonight, Harry. I'm-I'm heading up to bed. My head-"

"Your head hurts?" Harry asked, jumping up concerned. "From what?"

"From you and nothing more." Rebecca said plainly. "You cannot flip from condescending to concerned, that's not okay." Rebecca turned to Hermione and Ron, "Please make sure Hagrid knows that I am very sorry to not be there tonight."

Hermione glanced at Ron. "We'll make sure. I'll catch you up."

Rebecca thanked her and rolled her eyes at Harry before turning to the stairs. 

"Good going, mate." Ron sniggered.

"I told you to mind your own, didn't I?" Hermione hardly felt the rush of vindication at his admittance to her correctness, knowing the tense-aura that would follow the Potter twins the next few days.

"Yes, you did Hermione."

Upstairs, Rebecca was relieved to find their room empty. "'Sex' is crude." She spat, stripping quickly and turning the water on. She stood under the warm shower, letting the water run down her and soothe her. Unbeknownst to her, Fred was in the exact same position across the tower, trying to solve problems of his own.

"I just wish he'd have been honest!" Rebecca said to the empty shower. "If he'd just asked, I would have answered. He didn't have to be such a prick!"

"Bloody hell," Fred whispered, the shower doing nothing for his racing thoughts. "What am I doing?" 

Neither left the shower feeling particularly refreshed and they both fell asleep wishing the other was beside them.

*******************************************

Rebecca woke up minutely refreshed. She had slept through the night without dream or premonition, both qualities that should have sent her into an ecstatic mood. Sitting up in bed, she was happy to find that Hermione was still asleep and Ginny had already left. Getting ready for the day was a somber affair.

"Harry never would have treated a brother like this." She thought, tying her tie begrudgingly. A lot of Hogwarts had lost its luster, including her game of seeing how long she could get away with an unkempt appearance before Hermione noticed. "Hoggy hoggy Hogwarts, teach us something please." She sang quietly, hoping the words of the school song would brighten her mood.

It didn't. In fact, the only thing that did end up cheering her up was the sight of Fred heading down the boys' stairs as she reached the top of the girls'. Their worries melted away when the other came into view, finding their steps moving with a renewed vigor. "Good morn-" Her words were interrupted as he pulled her into him roughly, holding the back of her head against his chest.

"Fred?" 

"One more minute." He said softly.

They stood their a minute longer, Fred taking her hand and heading towards the portrait hole. "Aren't we waiting for the others?" Rebecca asked confused, following slowly.

"George'll tell them we're off early. I-I have to talk to you."

Rebecca's heart jumped at the words, his tone sending thoughts of worry and anxiety roaring at her violently. "Okay," she said softly, Fred pulling her faster and faster until he stopped abruptly and ducked against the wall, pushing her behind him. Umbridge crossed the corridor ahead of them, her heels clicking sinisterly as she barked orders to Filch. Filch was nodding, trying to remember everything she was saying. 

"What did I tell you to do first?" Umbridge asked, their voices disappearing down the hall.

"Uh, yo-you asked me to..." Filch stammered and failed to come up with an answer.

"One thing Hogwarts is in desperate need of is adequate help." 

Fred leaned forward, checking the coast was clear before breaking into a run out of the castle. The snow gleamed under the winter sun, the frozen surface of the Black Lake twinkling like it was layered in diamonds.

Fred waved his wand at their table, clearing the snow off instantly. He didn't sit though, instead, he walked to the lake's edge and stared out at it. Rebecca watched him, could practically see the mess that was going on inside of him. "Did I do something?" 

He turned at her words, his face coated in surprise. "You-Of course not!" Fred walked to her, taking her hands in his and shaking his head. "No, never."

"Something's going on Fred, something that you're not telling me. I don't...I don't know what could have you like this. You've been distant."

"I..." Fred was ashamed as he found that tears had grown in his eyes. He wiped them angrily, staring at the table in front of them.

"Darling, you can tell me anything. Anything at all. We can solve anything, but I can't help if I don't know what's going on." She took his hands again, leaning down to catch his eyes. 

"We have an opportunity." Fred said after a long moment, taking a breath before continuing. "There's going to be opening, in Diagon Alley. An opening with a discounted rent."

"I don't understand." She shook her head, "You have another year of- Oh!" Rebecca realised at once what he was saying. "Oh."

"We can back out though. I can tell George the second we get back and we'll cancel it all. I can stay here with you, protecting you, and we'll continue to sell as we have been."

"Fred!" A smile grew across her face, standing up and running around the table to his side where she squeezed him. "Don't be absurd! The shop!" She froze. "Your mother's going to absolutely kill you."

Fred ignored her, "Rebecca, how can I leave? Umbridge gets worse everyday and...How am I supposed to be apart from you?"

Rebecca's smile dimmed a second before returning in its brilliance. "We will have to be able to function apart from each other at some point or another. It won't be easy, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that. But we'll-"

"Owl? Umbridge intercepts all the mail."

"So don't write any sandwich notes." She laughed, shaking her head. "I can't believe it--The shop."

"I didn't think you'd be so happy to be rid of me." Fred said, turning his gaze down to their hands.

"Happy?" She lifted his hands to her lips, kissing the back of them sweetly. "I will be positively heart broken. I will count the minutes, the seconds even, until I will get to see you again. But, this is your future. Weasley's Wizard Wheezes has been in the works for years. Years, Fred! You'd be a fool to give an opportunity like this up."

His heart swelled with emotion, her support deciding for him. "Then I'll tell George that we're moving forward. But, it's not just my future. It's ours. It's the only way I can justify parting from you."

Rebecca lowered her head in acknowledgement of his correction before asking, "You'll be waiting until after your birthdays to leave, so that you're both seventeen?"

"Yes, and we had a little idea--something we wanted your help with." He mentioned their proposed grand-exit and Rebecca grinned madly.

"This works out perfectly then, doesn't it?"

"What does?" Fred raised an eyebrow at her devious tone.

"You'll be shelving RJ's Rockets upon opening." She bowed to him, waving her hand in front of her like she'd finished directing an orchestra.

"You solved it?" He shouted, standing up and pulling her up with him.

"Yes!" She added happily, spinning into him and wrapping her arms around his back.

He bent down and kissed her, passionately, sadly, lovingly. He raised a hand and set it on the back of her neck, the other resting on her hip. Fred rest his head against her forehead when they had to pause, the need for breath necessary. 

"We could always meet at Hogsmeade when there's an outing, if you're not too busy setting up."

"Love," He shook his head and tilted her chin up so that she was looking at him directly. "There's nothing in the world that could keep me from you, certainly not 'being busy.'" She smiled and closed her eyes, pulling him into another kiss.

Walking back up to the castle, he held her against his side shielding her from the growing winter's wind. "Harry ever say anything?" He asked curiously. "He's been so off lately."

Rebecca sighed, "He's worried we're 'moving too fast.'"

"What? We haven't done anything." Fred smirked. "Nothing he'd know about at least."

"New Years." She said, hoping that would be all the explanation he needed.

He nodded, "I can't seem to remember. What're you doing tonight? Perhaps we should...jog my memory?"

Rebecca laughed, slapping his arm. "That's what's caused all this trouble, sneaking away! Besides, I have a stupid Snape lesson after detention."

"Blast!" Fred groaned before growing more serious. "He's your brother, not your keeper. Have I ever pushed you to do something you didn't want to or that you didn't feel comfortable doing?"

"Of course not! You'd never!"

Fred nodded, "Then I will face his behaviour without a care in the world."

Rebecca stepped away from his as they entered the castle, her fingers brushing against his. "Would you feel the same if it was Ginny and a bloke?"

Fred answered instantly. "If he was a good lad, good reputation, well behaved--Why should I intervene?" He looked at her. "If there's one thing you and Ginny and Hermione can all do, it's manage yourselves." Fred paused. "Now, if someone were to hurt her? Any of you actually, that's a different story."

Rebecca patted his shoulder, "Alright, my big strong saviour. Let's not get keyed up before breakfast."

"After breakfast?"

*******************************************

<3


	86. Chapter 86

Breakfast was tense, as Hermione knew it would be. Rebecca revelled in the discomfort, smirking as a dastardly idea occurred to her. "Hey Fred?" She asked quietly, not wanting to attract the attention of the roaming Umbridge.

"Yes, love?" 

"Remember that time..." Fred choked as she laid a hand on his arm and traced over his wrist sensually, coughing loudly and reaching for his glass. "When I grabbed you by the belt and-"

"Rebecca!" Harry gasped, holding his hands to his ears. "I'm sorry, okay?!"

George smacked Fred's back, grinning at Rebecca. "If you'd let me finish, you would have heard that Fred insist we wait."

"Until?" Harry asked, ignoring Hermione's eye roll.

"The line, Harry, you're crossing the line." Rebecca said, turning back to her plate and winking at Fred's red face.

"Ah yes, the line. Sorry." Harry leaned closer. "I just care, that's not a crime."

Rebecca looked up at him. "Caring itself, is not. Trying to control what has entirely nothing to do with you? That's the crime."

Ron leaned forward, an idea occurring to him. "Do the crime, pay the time."

"Ronald, it's 'Do the crime, do the time.'" Hermione sighed. Ron launched into an explosive scolding, telling her that it doesn't have to be.

"Message received," Harry grimaced uncomfortably. 

"Ready for tonight?" She asked, changing the subject. She felt adequately repaid for last nights intrusion and was ready to move forward.

"No." Harry spat. "I don't know why we're still going. All he does is yell at us. We haven't learnt anything."

Breakfast only included one more instance of notable-status: Another near choking. Rebecca's face reddened and she coughed violently, tea catching in her throat as Hermione got to the recapping of what she'd missed the night before.

"A giant?" She hissed, making sure Umbridge wasn't near them. "Why would he do that? Why would he show you?"

Hermione frowned, "Dumbledore's gone, Rebecca."

Ron watched no realisation cross Rebecca's face. "He'll get the sack any day now, soon as the headbastard deems it."

Rebecca was glad to hear her insult catching on, but distraught at the sound of Hagrid fearing imminent dismissal. "I wish I'd been there, even if just to comfort him."

Hermione shuddered. "You're lucky you didn't. Grawp...He has an affinity for girls."

Harry sniggered, "Scooped Hermione right off the ground and kicked Ron over!"

Rebecca raised an eyebrow, "And what were you doing? Watching?"

Harry shrugged, "They had it handled."

*******************************************

"You lack subtlety, Potter." Snape sneered down his nose at Harry. "You do not understand fine distinctions. A failure that largely accounts for your inabilities regarding potion-making. Pity, all the talent went to one of you." 

"The word distinction implies that you're actually saying something!" Rebecca smarted off from her chair beside Harry, wanting him to redirect his anger to her. "You don't say what we're doing wrong. If we don't know what we're failing to do, we can't change anything!"

"What you're doing wrong is everything! Legilimens!" Snape bellowed, flourishing his wand at her. Her head twisted to the side, her eyes squeezing closed as she tried to fight against his intrusion. She tried to grasp onto any of the memories Snape was throwing around, Fred, Harry, times at the Burrow, but he was in her mind in seconds. "Pathetic!"

Rebecca opened her eyes angrily. "What am I supposed to be doing?!"

"Not obsessing over Weasley, for one!" Snape shouted, pacing away. "There's nothing the Dark Lord could possibly glean from your mind, not with how much he flits around your head!"

"That should be a good thing, shouldn't it?" Rebecca jeered. "Voldemort might get bored."

"No." Snape pointed back at the two of them. "Your childish approach to this is...preempted by your lineage. Your father never could stay serious for long."

"That makes sense, he wasn't Sirius." Harry offered, loving how Snape's face darkened at the pun.

Snape turned back on Rebecca, forcing himself into her mind again. She grasped onto a memory, she and Fred on the bed she'd asked for in the Room of Requirement. He had her wrapped securely in his arms, her hand resting against his chest as he stroked the hair over her ear. Rebecca opened her eyes, "That's private!"

"Not to me." Snape intoned. "Not to me, not to the Dark Lord. Your mind will be his entirely if you don't improve."

"If you gave us a break, a moment to collect ourselves, perhaps you'd see improvement!" Harry shouted, looking her over carefully. She had sat back in her chair and was looking at the ground.

"You're just like your father." Harry shook his head, standing. "Lazy."

"Don't say a word about our father!"

"Weak."

"We are not weak!" Rebecca roared, joining Harry in standing.

"Prove it then. Legilimens!" Snape smirked as Harry's head down and he was pushed back into his chair, his hands gripping the arms of his chair tightly. Snape held the spell past the time he had before.

"Stop!" Rebecca looked between Harry and the professor. "You've gotten in!" Snape ignored her, holding the spell longer. She jumped out of her seat, raising her wand in front of Harry. She hadn't even worded a spell, simply throwing up her wand. A wall of magic came up in front of Harry, covering the two of them and sending Snape's spell back at him. 

Harry and Rebecca saw flashes, faded with time though the content clear. Their father...torturing Snape?

"C'mon Snivellus, Lily-Flower doesn't want any grease on her parchment." James crowed, the youngest Harry or Rebecca had ever seen him. An equally young Remus, Sirius, and Peter were behind him, laughing boisterously, egging James on.

"James, leave us alone!" Lily shouted, standing and holding her wand out in front of her. "You're an insufferable git!"

James held a hand to his heart, miming like she'd wounded him. "My dearest, most darling Lily-Flower, you mustn't know what harshities fall out of your angelic mouth. Not enough oxygen, Snivellus takes it all with his nose."

Lily rolled her eyes and put a hand out for Snape to grab, pulling him to his feet beside her. "Levicorpus!" James shouted, Snape launched up into the air, suspended by his ankle. James looked over his shoulder, smirking. "Right, who wants to see me take off Snivelly's trousers?"

"Enough!" Snape shouted, both Potter children finding themselves back in their own minds. He crossed the room slowly, grabbing the front of Rebecca's shirt, raising his hand so that she had to stand on her toes. Her eyes were set in a defiant gaze, not looking away from Snape's glare. "Your lessons are at an end."

Harry stepped forward, "We-"

"Get...out..." Snape released her, turning away from them and walking away. Harry grabbed Rebecca's wrist, leaving the classroom quickly. Once outside the dungeon's doorway, they ran up the stairs. 

"What was that, Harry?"

He shook his head. "I-I don't know. It looked like he was..."

"Torturing him? You don't think he was-"

"I don't know what I think." Harry interrupted as Rebecca looked down the corridor, hearing a familiar voice. Harry followed her now, happy to have a moment to think and not have to look where he was going. "It's not as bad as it seems." Fred said, crouched on the floor in front of a Ravenclaw first year. His frown lightened at the sight of her, though not by much.

"The pain stops after a while too, you need some-" Umbridge cleared her throat in the doorway, silencing George.

Harry was jerked out of his contemplation, stepping forward so that he was at Rebecca's side. Fred and George stood up, taking a spot behind a Potter, towering over them both. 

"As I've said," Umbridge smirked. "Naughty children deserve to be punished."

Fred's hand reached forward, cupping the small of her back warningly. Umbridge nodded, taking their silence as agreement, and left. Harry turned to the Ravenclaw boy, rummaging through his pockets for the salve he'd become accustomed to carrying at all times. 

Fred held a hand against her cheek before pulling her into a hug, stroking the back of her head. "I haven't mentioned it quite yet, George," George's looked between Fred and Rebecca, having an inkling about what Fred was going to say. "I think you're right: Our futures do lay outside the world of academic achievement."

George glanced down at Rebecca, "Really?"

She nodded, pulling him into their hug. "Really."

"You're not going to believe some of my designs! I've got the sign sketched, a basic map for the shelves, an idea for-"

"Not right now, George." Fred said without looking at him, bending down and kissing Rebecca deeply.

"This right here?" George gestured between himself and their still-going snog. "This is not allowed during business hours. Tell you that right this second."

******************************************* 

"Ready?" Fred asked, straightening Rebecca's tie and brushing off dust from her robe. "How are you such a mess? It's hardly tea time."

"Fred!" She laughed, catching his hands and holding them in front of her. "It's a career meeting, not a business exam!"

"You've heard the rumours, love." Fred sighed. "If Umbitch is really sitting in on every meeting, I don't want her to have any reasons to tack on more detention." January had turned to February and February into March. April was almost upon them, the snow having already turned to mush and disappeared while the green buds returned to the trees. The date Fred and George would be leaving was quickly approaching and Fred had been in a panic lately, making sure everything was set up and policing Rebecca's actions like a dementor.

'Don't say that.' 'Don't wear that.' 'No dung bombs.' 'No, you cannot hex Umbridge's cat plates.'

Rebecca knew his actions were coming from a place of love, but it had become slightly tiresome. "Fred?"

He raised his hands, knowing he may have gone a touch out of whack. "I'm done."

She smiled and kissed his cheek, moving to join Harry, Ron, and Hermione at the portrait hole. "We'll see you all at supper." She said, shaking her hand on George's head and squeezing Ginny's shoulder as she walked by.

"Don't forget-"

"I won't!" Rebecca called back, rolling her eyes. Fred and George had spent many, many afternoons grilling her on how to avoid any and all questions that could lead back to Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.

Hermione fell into step beside Rebecca in the corridors. "I'm doomed. I've been researching nonstop and I still haven't found a career path!"

Rebecca patted her shoulder. "It's just a meeting, Hermione. We're not deciding today."

"That's not helpful at all."

Rebecca sighed, "Would you like to know what I think?"

"Obviously, that's why I brought it up." Hermione looked at her like she was daft for even asking.

"I really think you belong in politics. Imagine: Hermione Granger, Minister of Magic."

"Wha-"

"I'm not done!" Rebecca waved her hand in front of her like there was a sign. "Savior of house elves, promoter of equality, ender of oppression."

Hermione pursed her lips at the description, not entirely hating the sheer level of good she'd be able to accomplish. "I'm not going to lie, I didn't expect anything helpful from you."

"By all means, don't lie. Let your honesty shatter my heart."

Harry and Ron looked back at them. "There's something seriously wrong with both of you."

*******************************************

"Mr Potter?" Professor McGonagall called into the hallway. Hermione had gone in first, nearly fifteen minutes ago. Harry stood up and gave Ron and Rebecca a thumbs up, following McGonagall quickly.

"If I'd known we were going to wait so long, I would have brought a snack." Ron groaned, grabbing his stomach next to where he and Rebecca were sitting on the floor, their backs against the wall.

"I think I have something!" Rebecca said excitedly, slightly hungry herself. She patted down her pockets, pulling out quite a collection of oddities from her robes. "Don't eat that!" Rebecca cried, plucking an unwrapped candy from Ron's grabbing hand. "Unwrapped candy? You should really know better especially after..."

Ron glowered darkly, remembering how George had tricked him into eating one of the Beard-Berries. George's corrections had worked, partially. Ron sprouted a red beard within seconds of eating the candy, but it grew and grew and grew until Hermione finally answered their shouting and helped them end the effect.

"Have you decided on a career?" Ron asked, changing the subject as she continued to dig through assorted pockets. 

"Eh, not thought much of it. Sort of have bigger things to worry about." She pulled out chocolate bar she'd been saving and tossed it to him. He tore it open and snapped it in half, handing her some back. 

"Have things been alright? Sleep-wise, of course." Ron questioned, feeling awkward at such a familial, brotherly tone coming out of him. It was hard for Ron to know exactly where he stood with her. He considered her a sister, as much of one as Ginny, but with her relationship with Fred...Well, he wasn't sure how she thought of him.

"Occasionally, I'll pick up on something really strange. Short, inexplicable, generally frightening. I wake up, head hurts a bit, I get over it."

Ron shook his head, "You shouldn't have to 'get over it.'"

She shrugged, "It is what it is." Ron frowned. "Don't. You'll get wrinkles."

"Wrinkles? Why would I worry about wrinkles?" Ron scoffed.

"One day, you're going to wake up and find yourself old and grey. You're going to think to yourself, 'Wow, remember that day when Rebecca told me this would happen and I wasn't listening because I was too busy eating chocolate and getting it all over my face?'"

Ron wiped his mouth on his sleeve, sighing and sitting back. "Fred and George talk to you yet?"

"About..." She looked around carefully. "The birds leaving the nest?"

Ron snorted. "They clearly have." His face fell serious, needing to say something else before the courage left him. "Rebecca?"

"Yeah, Ron?" Rebecca looked up from where she was smoothing out her shirt.

"I'll be right here, if you need me."

"Today or..."

He scowled at her. "When they're gone!"

She smiled. "I knew what you were talking about. I know you will, and Hermione, and Ginny, and Harry." Her eyes filled with a sadness that Ron recognised from the end of every school year, the same sadness she got when Harry would have to go off. "We'll be fine though. We've got O.W.L.s coming in a few weeks, we're going to meet at Hogsmeade when we can, we're going to try and see each other as often as possible...Everything will be okay."

"You telling me or yourself?" 

Rebecca looked down at the last bit of chocolate in her hand and realised just how deeply she wanted to talk to Remus and Sirius, Molly and Arthur, even Tonks. Tonks would know exactly what to do or say and know how to tell her that even though it felt like half of what made her her was going off, she'd be just fine.

"Both, I guess." They sat in silence a period of time, waiting for Harry's meeting to end. "Hey, Ron?"

"Yeah?" Ron had finished his chocolate and had let his head fall back against the wall. At her voice, he sat forward and turned towards her.

"I really appreciate you." Rebecca leaned over, resting her head on his shoulder. "I know we've never really talked about it and it's sort of strange..." She looked up at him. "You're a brilliant brother."

Ron beamed at the compliment, smiling and elated to find that his familial feelings were reciprocated. McGonagall opened the door, a flustered Harry turning down the hall Hermione had told him to when he was finished and rolling his eyes at the two of them still waiting. "Here, I don't want any more." Ron took the chocolate she held out to him happily, distracted momentarily. 

Inside McGonagall's office, Umbridge was sitting on a chair at the end of McGonagall's desk. "Today, we're going to talk about career pathways and what O.W.L scores are necessary for those you display an interest in. Has your preliminary search yielded any results?"

Rebecca sat back in her chair, crossing her arms in front of her. "Oh yeah, loads."

McGonagall sighed, knowing she was set on causing a ruckus. "Would you care to share some of these results, or shall I sit in mystery?"

Rebecca smirked. "I'm quite interested in politics. I could see myself as Minister one day." Umbridge tutted and wrote something on her board.

"We can add that to the list," McGonagall write it on the parchment she had in front of her and peered at her over the rims of her reading glasses. "What else have you considered?"

"Quidditch star?" Rebecca offered.

McGonagall narrowed her eyes and set her quill down. "Miss Potter, I would appreciate a modicum of professionalism when discussing your future."

"Professor, I'm wounded. I'm entirely serious." Rebecca smacked the side of head, remembering another option. "I've also considered another position, if you're interested."

"Please, share." McGonagall picked her quill back up and prepared to write.

"Senior Undersecretary to the Minister, if Minister herself doesn't pan out."

Umbridge cleared her throat and interjected smugly. "Unfortunately, the Ministry doesn't hire those with such...expansive delinquency in their pasts."

"I think you'll find I'm quite persistent." Rebecca warned, McGonagall stifling a smile as she added Undersecretary to the list.

"No interest in the defence field?" McGonagall asked, certain she'd just overlooked it.

"Like an auror?"

"Exactly," McGonagall took her glasses off and folded them. "I could see you doing quite well alongside Harry."

Umbridge set her clipboard down and walked behind McGonagall, plucking her school records off the table. "While Miss Potter's grades are minutely better than Mr Potter's, they are still not high enough to even apply for auror training."

McGonagall grit her teeth, prepared to enter another shouting match at the insult of her students. "It's okay, Professor." Rebecca raised a hand and stared at Umbridge. "I have no interest in working under corrupt leadership."

Umbridge took her clipboard and left their immediate area, her cheeks red. She paused at the door, turning like she was going to say something else, but eventually left without another word. 

McGonagall sighed and sat back at her exit. "I feel that I owe you thanks now, Rebecca."

"No thanks necessary, Professor."

"We must grow serious, however. I need to know what you're truly considering for your future."

"These are all true interests of mine!"

McGonagall looked back down to her parchment. "Need I write down entrepreneurship or is that still underwraps?"

Rebecca's eyes widened, "I-I don't understand."

McGonagall gave her a knowing look and tapped her quill into her inkwell, "I'm writing down the Education domain as well."

"Professor, I don't see how that suits me."

McGonagall raised an eyebrow, "How doesn't it? You have a knack for teaching and an enviable patience, not to mention an ability to maintain control over your peers without the advantage of age-allotted respect."

"I..." Rebecca tried to word her concerns without entirely embarrassing herself. "I want a family, one day. I don't want to live apart from them."

McGonagall sat back in her chair and looked at her a long moment. "I think you'll find exceptions can be made, for those who ask. Though I do hope we're talking about far in the future."

Rebecca blushed, "Yes, Professor."

McGonagall shook her head softly, "You have enough natural talent to consider a number of subjects if teaching pans out, we'll have to circle back to this once we see how your O.W.L.s go."

"Is that all?" Rebecca asked, standing up and smiling at Umbridge's empty chair.

"Nearly, I simply must ask." McGonagall stood and walked around the desk. "I'm hearing whispers about an explosive exit, should I be concerned?"

"Professor, I have no idea what you're talking about."

McGonagall paused at the door and laughed softly, "Of course, what more could I have expected? Rebecca," Rebecca looked up, looking at McGonagall, the woman noting the mischief dancing across her face. "For what it matters, whatever you end up doing--I do believe you'll surely excel."

"You're belief matters a lot. It's hard to think about careers with everything happening, out there, you know. But I think..." Rebecca shrugged. "I think that if you think I'll do well wherever I end up, I've got nothing to worry about."

"Speaking of worries, Miss Potter. Professors are required to have unscanned mail, privacy laws." McGonagall opened the door. "Mr Weasley has yet to be made aware of such a fact."

"Thank you, Professor." Rebecca glanced at Ron and hugged her quickly, hoping McGonagall was able to feel how grateful and the loving feelings she felt towards the woman in the brief embrace.

"Go on, Umbridge was more effective in her antagonisation of those two." McGonagall motioned for Ron to follow her in, Rebecca rolling her eyes and wiping the last bit of chocolate off his face. 

"Stop!" Ron hissed, raising his arms and pushing her hands away from his face. Rebecca laughed and turned back down the corridor, her steps lighter than they had been on their way to the meeting.

"Rebecca!" Hermione waved her over, she and Harry accompanied by Fred, George, and Ginny. "How'd yours go?" Hermione demanded.

"Better than mine, I hope." Harry muttered.

"Eh," She shrugged before grinning. "Annoyed Umbridge straight out of the room!" Fred shook his head slowly, stuck in disbelief. "What happened Harry?" Rebecca asked worried.

Hermione frowned, already having heard what Umbridge had told him and slightly fearful of Rebecca's reaction. "I'm too stupid to be an auror." Harry said softly, ashamed at the words. "I don't have the marks."

Rebecca felt the rage bubble up through her, starting in her stomach with a spark and igniting across her body. Fred squeezed her hand, watching her carefully. She took a breath before looking to Harry. "What did McGonagall say to that?" Her voice was curt and had a strange quality to it, a frailty that Fred equated to the sheer effort it was taking her to appear calm.

Harry shrugged, "She said she'd help me, but I don't know. Maybe I'm not meant to be an auror."

"Bollocks!" Rebecca said firmly, "If McGonagall said she'll help, it's as good as done."

Harry sighed, pulling himself from his self-pity the best he could. "What about you? You find something?"

Rebecca grinned deviously, "I said I wanted to be the Minister's Undersecretary."

George looked at her shocked, "You didn't!"

"I most certainly did!" Rebecca threw her head back and laughed heartily, "You should have seen it!"

Fred hummed his discontentment. He waited for the others to walk forward, meeting Ron who was running towards them to get to dinner quickly. "Rebecca,"

"Don't 'Rebecca' me like that." She laid her hands on his shoulders as he sat on the bench in front of her. "I told you I would behave within reason."

"Antagonising her directly isn't within reason!" His tone was layered in exasperation. "Maybe I need to stay..."

"Frederick!" She tilted her head and caught his eyes. "What on earth makes you think I will behave any differently whether you are here or not?"

"Frederick?"

"Yes, you get a full name with such absurdity. Darling, I'm going to be fine. You're going to be fine. We're going to be fine."

"My full name is Fred. That's it."

She kissed him quickly, standing back and pulling him after her. "I said 'a' full name, not yours. You're missing the point."

"No, I got it. You can take care of yourself."

She giggled, "Finally." Rebecca watched his worry's mount behind his eyes. "I've got good news."

Fred looked at her concerned, "Do I want to know?"

"Maybe you don't, guess I'll just keep it to myself."

Fred stopped outside the Great Hall's door, "But now my curiosity has been teased."

"Shame. I'm not in the mood to share anymore." 

Fred narrowed his eyes and brought his hand up her arm slowly, starting at a gentle caress around the top of her wrist before climbing up her elbow and drifting to her collarbone where he used his thumb to trace down the side of her neck. "What about now?"

Her heart raced and she knew how risky it was to do anything more so close to Umbridge's sight, especially when they had no idea where within the Great Hall she was. "I'm not quite certain, it's still hard to tell."

Fred cocked an eyebrow, "Is it?"

Rebecca nodded, turning her head as he knelt down and kissed her with a passion that left them both aflame, a chord of sadness striking them both as their closer-growing date of parting was made more clear. 

"What about now?" Fred pulled himself mere inches from her face, still looking at her lips as he gauged her willingness to share her news. 

"McGonagall mentioned how staff owls aren't able to be intercepted, said that might come in handy one day."

Fred stood up, taking his distance of her to enter the Hall without trouble. "She knows?"

"Fred, nothing goes on in this castle that she doesn't know about."

*******************************************

"Hey!" Draco's voice echoed down the dark corridor, having followed a black and yellow hooded student up and down stairs and corridors in a mad chase, all until the student turned down a dead end. "I've got you now." Louis froze, turning slowly and disgusted with himself for such an elementary mistake. "Turn towards me slowly."

"You were in that club, weren't you?" Draco watched as the boy's eyes narrowed at the sight of him, his hatred evident. 

Louis' words were laced with poison. "The Army? Yeah, I was. Fighting for the good of Hogwarts instead of pissing on it like you and your little brain-dead soldiers. Surprised you could even follow me without the headbastard telling you where to go."

Draco raised his arm, pointing his wand down the hall. "That's enough."

Louis' scowl deepend, "If the blond says it, it must be? Well, not for me. I still think for myself. Can you? Think for yourself, that is. Or does Umbridge have to guide you to bed and toilet?"

"That's enough!" Draco shouted, holding his wand higher but not casting a spell. Draco's mind was reeling at all the boy had said.

Louis stood in silence a moment, glaring darkly. "Are you going to do anything? Not that I love detention or anything, but I do have other things this evening and the quicker we get there, the quicker its over."

"Why do you insist on causing trouble?" Draco asked, making his way down the hall and grabbing the neck of Louis' robes. "You're not doing anything. Umbridge is still head master, the decrees remain, nothing you do has any effect whatsoever. Unless, of course, you take into account the effect of your endless detentions for naught."

Louis shook his head. "That's where you're wrong."

Draco paused at the top of the stairs, yanking Louis so that he was facing him. "Enlighten me then."

Louis sighed, "You can't understand, you don't know how to choose what's right."

"How do you know what you're doing is right?" Draco narrowed his eyes, realising the dig too late.

"How do I-? Are you taking the mick? I know what we're doing is right because we don't follow the words of someone who is torturing children. That should be evidence enough."

"No, you're following the words of blood traitors instead." Draco went to move Louis farther pausing at the young boy's next words.

"All our blood looks the same when it drips down our hands, smears on our parchment, and gets washed down the sink." Louis pulled himself free, raising his fists at Draco. Draco saw the wounds, the fresh cuts catching the light from the torch on the wall. "Those 'blood traitors' have more courage, more morals, more goodness in their spit than you do in your whole body." Louis stepped forward, holding his fists higher. "Say it again, I dare you."

Draco looked at the Hufflepuff in front of him, surprised at his willingness to fight. "You think your house would be proud of you? Your parents?" 

Louis nodded, sure in his heart. "My parents taught me that a community is only as rich as its poorest, only as strong as the defences raised around its most vulnerable. Helga Hufflepuff knew what it meant to be loyal, not just to my house, but to my school and to what I know is right and wrong. So, yes. I know my house and my family are proud of me and my actions, just as I am proud of my actions myself."

Draco narrowed his eyes, a decision already made even though he knew it would torment him. "Go."

Louis stilled, keeping his hands held up in front of his chin. "Go?"

"Go! Before I change my mind and bring you to the others!"

Louis jumped at his sudden shout, backing away slowly before breaking into a sprint once more, slowing only once he reached the safety of the Hufflepuff common room.

Draco walked slowly, not heading anywhere in particular until he paused and knelt behind the corner of the wall as Rebecca appeared out of the shadows and crept down the corridor ahead of him, Fred right behind her. Draco grabbed his wand but made no move to stop them. 

Fred whispered something to her, eliciting a light laugh to trickle down the hall before it was silenced with a shush. Draco's heart ached, wishing he could laugh like that, like he had someone to make laugh like that. 

He stayed there, against the wall a few more moments, curious as to why they would risk being out after curfew. Their reason dawned on Draco shortly after, realising why they would risk it as the students flooded down the hall from that night's detention. Rebecca opened the bag hanging off her shoulder and handed small containers out to the older students before she and Fred waved for a line to be made in front of everyone with salve.

Rebecca found that the first and second years gravitated towards her line, waiting to hear the kinds words she would whisper as she tried to ease their pain. "You know you didn't deserve this, right?" The Ravenclaw in front of her nodded. "You've handled this so maturely, I can hardly see how you're not a seventh year yet." The Ravenclaw smiled and made his way to the group of those already done. "Nigel." Her voice fell flat at the next boy, even Draco heard it at his distance. "What did you do?"

"How do you know I did anything?" Nigel held his hand out gingerly, his hand still not fully recovered from their months worth because he continued to get himself into detention, never letting Umbridge get away with an insult towards Harry or Rebecca, always fighting against her when she tried to say Voldemort wasn't back. Rebecca gave him a look, spreading the salve over and sighing heavily. "It may have been self-done." Nigel said quietly.

Rebecca finished with him and kissed his forehead. "No more, at least this week. Please? You need time to heal."

Nigel nodded and rolled his eyes, wiping his forehead with the back of his other hand. "Yes, mother."

"If I was your mother, I'd have beaten you already!" Her final statement drew a smile from those in the hall, particularly, Draco noticed, from Fred. The older students managed to get all of the students salved and heading off towards their common rooms before walking and talking slowly. Draco pushed himself farther up against the wall, holding his breath as they passed right by him.

"We're out of ingredients. We can't make anymore, not any at all, until we get more Sefrender Root." Fred said, peeking into the bag Rebecca held out and shaking his head sadly. "There's enough for the rest of the week, but that's only if we ration it down to third years and younger."

Rebecca closed the bag with a scowl. "How do we tell them they can't have any? They're in pain!"

Fred took the handle off her shoulder and swung it over his, addressing the assorted sixth and seventh years of Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw. "I know we've asked already, but talk to everyone in your houses, your head of houses, too. If we can't acquire more...then we'll be forced to restrict who gets and who doesn't."

The older students talked a few minutes longer, updating Fred and Rebecca on who was at detention. Soon, there was only three of them, Fred, Rebecca, and the Diggory boy, the one from the tournament last year. Draco's face reddened at the sight of him, remembering how viciously Umbridge had demanded Crabbe and Goyle to beat him before having Draco trickle the veritaserum into his bleeding mouth. The Hufflepuff touched her on her exposed wrist and looked at her expectantly. 

"No, of course not. Don't be absurd." Fred looked down at her, curious. She looked up to Cedric who stared a moment before nodding his head and turning his back to them, looking down at his pained hand. "He thinks we'd be best off cutting the salve down to second and first years only." Fred reached into the bag, handing it to Rebecca's outstretched hand. "Ced?"

Cedric shook his head and kept his hand to himself, not letting her give him any. "The others need it more. It's my fault she's got so much power. This is my punishment, I've earned it."

Rebecca took a sharp breath before grabbing his wrist and flinching before continuing to hold on and spreading a fingerful of the salve across his hand.

"That's not true." Cedric said after a minute, answering a question neither of them uttered. 

"It most certainly is. Cedric, no one in their right mind holds you even minutely accountable for what happened. You can't fight veritaserum. It's time to stop blaming yourself."

"How can I?" Cedric wanted his voice to come across as angry, but even Draco could hear how broken he was. "They're trying so hard, so, so hard to destroy us."

Fred took the jar back and put his arm around Cedric's neck, Rebecca wrapping his around his waist and walking him towards the Hufflepuff common room. "That's all they can do, try..." Rebecca's words trailed away, leaving Draco in the darkness of the adjoining hall with his mind pulsing and wondering at the interactions between her and Diggory.

*******************************************

"Please?" Fred pleaded quietly. "Once more?"

"Fred..." Rebecca looked at him, seeing the sad look on his face and how he held his hands over hers, miming like he was begging. "Okay."

Fred jumped up, punching the air and kissing her quickly. "I'll go make sure Lee's decent."

Rebecca shook her head and sighed, ignoring the look Hermione gave her. "You'll understand eventually."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Sure, I'll understand why you two are acting a certain way. Ha! I've better luck understanding thermonuclear dynamics!"

Ron snorted, "You don't know that already?"

Harry joined Ron's laughter, Rebecca bidding them a goodnight and running up the stairs to get ready to sneak over to the boys' dorms. She grabbed the cloak from where she'd put it on her way back to her room a few days earlier, Fred had convinced George to levitate him up the girls' stairs after the common room was emptied in order to sneak to her room and lay with her until she fell asleep. He had, of course, fallen asleep as well and was woken up by an irritated Hermione who pointed at the door until he left.

Rebecca hummed to herself as she tossed her dirty robes into the basket and showered, conflicted. One one hand, she was happy to have a reason to sleep with Fred. On the other, the only reason they dared risk it was because their birthday was in a handful of days, their departure less than a week after that.

Wrapping her hair in a towel, Rebecca caught sight of her hand in the mirror. She'd been lucky enough to escape detention for nearly a week now and the cuts had finished scabbing over. "Years worth of Hogwarts' students will have these scars forever." Rebecca shook her head, wishing such dark thoughts away as she pulled on her pajamas and ran directly into Ginny.

The girls fell back a step, Ginny dropping the stack of books she'd had in her hands that promptly fell to the floor and scattered. "Sorry!" Both girls cried in unison, laughing at themselves.

"No, I'm sorry. Didn't think anyone else would be up so soon." Rebecca said, crouching and stacking a few of the books.

"Hermione sent me up, told me to put these books on your bed so you'd know you're studying all day tomorrow."

Rebecca groaned and looked over them all. "I can't wait for exams to be over."

Ginny gave her a sad smile, also aware of Fred and George's plans. They'd slowly informed both their brother and their sister at school, Harry being told alongside them so that he'd be prepared. At this point, only Hermione wasn't fully knowledgeable, but she'd begun to suspect something strange was afoot at how Fred and George's interactions with the others grew more loving and farewell-esque. 

"Of course not for that reason." Rebecca said, seeing Ginny's sadness. Ginny picked up the books she'd piled, putting them next to where Rebecca had put hers before hugging her tightly.

"I know." Ginny looked up at her. "You think they'll miss us?"

Rebecca nodded, "I know it. In fact, I've got to head over there if I'm going to be ready to tackle all that tomorrow." She pointed to the books disgustedly.

"You mean so that you'll have enough time to talk before you got to sleep."

"Talk...snog...cuddle...All one and the same."

Ginny grimaced, "Too much!"

Rebecca laughed out the door, happy to see the hall empty. Lavender stepped out of her room, crossing her arms and standing in front of the door to the common room. "Where do you think you're going?"

Rebecca looked behind her before turning back to the other girl. "Are you talking to me?"

Lavender gulped, her courage deserting her. "Yes?"

Rebecca sighed and shook her head, leaning against the wall. She took her wand out and twirled it between her fingers. "Listen here, Brown. I'm going to turn around and count to three. When I turn back, the exit's going to be clear. Understand?" Rebecca smirked. "Let's not have a rehash of last time, unless of course, you've forgotten what happened."

Lavender narrowed her eyes as Rebecca turned around, hating her entirely. "Stupid-"

"What was that?" 

Lavender squeaked and jumped back in her room, leaving Rebecca laughing softly out into the common room. Fred was nowhere to be seen, presumably in the shower for bed. The common room was fairly empty for a Friday night, more and more students preferring to retire to their rooms early and review for exams or go to sleep early.

Hermione was nowhere to be seen, but Ron and Harry were in front of the fire with a game of wizard's chess going. "I'm heading to bed, night lads."

They nodded, ignoring her as they studied the others strategy. Rebecca rolled her eyes and climbed the boys' stairs quietly, shifting her blanket into her other arm. Despite winter's end, the castle still had a chill at night.

Fred was cramming rules into Lee down the hall. "Wear pants. Wear a shirt. Don't talk about-"

"Fred?" Rebecca knocked on the doorframe, confused as to why he was sitting on Lee and thumping his face into his pillow with every sentence.

"Rebecca!" Fred gasped, hopping up. "I didn't think you'd be so fast."

"I can always sleep in my room." Rebecca tried to hide her amusement as Lee sat up and fixed his bed from Fred's roughhousing. "This is Lee's room too."

Lee shook his head, "Please stay! If you leave I'll just have to hear him talking for hours."

Fred looked over his shoulder sharply before making his way around the room to his bed. "Is that...?"

"Yep." Rebecca grabbed the bottom of his shirt that was far too big on her--Perfect for sleeping in. "You leave them in my room? They become mine."

Fred chuckled and lifted his smooth blanket up, laying it back on the bed in a mess like hers always was. She smiled and tossed hers onto the pile, climbing under it. George came out of the bathroom, turning the light off as he went. "I see we have a guest." He intoned boredly. "How fun."

"George?"

Fred rolled his eyes, "Don't worry love, he's been experimenting. He thinks this is 'dry humour.'"

"It was!" George argued from where he was on his bed. "Both dry and humorous!"

Rebecca ignored the growing argument between Lee and George, looking into Fred's eyes from across his pillow. "Ready for your birthday?"

Fred smiled sadly. "To be able to use magic whenever, yes. To finally get to apparate freely, yes. To be that much closer to leaving you? Never."

"I know." Rebecca yawned. "But now we'll be able to write at least."

Fred nodded, "Yes, that is something." He yawned himself, finding that he was much more tired than he'd thought.

"I'm knackered." She admitted.

He leaned forward and kissed her forehead before pulling the topmost blanket up above his bare shoulders. "Me too. Sweet dreams."

Rebecca scooted closer to him, his arm taking its customary place on her hip. "You too. I love you."

He smiled, his eyes closing as the room darkened. "I love you, too."

*******************************************

<3


	87. Chapter 87

Rebecca wouldn't know in the morning, but she had slept quite poorly. Fred did his best to calm her when her fitful sleep peaked and he was happy to find that she did eventually settle back into a deeper sleep with time and patience. Her tossing and turning worked to her advantage in the end though: She was the first of the two of them awake.

"He looks so much younger." Rebecca thought, studying his sleeping face. "Like his worries have melted right away." She was nestled against Fred's side, her hand resting on his taut chest, his stomach rising and falling slowly as he slept on.

Fred wasn't able to sleep as late as he would have liked, Nigel bursting into their room shortly after eight with a huge box in his arms. "Wake up!" Nigel shouted. "Wake up!" Fred's eyes shot open, pulling his arm from behind Rebecca closer to him, bringing her closer as well. He turned his head and kept her shielded against his body, expecting danger with such a violent awakening. "Someone's donated the root!" Nigel set the box on the floor and opened the top of it, piles upon piles of the coveted Sefrenda Root within. 

Fred relaxed slightly, sitting up against the head of his bed and rubbing his eyes. "Who's it from?" Rebecca asked, swinging her legs off the bed and walking to where Nigel was kneeling next to the box.

"It doesn't say, left in front of the Fat Lady in the night." Nigel looked around the room curiously, confused as to why she was in there. 

"Louis? Yara?" 

Nigel shook his head. "I've already gotten word from both houses, neither sent it."

Rebecca smiled over her shoulder to Fred, "Our own guardian angel."

George threw himself back on his bed, pulling his covers over his head. "Business has not begun yet, Nigel! Come back in two hours and we'll talk!"

Rebecca rolled her eyes and grabbed Nigel's wrist, lifting it and looking at in the light shining in from the window. "Take some, with all this we'll have enough to go around again and this looks horrid."

"Thanks." Nigel said flatly, taking his hand back. "Just what everyone wants to hear."

Rebecca laughed. "What I meant, dear Sir Nigel," She changed her words to match what you would hear in an old movie from the princess just rescued by the bloodied knight, taking on a silly accent. "Your battle wounds are simply too much to take. Your bravery brings about the end of your mortal body!"

Nigel stared at her before glancing at Fred. "She's really strange, mate."

Fred nodded, standing up and squeezing her shoulder on the way to the bathroom. "The strangest."

*******************************************

"Are you kidding?" Rebecca asked the Fat Lady on their way to breakfast. "How can you not tell us? We have to thank them!"

"No, absolutely not. I had to swear myself to secrecy or he wouldn't leave it."

"He?" Hermione mused, "That narrows the suspect pool slightly."

"Suspect? We're not hunting a criminal!" Harry argued, trying to herd them to breakfast quickly. The hours of the day were ticking down and this was their last week before their O.W.L.s--He needed every minute he could to study if he was going to get the marks to be an auror. "Who cares? You got the root, let's be thankful and move on already."

"Harry!" Rebecca chided. "A thanks due and not given is as bad as a thanks given and not due."

Ginny's hand shot to her mouth, backing up to the stairs. "It's happening!"

"What is?" Hermione asked, confused at her reaction.

"She's turning into mum!" Ginny ran down the stairs, not giving any further explanation to her terror.

*******************************************

Draco studied them as they entered the Great Hall, eight inches apart as required but clearly celebrating. The entire lot of them alternated between laughing and conversing quietly and falling silent and stoic as Umbridge passed them on her rounds. 

"Malfoy!" Blaise hit the table in front of him. "I've been going over who I caught for last night's detention for ages! You haven't heard any of it?"

Draco blinked and grabbed an apple from the bowl in the middle, shining it on the lapel of his robes. "No, Zabini. I also, guess what." Draco leaned closer to him before whispering creully. "Don't care."

Blaise sat back and muttered under his breath darkly. Pansy lay her hand on Draco's thigh, turning his head to her and tracing a hand down his face. "What's the matter, Draco? You don't seem yourself."

Draco pushed her off him, standing up quickly. He held his apple at his side and looked over them all, trying to word his internal conflict without giving away the nature of his issue. "I didn't sleep well, that's all."

He left the hall without another word, his exhaustion not an entire falsehood. He had been up all night trying to secure as much of the Sefrenda Root as he could.

*******************************************

"You will be gazing upon the stars and answering the questions provided." Professor Sinistra commanded, her voice reverberating across the yawning fifth years. Rebecca missed Firenze, though he'd been sacked in Umbridge's first wave. 

Their third O.W.L. of the year was Astronomy and started at eleven, lasting until one. "Bloody hell, it's late." Rebecca sighed, looking out off the Astronomy Tower at the stars. "Beautiful though." The stars glittered in their multitudes, twinkling and revealing little to the tired Gryffindor. Fred and George were set to be leaving in only two days, planning on the History of Magic exam that Umbridge would be supervising. Fred had slept in her bed or she in his every night in the previous week, trying to spend as much time together as possible. Salve production had been entirely overseen by George, at his own insistence. 

"Go on!" George had commanded, forcibly removing she and Fred from their room. "Go snog about somewhere else!"

Rebecca smiled at the memory and turned back to her poorly-filled star chart. There was an entire section devoted to Jupiter's moons and she was struggling to come up with any more answers. 

"You have thirty more minutes." Professor Sinistra warned, her shoes tapping the stone floor distractingly as she walked around. Harry joined her side, sliding his board discreetly towards her. She glanced at it a second before turning her attention back to the sky and writing down the few answers she had seen.

"Look!" Harry whispered, leaning over the edge. Rebecca looked over her shoulder, making sure Professor Sinistra wasn't close enough to hear him or see how he'd let her peek. "There!"

Sure enough, Harry had noticed dark shadows swarming around Hagrid's hut, a pink-capped figure at the head of them all. "Oh no..." Rebecca said softly.

McGonagall stormed out of the castle, just visible in the light of the moon. Harry and Rebecca gasped as the shadows attacked, forcing Hagrid from his home. One of them turned and stuck McGonagall with a spell when she tried to intervene. 

"Dawlish!" Umbridge's voice was aiduble, but barely. "Take her to St Mungo's, then come straight back here. Couldn't mind your own, could you Minerva."

McGonagall said something Harry and Rebecca, now joined by Ron and Hermione, couldn't hear. "If McGonagall's gone..." Ron said slowly.

"Umbridge is only that much more powerful." Hermione finished, tapping Rebecca's board. "Ice, Rebecca. Europa is covered in ice. Not mice."

Harry blushed and scratched out his own answer, having put mice first.

*******************************************

Fred knocked on Rebecca's door gently. The morning of the History of Magic O.W.L. had arrived. "Love?"

Rebecca wiped her cheeks, trying to smile at him. "Almost ready, just another minute." Fred opened the door, hearing the emotion in her voice. "No, it's okay, I'll be right out!" She stood up and wiped her face adamantly as he entered. She'd told herself the night before after Fred had fallen asleep in her bed that she would not cry in front of him.

Fred walked around Hermione's bed, pausing in front of her. "I know that you're crying."

"I'm not." She argued, a defiant tear tracing down her cheek.

He gave her a look and opened his arms. "Really?"

"Really. Not crying. Not at all." She shook her head, taking a step back. If she hugged him, she would surely dissolve into a puddle.

"Rebecca..."

"What did I say about 'Rebecca'-ing me like that?" She'd hoped it would come across as a joke, but it didn't.

Fred continued to hold his arms open, nodding his head to her so that she would join him. Rebecca sniffled loudly and did as he gestured, burying her face against him. "I'm not crying."

"I know you aren't." Fred said sadly. 

"As long as you know." Rebecca wrapped her arms around his back and took a shuddering breath, realising that this could very well be their last embrace for an unknown period of time.

They stayed like that for minutes, Fred's hand holding the back of her head as she closed her eyes and let thoughts of him envelope her mind entirely. When Hermione appeared at the door to find out what was taking them so long, she pursed her lips and caught Fred's eyes. He held up one finger and mouthed, "One minute." Hermione nodded, having formed a slight hunch as to what they had planned.

Fred bent down and kissed her gently before her face with his sleeves and tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. He stood up straight and grabbed her hand as they exited her room. 

"Fred?" She said softly. "I love you."

He smiled and nodded, "I know." This brought a small smile to her as Fred gave her a funny face. "I love you, too."

Rebecca raised their joined hands as they slid down the stairs-turned-slide as soon as Fred touched the top step. "Then let's raise some hell."

"We will be 'raising hell,' as you so eloquently put it. You will be completing an essay on a vague, and more likely than not, confusing question on the history of magic." Fred corrected, secretly loving the pout she gave him. "George and I, we'll be raising hell."

*******************************************

It had been nearly ninety minutes since she had last seen Fred and George outside the Great Hall where they wished them all good luck and said their farewells. Hermione narrowed her eyes at the Weasley twins, poking her finger into both of their chests and warning them, "I'm not exactly sure what you're doing, but it had better be worth it." She pulled them into surprising hugs and wished them well.

"We'll be together again soon, love." Fred softly intoned before kissing her once more. 

"It better be," She kissed him deeper, making Harry lookaway. "I mean it, I won't wait a second longer than 'soon.'"

Fred chuckled and stepped back with George, taking the handshakes and embraces Ron, Harry, and Ginny offered before watching the fifth years enter their examination area. "It'll be hard," Ginny said. "For both of you--For all of us--But I think what you're doing is great."

George sniggered. "You're just happy it'll give mum something rant about and you'll continue to get away with everything."

Ginny raised her fists, "I don't get away with everything." She took a moment to think. "Just most." Their sister put her arms around each of them and walked with them back to where Lee had everything prepared, Fred giving her explicit instructions as to what was to happen that night.

"Are you listening to me?" He demanded, pausing to take a breath.

"Yes! Just as I was yesterday, and the time before that, and the time before that, and-"

"We get it. Fred repeats himself." George interrupted her and looked across the corridor to where Cedric was standing awkwardly. Ginny and Fred sniggered to each other as the two boys danced around each other awkwardly, both leaving the conversation blushing.

Inside the Great Hall, Rebecca found that not only was Fred correct, but that it was increasingly hard to concentrate with the impending ruckus looming overhead. She wrote and wrote, filling the parchment with a portion of fluff, a portion of actual facts, and a portion of random snippets she remembered from Professor Binns' lectures that she hoped were even slightly relevant to the topic at hand.

Umbridge stood at the front of the room, her brightest and ugliest pink outfit yet providing ample distraction for Harry. Fred and George had kept a tight, tight lid over what their plans were and after finishing his essay the best he could, he was practically shivering with anticipation. It had been far too long for Umbridge to realise that she was, in fact, not the true headmaster of Hogwarts and that her authority would not be as permanent as she thought.

Fred and George had started at the top most levels of the castle, setting off a Portable Swamp in front of Umbridge's office and causing mayhem all the way down. Rebecca set her quill down and fought to keep the grin from growing on her face as thuds and booms echoed outside the Great Hall's doors. Umbridge frowned and made her way down the steps of the platform she observed from, her heels clacking across the wooden floors.

The fifth years in the room began to whisper, turning in their seats to see what was happening outside as Umbridge reached the doors. The doors squeaked open and Umbridge took a few steps outside, her head turning quickly as a small spark zipped around her head madly before it flitted into the room and split into three smaller sparks that burst at the ceiling and exploded into firework displays.

Rebecca beamed at the use of RJ's Sky-Ripping Rockets, George having been positively fuming when he found out that she'd solved the flammability problem he had been unable to though liking the name she'd chosen. Hermione looked back at her and caught her eye, raising an eyebrow as she knew that three puny explosions were hardly what would have had the three of them acting so strangely.

"HEY!" Fred and George shouted, flying over Umbridge's head with inches to spare. They sent the exams across the room flying up in the air, the students cheering and climbing to their feet clapping. They threw bundle after bundle, firework after firework out of the bags they had around their shoulders. Red, blue, green, orange, big, small, loud, quiet--There was soon a thin layer of smoke that settled over the room as Fred and George circled around, letting off more and more. 

Fred slowed his broom in front of Rebecca as Umbridge was distracted by George, unnecessarily as the toad spun in slow circles, watching the order of her examination period be destroyed.

"Special order, if you'll do the honours." He said, handing her an unlit rocket of purple and orange.

"Certainly." She grinned as he tapped his wand to the fuse and she tossed it up into the air. It exploded into a heart above them that stayed a moment before shooting off into different directions. "Quite a feat, I wonder how you managed to make it so nothing caught fire."

"Oh, it's a funny story actually. Some loon helped us out."

"Some loon?" Rebecca put her hands on his face and kissed him quickly, George shouting for him to hurry up. "There's no time to banter, I love you."

"We'll continue this next time then. I love you more." He raised his broom slightly, laughing as she shouted up after him.

"Don't you start this argument now!"

Harry and Ron put their arms around her shoulders, turning and watching as Fred stopped his ascent in the air next to George. The flying twins exchanged brief words before lighting a final rocket. Rebecca laughed madly at as it took shape. "You know the name of this one?" She called to Hermione who stared at the madness shell-shocked. "The Crookshanks!"

The rocket they threw off last took the shape of a cat with a dragon's face, it's teeth stretching as tall as Umbridge was and chasing her out the hall. The dragon chomped down, exploding into small sparks that quickly attacked each and every one of the Education Decrees smashing down to the ground on either side of the soot coated Umbridge, sending a shower of glass and shattered frames falling to the ground.

Fred and George soared out of the room, Rebecca taking the lead and running out after them, the other students following after. In the courtyard, students of all years and houses had gathered and cheered as Fred and George paused over them all. 

"Number 93 Diagon Alley, you can't miss it!" George shouted waving over them all.

"If you promise to use your purchase to make a certain toad's life miserable, there'll be a discount!" Fred's voice raised over the clamour, professors now having joined them. McGonagall covered her mouth with her unslinged arm, rather enjoying the spectacle.

Fred raised his hand to his mouth and blew Rebecca a final kiss before taking out the largest rocket they'd seen, George lighting it and throwing it with Fred before flying off into the distance. Three massive Ws filled the sky, each interlinked at the top to the one next to it.

Hermione looked over her shoulder, checking on Rebecca. They made eye contact for a second before Hermione would, later, swear she saw the change. Rebecca fell to her knees, holding her temples as her mind felt like it was being torn apart.

Sirius.

Rebecca's eyes flashed with images of Sirius, sweat pouring down her godfather's face as he glared ahead.

"I need that prophecy." Voldemort hissed, not coming into Rebecca's sight.

"You'll have to kill me." Sirius spat.

Rebecca rolled her neck, not hearing Harry's shouting as he knelt to the floor and grabbed her, trying to make her speak about what she was seeing.

"I will, not to worry. But first, you will fetch it for me." Voldemort raised his wand, casting crucio on Sirius once, twice, three times. Rebecca watched as Sirius' face contorted in pain, how his body writhed as he felt his individual nerves ignite.

Sirius disappeared, quick glimpses of aisles and orbs going by before the last image held longer: The doorway she and Harry had seen Lucius talking to Cornelius Fudge in front of on the morning of their expulsion trial, the doorway in the Department of Mysteries.

Her ears buzzed and she blinked as her eyesight returned. "Rebecca!" Harry had one hand on her shoulder and the other grabbing her face, trying to turn her away from the nothingness in front of her she'd been staring into.

Ron was at her other side, the others around them cheering on. "What was it? Dad?"

With every beat of her heart, a new wave of agony washed over her. "No, not him." She let her eyes close a moment longer, steeling her stomach against the nausea that rose and taking Ron's hand he offered to pull her to her feet. "Sirius."

Harry was leading her out of the crowd a second later, Ron and Hermione clearing a path as Harry badgered her for answers. "How can you know? What did you see? Was he there? Voldemort?"

"Harry!" Hermione snapped, turning on the staircase they'd made their way to. "You're not even pausing for answers!"

Harry looked at Rebecca's pale face, the way her breath was coming too quickly and how she still had a hand pressed against her head. Ron stopped at the area above the stairs, looking around to make sure no one else was following them as Harry put her on a bench. "I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking."

Rebecca kneeled over, putting her head between her knees. "It's alright, we don't have time for this. We need to go."

"Go where?" Hermione asked.

"The Ministry. Department of Mysteries." Rebecca answered, allowing herself one more second before pushing herself back to her feet.

"From the trial?" Harry clarified.

"Exactly. It's the door, Harry."

Hermione and Ron looked at each other as Harry and Rebecca began talking quickly.

"The locked one?" 

"Yes."

"Sirius did say that Voldemort was after something..."

"...Something he didn't have the last time..."

"...and you're saying it's in the Department of Mysteries?" Harry finished their alternating sentences with the question that would clear up any confusion between the four of them.

"That's what I saw." Rebecca said solemnly, stopping as Hermione grabbed her sleeve.

"We have to think about this. What if Voldemort wanted you to see this? What if he's only hurting Sirius because he's trying to get to you two?"

"What if he is?" Harry retorted, his tone belligerent. "Are we supposed to let him die?"

The four fell silent a moment, Hermione knowing that Harry was leaving the fact that Sirius was his only way away from the Dursleys', the only chance he had to a happy home in his years left before adulthood, unsaid.

"What do we do?" Ron said, following Harry and Rebecca as they turned back and raced up the stairs.

"We'll have to use the Floo Network." Harry said. "And there's only one not under surveillance."

*******************************************

"Something's wrong." Fred said as he and George raced over the English countryside. "Something's happened."

"Mate, I know this is hard." George shook his head. "But we've hardly been gone an hour! We've got to keep going."

"You think everything's okay then?" 

George sighed, feeling something strange growing in his stomach, something that felt similar to dread. "Certain of it."

*******************************************

"This is a really, really stupid idea." Ron whispered, his eyes scanning the halls behind them worriedly. 

Hermione whipped her wand out, unlocking Umbridge's office door instantly. "Alohomora!"

Hermione had forced them to stop at Gryffindor Tower, all four of them racing upstairs and changing into regular clothes. "We're not storming the Ministry in uniform, that's what we want for Hogwarts." She'd lectured. Her insistence had had an ulterior motive, she wanted Rebecca to sit a few minutes in hopes of her ghastly appearance fading slightly.

Hermione pretended she was searching for something as Rebecca sat on the edge of her bed, finding an envelope on their that hadn't been there that morning. Fred's handwriting sprawled across the front and she took a slow breath before setting it on her pillow. There was no time to yearn for someone she had no way to reach, for someone who would be adamant their idea was going to get them killed and who would forbid them from acting so stupidly without him.

Inside Umbridge's office, Ron eased the door shut behind them as Harry tried to send Rebecca to Grimmauld Place. "Alert the Order."

"Are you mental? I'm going with you!" She was furious at even the suggestion of not accompanying them.

"It's too dangerous! You're already wonky, you're going to get hurt."

Rebecca leaned over, putting her face in his. "And what the hell are you going to do if one of you gets hurt?"

"It's too dangerous!" Harry bellowed, pushing her back.

Hermione knelt next to him and hit him. "When are you going to get it into your head? We're in this together."

"That you are." Umbridge's voice came from behind them, the four children finding her grey with soot and furious. Umbridge forced Harry and Rebecca into two chairs in the center of her office, the Inquisitorial Squad having round up all the members of Dumbledore's Army they could as Umbridge had ordered them to.

"Found this one trying to help the Weasley girl." Draco announced, leading Neville into the room with his wand held against his back. Draco stopped next to Blaise who had Cedric in front of him, Umbridge leaning towards Rebecca.

"Think that little show was funny? That those boys are going to get away with it?"

Rebecca's cheeks had maintained a flushed appearance since Umbridge had caught them, the stuffy heat of her office doing nothing to help her head. "Sort of seems like they already have, doesn't it?" Umbridge's hand shot out, smacking her across the face harshly. Rebecca's head whipped to the side, a handprint already evident as she looked back up at the woman in front of her. "That all you got?"

Harry tried to jump to his feet, ready to intervene. "Sit, Potter!" Umbridge shouted, waving her wand at Harry and locking his body onto the chair. She turned back on Rebecca. "You are an insolent, disrespectful girl." Umbridge stood up and turned away from the children. Ron was shaking in anger, waiting for the second Goyle's grip on him lapsed to break free. 

"Really?" Rebecca smarted off. Hermione winced, wishing she wouldn't make this any worse.

Umbridge put the end of her wand into her other hand, looking around the room at the gathered students before turning back to Harry and Rebecca. "You were going to Dumbledore, weren't you?"

"No," Harry's voice was tight. "We don't know where he is, thanks to you."

"You sent for me, headmistress?" Snape's voice sounded at the door.

Umbridge righted herself, cheerily regarding the professor. "Snape, yes." His eyes drifted lazily over the room, hanging on Rebecca's still-reddening cheek. "The time has come for answers, whether they come willingly or not. Have you brought the veritaserum?"

Snape pursed his lips, "I'm afraid you used up all my stores interrogating students, the last of it on Mr Diggory." Cedric's gaze practically bore a hole on the back of Umbridge's head, daring her to look at him, daring her to lay eyes on the hatred he was shooting at her. "Unless you wish to poison them, and I assure you, I would have the greatest sympathy if you did, I cannot help you."

Umbridge's hand quivered as Snape turned away at the door. "He's got Padfoot!" Harry called after him, causing Snape to freeze. "He's got Padfoot at the place where it's hidden."

Rebecca filled with pride at her brother's quick thinking.

"Padfoot? What is Padfoot? Where what is hidden?" Umbridge rattled off quickly. "What is he talking about Snape?"

Snape turned back slowly, looking at Harry and then Rebecca a moment. Rebecca nodded her head once, hoping he was able to see that Harry's claim was true. Snape narrowed his eyes, "No idea."

"Very well." Umbridge turned away from the door, putting her back to the students. Snape continued his exit. "You've given me no choice. As this is an issue of Ministry security you leave me with...no alternative." She turned back to Harry and Rebecca. "The Cruciatus Curse ought to loosen your tongue."

"That's illegal." Hermione argued, Ron's face twisting further into a scowl. The members of the Inquisitorial Squad bristled at the mention of torturing the two students. It was one thing, they thought, to play pretend and send them to detention. It was another to blatantly break the law.

"Illegal? No more illegal than the dispatching of those dementors over the summer holiday. Merlin, you two are proving more and more difficult to get under control."

Harry sneered at her. "Control? You could have killed us!"

Umbridge shrugged, "All potential outcomes were considered and deemed satisfactory." Umbridge turned the picture she had of the Minister down on her desk. "What Cornelius doesn't know won't hurt him." 

Ron tore his shoulder forward, fighting to get out of Goyle's grip. Umbridge looked between the Potters slowly, waving her wand between them before settling on Rebecca. "She's clearly a glutton for punishment, such lunacy shows that she'll not tell a word. You, however," She nodded to Harry. "Would be wise to spill before she loses her mind. You'd know about that, wouldn't you, Mr Longbottom?"

Neville fought forward, lunging before the goon grabbed him. Umbridge sneered at Rebecca. "Perhaps this will finally teach you a lesson. Cr-"

"Tell her Harry!" Hermione shouted. 

"Tell me what?" Umbridge asked, keeping her wand level with Rebecca's face.

Rebecca glanced over her shoulder at Hermione, keeping her face blank. 

"If you won't tell her where it is, I will." Hermione's mind was running faster than she thought possible.

"Where what is?" Umbridge pushed her wand closer to Rebecca. "I suggest you explain quicker!"

Hermione closed her eyes like she was in pain at the admission. "Dumbledore's secret weapon."

Umbridge's hand fell to her side. "What is it?"

Hermione shook her head. "I can't tell you, he had us take Unbreakable Vows for its secrecy." Hermione took a breath. "I can show you...however."

Umbridge narrowed her eyes at her. "Take me to it."

"We need one of them, they're the key." Hermione motioned to Harry and Rebecca.

Umbridge looked between them a moment before grabbing Rebecca by the back of her neck. "Best hope an accident doesn't befall you, particularly if it's due to your mouthy tendencies."

Rebecca grinned sadistically, unable to stop herself. "What do you know about mouthy? I haven't even started, headbastard." Umbridge whipped her the back of her hand across Rebecca's other cheek, sending her head to the side. Rebecca lifted her head slowly, spitting a wad of blood and spit on the floor in front of her. Harry winced, especially at Rebecca's next words. "Shall we go now?"

Umbridge ordered the Inquisitorial Squad to keep an eye on the rest of them, giving them permission to use force if necessary to keep them subdued.

*******************************************

"It had to be somewhere students wouldn't find it accidentally." Hermione explained, Rebecca having wrenched herself free from Umbridge's grasp at the exit of the castle and, instead, was lead along by her wand prodding into her back.

Umbridge grew distracted as a bug buzzed around her, spinning in a circle and trying to whack it away. Rebecca stepped closer to Hermione, whispering. "What are you doing?"

"Improvising!" Hermione gave her a sharp look. "Stop goading her!"

Hermione's steps came to a halt, Grawp's tethering rope severed and on the ground. "Well? Where is this weapon?" Umbridge demanded.

"What?" Rebecca's voice dripped in sarcasm. "You can't see it?"

"There isn't one, is there?" Umbridge realised. "You were trying to trick me." Umbridge circled around, putting Hermione and Rebecca side by side. Rebecca stepped forward, keeping her body in front of Hermione's at all times. "You know, I really hate children."

"Really?" Rebecca asked. She was saved from whatever punishment Umbridge had deemed necessary as a white body streaked through the clearing, rearing its legs in front of the two girls. The unicorn stomped down on its feet, peering over its shoulder at the girls before lowering its head and dragging its hoof through the ground warningly at Umbridge.

Hermione gasped at the unicorn's face, the black handprints Rebecca had left on him as bright as they day they had been placed on him. Rebecca reached a hand out, laying it on his flank.

"Two-legs, are you well?"

"Well as can be expected, my friend. You have impeccable timing." Rebecca said aloud, enjoying the confusion flicker across Umbridge's face. "I will be infinitely better once a certain wand isn't held at us, however."

The unicorn bowed its head, Umbridge's wand shooting out of her hand and splintering into pieces. Umbridge let out a shrill squeal, dropping to the floor to try and find the pieces of her wand. She froze and stood straight, seeing the figures that had formed a circle around the clearing they were in.

"You have no business here, centaurs. This is a Ministry matter." Centaurs throughout the crowd raised their bows, arrows strung and drawn. "Lower your weapons!" Umbridge backed up, "I warn you, under the law as creatures of near-human intelligence-"

A centaur let an arrow fly, Umbridge grabbing Hermione's wand out of her hand and blocked just barely in time. "How dare you? Filthy half-breed!" Umbridge flourished Hermione's wand, "Incarcerous." Unfortunately for her, Hermione's wand, accustomed to the good-nature of its user, did not like the use for which it was trying to be used. Hermione's wand sent the spell back at Umbridge, tying her up tightly with thick ropes.

"This is-This is absurd!" She shouted, fighting against the ropes she'd made herself. "No, I will have order!"

Grawp came thundering into the clearing, drawn by the noise. He picked up the little woman, bound in her ropes, between two fingers and lifted her to his eye level. The centaurs swarmed, riding in a circle around Grawp and shooting arrows at him. "He doesn't understand!" Hermione shouted, the unicorn pushing them away from the scene. "Don't hurt him!"

Grawp looked at one of the arrows now sticking out of his arm and back at Umbridge, seeing the connection between the source of his pain and what was causing it. He dropped her and wiped at his face, large tears slowly making their way down his cheeks.

Umbridge looked up from the ground where she lay. "Granger! Potter! Do something! Tell them I mean no harm!"

Hermione sighed and looked at Rebecca, indicating that Rebecca had permission to make a final remark.

Rebecca straightened her shoulders and tried to ignore the ever-present pains shooting around her skull. "I'm sorry professor, I must not tell lies." Rebecca's face was still and unsmiling, serious as the grave despite the satisfaction that filled her being.

Umbridge was dragged out of the clearing by the centaurs, her screams fading slowly. "Thank you, Grawp." Hermione stepped forward, resting a hand on Grawp's outstretched leg. 

The unicorn turned and looked at Rebecca straight on, tapping his horn to her forehead. Rebecca closed her eyes as the he filled her mind. "Two-legs, you're pained. What can I do?"

"There's nothing, my pain is my own."

The unicorn huffed, shaking its head. "That is not good enough. Your wish is my command, speak and it shall be done."

"Sirius, Rebecca. We have to go!"

Rebecca laid a hand on the unicorn's cheek, her hand lining up with his marks. "We have to get out of the forest, back to the castle quickly."

The unicorn nodded, lowering his head and pausing as the two girls climbed onto his back. Were this an ordinary unicorn or an ordinary girl, they never would have been offered such an exit. Unicorns hadn't been ridden ever since the first was given her horn, freeing them from the labour of horses.

"Two-legs, I shall ride as the water does with the racing river. Faster than imaginable."

*******************************************

Unaware of the events transpiring in the Forbidden Forest, Ron secured their freedom out of the growing panic as the time since the girls had left grew longer and longer. The door to Umbridge's office had been left open and he'd seen the hardly noticeable flicker of movement at the stairs. Nigel poked his head up, raising his eyebrow to Ron. He nodded his head minutely, hoping the action was able to see it from there. 

Dennis appeared in the doorway, alligator tears streaming down his cheeks. "Where's Headmaster Umbridge? She said I could owl my mummy!" His tears grew to wails, the Slytherins looking around the room lost as to what they were supposed to do with such a loud, snottily-weeping child.

Ron was the first to jump into action, spinning around and clocking Crabbe directly on the chin. He crumpled to the ground, out like a light. The others around the room took care of their captors either by force or magic, Pansy and Draco being the last two standing.

"Sit." Harry commanded, pointing at the wall. Pansy opened her mouth to argue, but fell silent as Draco did as he was told. She joined him before Harry tied them both and hugged Dennis quickly. "That was brilliant; Masterfully done."

Dennis was congratulated by the rest of them as they left, Nigel, Louis, and Yara ambushing them in the hall. "I saw Rebecca earlier, something's wrong--Something happened."

Harry shook his head, "There isn't time, Nigel. Have you seen her or Hermione?"

Louis raised a hand, "Heading into the forest half an hour ago, Umbridge behind them."

Ron clapped a hand to Harry's shoulder, "Of course!"

Harry realised where Hermione had brought Umbridge and hoped Rebecca was alright after such a trek. "You three, we need a distraction."

Yara grinned, "How big and how long?"

Luna stepped forward, her voice aloof as always. "Big as you can."

Nigel tried to argue, tried to convince Harry to fill him in and take him. "I'm ready, I know I am. Tell me and I'll help."

"I told you how to help!" Harry shouted, pointing down the hall. "There's no time, not now. I'm sorry Nigel, we need a distraction."

Nigel squared his shoulders, nodding his head. "Then it'll be done."

Harry thanked him, laying a hand on his shoulder before turning and waving the others after him. "C'mon!"

The sprinted through the halls, evidence of Fred and George's exit everywhere. One hall was coated in confetting, another in sparkles. By the time they made it to the bridge that connected the bulk of the castle with the pathway to the forest's edge, they saw Rebecca and Hermione streaking along the tree's edge on the back of a white blur.

"Is that a-" Cedric asked.

"A unicorn?" Luna finished. "Yes, yes it is."

The unicorn slowed and stopped at the other end of the bridge, bowing to Rebecca before racing off into the forest once more.

"How'd you get out?" Hermione asked, looking over their ragged appearances.

"Ron did it, coordinated with Nigel." Ginny answered immediately.

"I just saw the signs." Ron tried to sound humble. "Though the lessons with Dennis really did pay off."

"That was clever, Ron!" Hermione's surprise was evident in her voice.

Harry grabbed Rebecca's hand, turning her towards him and looking over her face carefully. "It's been known to happen." Ron grinned before growing serious and looking over Harry's shoulder at her as well.

"It was brilliant!" Neville added. "How're we getting to London?"

Rebecca shrugged him off her, "I'm fine Harry, bugger off already."

Harry rolled his eyes and turned back to the rest of them. "Look, it's not that I don't appreciate everything you've done, all of you. But, I-we've got you into enough trouble as it is." He shook his head at Rebecca, "I don't even think you should be going."

"Who cares what you think!" Rebecca snapped, pushing him away from her again. Cedric watched the exchange concerned, the tone, the action, the look on her face, nothing lined up with Rebecca.

Harry stalked away, stopping only when Neville's voice broke the silence that grew.

"Dumbledore's Army was about doing something real. That's what you said, or was it all just words?"

Harry stopped, his head lowering as he kept his back turned to them. 

"You don't have to do it all by yourself, mate." Ron added.

Cedric pushed his way to Rebecca's side, holding his hand out to her for her to grab. She looked at it warily, shaking her head. "Please, let me in." He whispered.

She bit her lip and grabbed on, Cedric's body straightening as his mind connected with hers and he was made aware of just how deep the pain was cutting her, just how heavily it pushed on her. She tried to pull her hand back, but he held on and closed his eyes, trying to take some of the pain into him, away from her.

"Cedric?" Rebecca asked concerned, feeling herself given a modicum of relief.

He pulled his hand back, gasping for air and grabbing onto the railing of the bridge. "That's it, that's all I can take. How are you standing? That's...that's too much for anyone to handle!"

Harry looked over the shoulders of those between him and the two of them, concerned. Rebecca stood up and looked into Harry's eyes. "And yet, I stand." She thanked Cedric, standing taller and continuing to meet Harry's gaze.

Harry's nostrils flared, resign filling him. "God, she's so stubborn." He thought. He took a moment before looking back to Neville. "How are we going to get to London then?"

Luna beamed, "We fly, of course."

*******************************************

"No, I'm serious George. Something's wrong. I can feel it. We need to go back." Fred was pacing in the flat above the shop, the paperwork had been signed and he and George had been given the keys minutes earlier.

"Fred!" George shouted, standing up and making his way in front of Fred. "I already told you that everything's fine!"

"You're wrong!" Fred shouted, shoving George away from him.

George shot back up, raising his fists a moment before lowering them and speaking gently. "It's hard for me, too. This is it, Fred. We've left school, we've got no way to reach mum or dad, not that they'd be particularly happy to hear from us. Did I mention we left school?" George shook his head. "But they're fine, okay? It's five, they've finished their exam by now and Ron's probably starting to complain for dinner. Hermione will be forcing them to read one more chapter of review before they can go eat. Ginny will be instigating some form of trouble. And Rebecca is fine."

Fred's voice cracked slightly as he spoke, though George ignored it. "Do you promise?"

"Yes, Fred. I promise."

*******************************************

<3


	88. Chapter 88

Luna expertly lead them back into the Forbidden Forest, following a path that only seemed clear to her. "We should probably split up with those who can see and those who can't."

Ron looked at her like she was a lunatic, which he did in fact think she was. "See? We can all see."

"See them." Luna answered mysteriously, gesturing into the appearing-empty clearing. 

"Harry?" Ron called over his shoulder, worried. Harry had fallen into step beside Rebecca, despite her repeated insistences that she was fine.

"It's alright Ron," Harry reached a hand up and patted the thestral that had come up to him. "They're thestrals. They pull the carriages."

Hermione opened her mouth shocked, "Of course! We can't see them because we haven't seen someone die!"

Ron narrowed his eyes at her and gestured his head towards Rebecca. "Hello? Last year? She was pretty damn dead, if you ask me." He winced and looked at Rebecca. "Sorry."

Hermione pursed her lips at his observation and was happy to find that Luna was able to clarify. "You have to have seen someone die up close. Very close." 

Ron's face took on a scared look. "And you have?"

"I can see them," Cedric said, bringing Ron's attention away from Luna. "I can take someone with me." Rebecca was glad. For a moment she had wanted to ride with him before realising the complications at being so close to him for so long, not to mention the fact that they could both see the thestrals and that would leave some flying blind. Cedric, unable to relieve her of much more than a crumb of her pain without being fully incapacitated and sensing her original intention to ride with him, was relieved when Ginny changed the subject quickly.

"I can fly blind." She raised her hand up to the air where Cedric had his arm on the thestral's neck and accepted his help in climbing up and situating herself. 

Cedric shook his head, climbing up behind her. "We have enough for no one to have to."

Ginny whispered over her shoulder, "I know. It'll get them moving faster." Cedric found it in him to chuckle at her strategy before he fell silent at her questions. "Was it really that bad? When you looked in?"

Cedric wasn't surprised that she knew what could happen between he and Rebecca, he was more surprised by the fact that Neville had had enough restrain to hold his questions for later. "Ginny..." Cedric shook his head. "If I had felt that for as long as she has, not just today, but any other time? I'd have surely died. You can't describe that kind of pain."

Ginny turned her head, watching as Hermione squeezed between Rebecca and Harry, offering to fly with her. "I will." Harry tried to argue, trying to keep her at his side.

"Harry, go fly with Ron." Rebecca's voice was flat. The constant grating of pain on her patience was growing more and more evident and she wasn't in the mood for protecting--It was too reminiscent of Fred and when she started to think about Fred, she thought about how he was gone. When she thought about how he was gone, she thought about how disappointed he would be in her for going off into danger. "Hermione and I will take this one."

Hermione was aided onto the thestral first, Rebecca swinging her leg up and sitting in front of Hermione. Within minutes they were taking off into the air, Ron with Harry and Neville with Luna. Hardly half an hour into their flight, Hermione put her head onto Rebecca's shoulder. "You can lay back on me, if you'd like. You should rest before we get there."

Rebecca sighed, knowing her friend was right. "Are you sure? I know how you hate flying. Probably frightening to have the person who can see what we're flying on-"

"I'm sure." Hermione interrupted. "No need to say it aloud."

Rebecca smiled a moment, letting her body rest against Hermione. She wasn't really sure if she'd get any rest at all as the wind whipped past them and the thestral's wings beat loudly, but Hermione found that Rebecca's breathing had steadied within minutes. Hermione put her arms around Rebecca's, making sure there was no way she could fall and finding comfort in the embrace.

*******************************************

Afternoon had turned to evening and evening had quickly turned into night, Rebecca waking hours later when they found themselves flying through the outer bands of a storm. The thunder boomed so loudly, so closely, that Rebecca's eyes shot open and she sat up quickly, scaring Hermione more than the thunder and lightning had.

"Rebecca!" Hermione gasped, clutching Rebecca tightly.

Rebecca relaxed slightly, the images of Sirius' tortured body fading from her mind as she saw how close they were to London, the city's multitude of lights shining in the distance. "Sorry."

Hermione leaned to the side as far as she dared, prompting Rebecca to turn back towards her so Hermione could see her face. "How do you feel?"

The pain had lessened to a much more manageable degree, the rest had been plagued with horrors but altogether useful. "Better." Hermione gave her a face, prompting Rebecca to further assure her. "Truly, I feel better than I had."

"But not better entirely?" 

"No, though I never expected to." Rebecca leaned forward as their thestral followed Harry's lead down into a park near the phone booth they'd used to enter the Ministry of Magic months earlier. "I feel better enough for whatever waits for us."

Hermione landed on the ground with a solid thump, grateful for the return of the earth. Harry called them to him, surveying their surroundings carefully. "This is it, once we enter the Ministry, there's not going to be another chance to-"

"Oh, shut it." Ginny groaned. "We're here, we're not leaving, we've all made our choice. Now let's get a move on!" The others nodded in agreement, pushing Harry to hurry up and tell them how they entered the Ministry.

"We've got to make a call." Rebecca answered and pointed to the red box, surprising the rest of them with a joking tone more like her normal self.

"Are you serious?" Cedric asked, never having accompanied his father to work through the guest entrance.

"As the crypt." She grinned and gestured for them to follow her, Harry racing after her a second later.

*******************************************

They ran through the large entrance to the Ministry of Magic, Rebecca not letting anything, not even the many gold fountains, distract her. "The elevator." Harry called after her, running behind her next to Ron. She nodded and made her way to it, addressing the rest of them once they were inside.

"Harry was right earlier, we don't know what we're getting into here." She took a breath and continued carefully as the elevator brought them down. "Whatever happens, no matter what, if one of us...If anything happens to one of us, you have to get me to them."

"What good'll that do?" Neville asked carefully, not unkindly.

"What good?" Cedric asked, reaching up and unbuttoning his shirt. "If you fall...if you die...it doesn't have to be the end." He pulled his shoulder out of the opening, showing the marks she'd left on him. "That's how we know Voldemort is back, because he killed me last year."

Luna's big eyes widened further, although she said nothing. Neville's mouth dropped opened, "Yo-You mean she...?"

"Yeah, I did." Rebecca answered, turning to the elevator door as it dinged. "That's why you have to know where I am, always."

"The Department of Mysteries." The voice announced, the doors sliding open.

Harry grabbed Rebecca's hand, peering out into the hallway that had tortured them for so long. "This is it."

She took the first step out of the elevator and raised her wand. "This is it." The filed down the hall carefully, slowly. Harry tried to run ahead once they'd made their way mostly down, but she pulled him back to her side and gave him a sharp look. "We do this together, or not at all." Harry grit his teeth and resigned himself to their pace, his hand gripping the handle of his wand tighter. 

Harry reached a shaking hand up to the doorknob, half expecting it to be locked. It turned easily, swinging open and revealing one of the largest rooms he'd ever seen on the other side. "Lumos!" They cast, illuminating their immediate surroundings.

The room was filled with shelves, hundreds, maybe thousands of orbs sitting on each and every one. "Where now?" Harry whispered, looking to Rebecca.

Her face was twisted, a sharp pain shooting through her scar. A low rumbling echoed behind them. "I-" She looked around, not sure. A metal placard, 'row 95'. She remembered one of the snippets she'd seen earlier. "This way." She ordered, powering forward.

"Ninety-two, ninety-three, ninety-four..." Her whispers trailed away as she shown her wand onto the area where the rows intersected, the area where she had seen Sirius being tortured. "He should be here!" She called back to the bulk of the group that had paused a few rows earlier.

"Could-Is it possible you're wrong?" Harry asked as he peered down the lengths of row 95. 

"Hey, it's your names!" Neville said as he read over the tags of the orbs on the shelf at eye-level. "Right there!"

Harry and Rebecca walked back to them, looking at each other before reading the tag for themselves. "Potter, Harry/Rebecca." "There it is, no doubting that." Rebecca whispered, looking into its grey, swirling face.

Harry reached a hand up, reaching for it. "I don't know," Cedric scratched his neck. "Maybe there's a reason you haven't been shown it."

"No one ever wants to tell us anything." Harry justified. "Perhaps this is the answer, maybe this will tell us what we need to know." He reached forward and picked it up, a hoarse whisper filling the air around them.

"The ones with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approach. Marked as His equal, both have powers the Dark Lord knows, and has, not. Neither party can live while the other survives-"

"Look!" Hermione's voice interrupted the orb, a masked face appearing down a row. Harry held the orb in his hand, Rebecca pushing her way to the front and raising her light higher.

"Where's Sirius?"

"You should learn to tell the difference between dreams and reality." The Death Eater whipped its wand out of the top of its cane, casting away its mask and revealing Lucius. "You saw only what the Dark Lord wanted you to." Lucius' voice lost its musical timbre and dropped to a more serious cadence. "Now hand me the prophecy."

"If you do anything to us, I'll break it." Harry warned, Rebecca not letting her eyes leave Lucius' stare.

A shrill giggle echoed behind Lucius, a woman appearing out of the shadows. "He knows how to play! Itty...bitty...baby...Potter. Must be seeing double! Add some tits, lengthen some hair, we'd have two darling little playthings!"

Neville's voice was the next to echo in the room. "Bellatrix Lestrange."

"Neville Longbottom, is that you? How's mum and dad?"

"Better now that they're about to be avenged!" Neville lunged forward, only stopped by Cedric laying a hand on his arm and lowering it back to Neville's side. 

"Let's everybody calm down, shall we?" Lucius said slowly. "All we want is that prophecy."

"Why didn't Voldemort get it for himself?" Rebecca demanded, her voice strong. "Why'd he need us?"

"You dare speak his name?" Bellatrix raised her wand at Rebecca and raised her voice to a bellow. "You filthy half-blood!"

"It's alright," Lucius murmured. "She's just a curious sprite, aren't you? Prophecies can only be retrieved by those about whom they are made." Hermione's hand reached up and tapped Rebecca's shoulder five times in a circle, warning her about the Death Eaters that had surrounded them. "It's lucky for you both, really." The kids turned their backs in, raising their wands down their own aisle as the Death Eaters started to move closer.

"Haven't you always wondered the reason for the connection between you two and the Dark Lord? Why he was unable to kill either of you as nothing more than mere infants? Don't you want to know the secret of your scars?" Lucius' eyes slid over Harry's forehead before moving to Rebecca's his eyes lit with the flame of madness. "The answers are right in your hand. All you have to do...is give it to me."

Bellatrix tilted her head behind Lucius, her tongue flicking across her lips excitedly. "I can show you everything." Lucius promised.

Harry narrowed his eyes at the two adults. "We've waited fourteen years."

"I know, I know. Such a shame." Lucius mimed sympathy.

"What's a little longer?" Harry and Rebecca stepped back, closing the circle. "Now!"

"Stupefy!" They cast out, sending most of the Death Eaters flying while a few of them apparated away. Rebecca looked over her shoulder as she began to run, trying to lead them back to the elevator but first needing to make sure they were all still there. Harry grabbed her arm, stopping her as Lucius appeared in front of them with his hand outstretched. 

Harry dragged her alongside him, neither of them noticing Luna being struck to the floor. Luna's lip bled quickly, the Death Eater taking one more step forward to finish her. "Levicorpus!" Luna sent him towards the ceiling, smiling at her handy work. 

Neville turned back, seeing another man appear behind her. "Petrificus totalus!" 

Luna looked over the paralysed Death Eater, putting her arm through Neville's. "Well done."

Harry hadn't let go of Rebecca's hand yet, despite the issue he was having trying to hold her wrist and the prophecy in one hand in order to continue to try to thwart the Death Eaters chasing after the two of them and Hermione and Ron.

"Stupefy!" Rebecca shouted, getting rid of the Death Eater ahead of them as Ron and Hermione took a different approach to the one behind them, sending shelf after shelf of prophecies flying down at him.

Neville and Luna ran out of an aisle ahead of them, Cedric and Ginny coming out of an adjoining path. The group paused, looking around quickly. Ginny raised her wand, seeing a Death Eater down a row. "Reducto!" A powerful shockwave reverberated out of the Death Eater as it struck him, prophecies falling from the tall shelves like rain.

Ron looked at her for a moment before being shocked out of his awe by Rebecca grabbing him roughly. "Get back to the door!" They ran off in the direction they'd arrived, the falling prophecies soon turning into falling shelves and growing closer and closer to them. Cedric pumped his arms faster, pushing his legs harder until he was at the front of the group and he shot left.

A door was ahead of them. Cedric waved his wand at it so that it opened, not seeing that the floor ended outside the doorway until it was too late. Rebecca's breath caught in her throat as she launched herself out, the ground racing up to meet her.

They were all stopped inches from the ground, their arms and legs outstretched. The force that saved them dropped them seconds later, leaving them panting for breath and jumping to their feet. "Department of Mysteries." Ron snorted, finding himself the only one laughing. "They got that bit right, didn't they?"

Rebecca pushed her glasses up her nose, walking to the stone arch in the center of the room. "Can you hear what they're saying?"

Hermione and Harry looked at each other a moment. "Hear what what's saying?" Hermione asked gently.

Rebecca looked over her shoulder, raising a hand to gesture to the arch. "The voices!"

"They're aren't any voices." Harry said.

Cedric stepped forward, "No, I hear them too. I can't understand them, but I hear them."

"It's just an empty archway." Harry's voice was layered with tones of finality, he was not going to hear another word on the subject. He looked up as a whooshing sound filled the air. "Get behind me!" He shouted, Death Eaters having found them and flying around them in their smoky, ink-black apparation forms.

Rebecca raised her wand, stepping next to him the second before they were enveloped in the darkness, their bodies pushed around and to the ground violently. Harry still had the prophecy in hand and soon found himself on the ground, hiding it under his body. When the shadows receded, he was alone in the center of the room.

The perimeter room was filled with Death Eaters, his friends all held at wand point. Rebecca's face was a mask, staring straight ahead as the Death Eater holding her leaned his face down to her neck and smelled her deeply.

Lucius walked up to Harry, chuckling. "Did you actually believe, were you truly naive enough, to think that children stood a chance against us?"

"Considering two infants ended you last time..." Rebecca's voice rang, the Death Eater yanking her head roughly to silence her.

Lucius shot her a look before turning to face only Harry. "I'll make this simple for you, boy: Give me the prophecy now or watch your friends...die."

Harry grunted, looking around the room. "Don't give it to him, Harry!" Neville shouted, eliciting a sharp hit by Bellatrix. Harry looked to Rebecca last, knowing that seeing her would be the hardest. His face set in resignation and he raised his hand slowly, the prophecy in his grasp. Harry set the orb onto Lucius' outstretched hand defeatedly.

A flash filled the room, Rebecca's eyes widening at the sight. Remus and Sirius appeared, Remus raising his wand at the Death Eater holding Rebecca as Sirius walked to Lucius. "Get away from our godchildren." They intoned in unison, Rebecca noting the silver glint on Remus' hand that hadn't been there before.

Sirius cranked his arm back, hitting Lucius in the jaw hard enough to send the man sprawling.

"Stupefy!" Remus cast, Rebecca ducking the best she could. The Death Eater caught the spell in the chest, flying back and hitting the stone wall with a wet crunch that left all who heard it slightly nauseated. 

Another golden streak flitted around the room, pausing at each of the still held captive children until they all stood on their own when the light paused next to Remus and turned into Tonks. Moody and Kingsley both arrived seconds after, standing near Sirius and Harry. Lucius let out a garbled moan at the sight of the shattered remnants of the prophecy in front of him, the orb having struck the ground as he fell.

"I hear congratulations are in order!" Tonks shouted to Rebecca who had assured Remus all was fine and was helping push back the Death Eaters. "94 Diagon Alley?"

Rebecca shook her head, blocking a hex. "93!"

Sirius had Harry ducked behind a large rock, talking quickly in the few moments of shelter they had. "Listen closely, I want you to take the others and get to safety."

"What? No, we're staying with you." Harry shook his head. "I'm staying with you."

"You've done beautifully." Sirius laid a hand on Harry's shoulder. "Now, let me take it from here."

"Black!" Lucius shouted, standing in front of both Sirius and Harry with another Death Eater at his side. Both sides launched into acrobatics, hexing and cursing and blocking masterfully.

Tonks pushed Rebecca down to where the others had been put with orders to stay. "Sorry, orders are orders."

Rebecca scowled, raising her wand and sending the Death Eater behind Ginny to the ground. "Meant to be broken."

Tonks sent her a wink and skipped away, leaving a trail of fallen Death Eaters behind her. "Rebecca!" Hermione looked her over quickly.

"I'm fine," Rebecca looked over them all, nodding her head as they all appeared in working order. "Now let's fight."

They did as they were told in that they stayed where they were, but from their vantage point they sent hexes and raised shields over the fighting members of the Order. Rebecca caught sight of Harry and Sirius through the archway and moved without thought, hoisting herself back up onto the main raised rock and going to them.

Ron tried to stop her, moving to go after her, but Hermione stopped him. "We need you here!"

Cedric used Ron's shoulder as leverage, throwing himself up the rocks and chasing after her. "What? We don't need him?" Ron shouted before raising his wand and stopping a curse from hitting the back of Hermione's head.

"Evidently not." Hermione said, turning back to the fight.

Harry waved his wand quickly, "Expelliarmus!" The Death Eater at Lucius' side went flying, his wand going the opposite direction. 

Sirius grinned madly, "Nice one, James!" And continued to send spell after spell ahead. 

Rebecca ducked, a spell going narrowly over her head just as she was about to make it to behind Sirius and Harry. Cedric raised his wand, "Protego!" She turned over her shoulder, nodding in thanks and motioning for him to join her side. Sirius waved his wand one last time, Lucius letting out a cry as he went flying once more.

Bellatrix solidified across from him, time seeming to slow down. Bellatrix' arm lowered slowly, her eyes wide with lunacy as she sent the killing curse at Sirius. "Avada kedavra!" Harry froze, watching the life slip out of Sirius' eyes as he fell backwards through the stone arch. His body hit the ground with a dull thud, dead.

Harry's mouth opened in a horrible scream, Remus jumping forward and wrapping his arms around the boy to keep him from going through the arch after him. Rebecca fell to her knees crawling forward until she was directly in front of the arch and peering through it. Cedric crouched next to her, watching as her eyes flitted around the stone before she reached a hand out and shivered as it past through.

"Cedric?" 

He grabbed her hand, seeing what she was thinking. "How can you know that will work?" He asked.

"How can I not try?" Rebecca slipped her shoe off, putting her ankle in his hand. "Don't let go, no matter what. Do not let go of me." 

Cedric gripped her ankle tightly, "Never."

Bellatrix backed up, watching the exchange curiously. 

Rebecca clenched her jaw and took a slow breath, trying her best to put Harry's screams for her to stop out of her head. She lunged forward, passing through the icy wisps of the archway's throughway. Immediately, her body fell to the floor limp and she stood up, outside of her body. Sirius was holding onto his dead body's hand, fighting to get his wedding ring off.

"Rebecca!" He shouted. "Not you! Not you too!"

Rebecca shook her head, "No, and not you either. It's time to come back."

Sirius cried out, "I've tried, I can't! My body, it won't have me."

Rebecca rattled off orders quickly, afraid at the ice seemed to be filling her chest. "Lay down in your body. I need you to think and think hard, even harder than you have to for a patronus." Sirius did as he was told, the grey transparent figure he now was shining through his body. "Sirius, think about what you have to go back to."

Sirius closed his eyes, filling his mind with Remus and Harry and Rebecca, the Weasleys, Tonks, Moody, the Order, the goodness of the world that he was fighting for, the children of his best friends that he still needed to care for. He nodded when he held them all in his mind.

"I hope this works." Rebecca muttered before putting her hands on him, failing to feel the warmth that she had with Cedric. "C'mon!"

Sirius opened his eyes sadly, "Rebecca..."

"No! It will work!" She shouted, taking her hands and placing them on his chest. It was instantaneous, the inferno that enveloped her. The ice she'd felt creeping in was gone in a moment, her body filled with fire. Sirius closed his eyes again, feeling the pull of the real world.

Rebecca could feel Cedric watching what was happening, though his mind felt a million miles from hers. Sirius took a shuddering breath, Harry and Remus' sobs not letting them see. Seeing Rebecca fall through the archway, her body lying next to Sirius looking just as dead, had sent them both into a frenzy. It took Remus all the strength he had to restrain Harry, not only to keep Harry from her but also to keep himself from joining Sirius through the arch.

Rebecca felt the exhausting layer over her, the exertions of earlier only making it harder for her to keep her wits about her.

"Your body!" Cedric shouted in her mind. "You have to return to your body!"

Rebecca's ghost nodded in agreement, "Yes, lying down sounds like a good idea."

Cedric groaned internally, fighting to sound even louder in her. "YOUR BODY!"

It was all the reminder Rebecca needed. Shocked out of her stupor, she lined herself up with her body and felt the tingling of her body waking up as Cedric pulled her out of the arch. Tonks face was blank as she watched the scene, refusing to believe that either one of them could possibly die.

Bellatrix's eyes narrowed, noting how Sirius' chest rose and fell once more and how Rebecca seemed to be stirring. "The Dark Lord's not going to like this, not after he thought he failed to kill the boy..." She whispered to herself, looking at Cedric.

Rebecca's eyes shot open, a gasp filling her lungs with air once more as Cedric pulled her to a seated position and let go of her, letting Harry hold her. For a moment, Cedric selfishly enjoyed having his mind to himself again.

Remus dropped to his knees between Sirius and Rebecca, shouting at them both. "What were you thinking? Ho-What were you THINKING?"

Rebecca shook her head, seeing Bellatrix disappear out the door to the side. "No-Not now." She muttered, using Harry to push herself to her feet before taking a few slow steps. Harry stood up next to her, grabbing her hand and leading her along after her.

Rebecca didn't know where the spring of energy had come from, the energy that fueled her to race on. She was exhausted, that was true, but there was a primal force urging her on. She was going to get to Bellatrix Lestrange and she was going to make her pay.

"I killed Sirius Black!" Bellatrix sang, knowing it wasn't true but at the same time, hoping it would make the two children think she hadn't seen what had happened. "Are you coming to get me?" Bellatrix asked, having brought them back to the entrance of the Ministry.

Rebecca raised her wand, "Crucio!" A red bolt flew out of her wand, Bellatrix falling to the ground in a tumble. Harry took her side, raising his wand as well as they breathed heavily. Rebecca's eyes rolled to the back of her head a terrifying moment, Voldemort's voice filling both of their heads.

"You've got to mean it. She deserves it." Harry fought to look at her, but Voldemort kept their bodies rooted in place. "You know the spell, Rebecca." Voldemort focused his energies on her, sensing the rage that encompassed her.

Voldemort apparated behind them, his voice reaching their ears as he left their minds and spoke to them in person. "Do it."

Harry turned, waving his wand at Voldemort. Voldemort had him disarmed instantly, sneering. "So weak, Harry. You disappoint me." Rebecca stood on, her wand still held in front of her as she stared down at Bellatrix. "Perhaps one of you will prove...less of a failure."

Dumbledore appeared in the fireplace to the left of Rebecca, stepping out of the green flames and saying, "It was foolish to come here tonight, Tom. The aurors are on their way."

"By which time I shall be gone and you shall be dead." Voldemort stepped back, gesturing to himself proudly. "Look, your prized pupil, one half of your wonder twins, tempted by me. Ready to fall to me, to bow at my feet."

"Bow to you?" She asked, turning around slowly. "I bow for no one." 

"Expelliarmus!" It was her turn to go against him, Harry having faced him the year before. Her wand shot out a powerful red jet that met Voldemort's green. Dumbledore shoved Harry to the side, Bellatrix scurrying into a fireplace and flooing away.

Rebecca's face was set in determination, drawing from every reserve she had as she pushed the focus of her spell closer and closer to him. Voldemort tilted his head slightly, impressed by the power she was displaying. "You will prove an asset to me, when the comes that you join me."

The room was filled with a wind, a strong, powerful wind as Rebecca shook her head. "Never!" She took a step forward, pushing Voldemort back. 

Voldemort's face took on a resigned look. "We have yet to see." He sent a burst of energy through their battle, sending her flying backwards. She hit the ground with a thump, sliding to a stop. Dumbledore took over, fighting with Voldemort while Harry crawled to her side.

She'd struck her head on the corner of a pillar, slitting the skin through her eyebrow and down the side of her face, ending inches lower at the top of her cheekbone and leaving blood pouring out of the slit. Lightning struck around them, Harry lowering his body over hers and shielding her face. Dumbledore pushed on, fighting harder to protect them.

Voldemort withdrew his spell, summoning a fireball that he breathed life into. It rose to the ceiling where it took on the face of a snake. Dumbledore collected the fire into a single ball before dispersing it. The headmaster raised his wand, the water from the many fountains moving into the air in front of him where Dumbledore forced it to collect into a ball that swirled quickly, trapping Voldemort in the middle.

Harry lifted his head as Rebecca opened her eyes, her vision blurry. "Harry?"

"Hey, it's alright. Don't talk. Save your strength."

Rebecca shook her head, fighting to sit up. "Why would I do something like that?"

Harry put his hand behind her back, looking back at the scene behind them. Voldemort was sending a stream of black at Dumbledore, the same black that trailed after him when he apparated.

Seeing that none of his efforts affected Dumbledore, he threw his arms out and screamed. A shockwave was sent out of his body, shattering every window and causing the glass to rain down in massive shards that struck the ground and splintered smaller.

Voldemort caught Harry and Rebecca's eyes, a horrible smile filling his face. He connected his hands above his head, the glass levitating off the ground behind him and shooting towards them. Dumbledore waved his wand behind him, sliding them closer behind his body before raising his wand in front of all three of them.

The glass hit the shield that Dumbledore had conjured and turned into nothing more than particles, Harry putting his back to them and holding Rebecca's face to his chest to shield her further. When Voldemort stopped, Harry put her arm around his neck and pulled her to her feet next to him. Voldemort scowled at the three of them before disappearing in a spinning ball of glass.

Rebecca's hand shot to her throat, a choking sound escaping her. Harry reached up and grabbed her chin, trying to force her face towards him and finding that a strength that certainly wasn't hers had hold of her body. He felt the tickling of a presence at the edge of his mind, but Rebecca drew Voldemort further into her, keeping him from Harry. "You-You've lost, old man." A throaty voice left her mouth, the edges lifted up in a sinister sneer. 

Unbeknownst to Harry and Dumbledore, Voldemort was pulling memories from her mind and replaying them for what felt like an eternity. The murder of her mum and dad, Jane's car accident, William's descent into the violent abuse that became her life, how he abandoned her. There were smaller flashes between the big events of her life, she and Harry's ostracisation the year before, how she'd struck Lavender, the punishments with Umbridge.

"So weak." Voldemort hissed. "There's nothing in you that isn't mine."

Rebecca jerked out of Harry's grip, falling back to the floor where she writhed. "NO!" She shouted both in her mind and in her own voice. She brought Fred to her mind, going over every detail of his face. The freckle on his ear, the crooked smile he'd give her when they were being cheeky, the way he smelled. 

"You think that will stop me?" Voldemort asked, bringing an image of her looking in a mirror in her mind. This time, however, it wasn't her face staring back at her. It was Voldemort's. "Look at me, look at us. We are the same."

"Do something!" Harry shouted at Dumbledore, holding her head between his hands and trying to tell her to hold on, to stay strong.

"Rebecca," Dumbledore began. "It isn't how you are alike, it's how you are not." Rebecca jerked again, pained grunts leaving her. Her body stilled a moment.

Their friends entered the entrance to the Ministry, the members of the Order right behind them. Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Cedric, Neville, Luna, Remus, Sirius, Tonks...At the sight of each of them she saw her memories with them fly past her mind. Four new faces ran in a second after, Molly and Arthur following behind Fred and George.

Fred's mouth dropped at the sight of her, Remus grabbing him and holding him with he and Sirius as she jerked harder, her body twitching weakly. "You're the weak one." Her voice echoed. "You'll never know love or friendship." Her eyes met Fred's. "And I feel sorry for you."

The images he'd dragged up, the bad instances of her life thus far, retracted. They went back to the dark corners they resided in and her mind slowly became her own again. Harry was sent flying back from her, the glass in the air floated in a perfect circle as she was thrown onto her back. 

Voldemort stood above, leaning over her. "You're a fool, Rebecca Potter." Voldemort bent lower. "And you will lose...everything."

Flits and swooshes sounded off, the first of the Ministry workers arriving for the day. Fudge froze in his steps, Percy's eyes widening at the sight of the very dark wizard they'd spent months denying.

Voldemort disappeared, leaving Rebecca blinking slowly before her eyes closed. Dumbledore put Rebecca's head on his knee, their group pushing through the formed crowd to she and Harry. Fred dropped to his knees, pulling her onto him and trying to wake her. "Rebecca! Wake up!" He shook her, grabbing her face roughly. "Rebecca!"

Harry made his way to her side, holding her hand against his forehead in the image that became the next morning's Prophet cover. 

Fudge quickly mounted an operation to get them all to St Mungo's for care, one of his first beneficial acts of leadership. Once arrived, Harry was forced into his own bed, the nurses far less understanding than Madam Pomfrey was. An entire room was quickly allocated to those who had received injuries in one form or another during the battle, Remus refusing care and sitting next to Sirius' bed.

Rebecca had been given a draught of rest, Fred almost being forced to take one as well if he wouldn't allow them to take her into another room for care. He sat on the chair next to her bed with a wave of muttering following him. Tonks stood up from her bed, tossing the ice pack she'd been given onto it and crossing the room to him. George was checking on Ginny, Molly on Ron, and Arthur on Harry. Cedric swung his legs off his bed, ignoring the protests of his parents.

"Fred?" Tonks asked, her tone absent of all jokes. "Come here." Fred shook his head, knowing that if he were to be hugged, he wouldn't be able to keep everything in him any longer. "Funny, I wasn't asking."

Tonks pulled him to his feet and wrapped her arms around his middle, the highest she could reach. Cedric appeared behind her and put his arms around him higher up, leaving Fred fully embraced. His breathing came quicker and his mask crumpled, the tears flowing quickly. "Hours! We were gone hours! How am I supposed to do two years apart from her when she does things like this?"

Cedric shook his head, "You weren't there, mate." Fred stepped back a step, confused. Cedric continued, "Fred, she doesn't need anyone. You should have seen it."

Sirius raised his voice. "She entered the Beyond. She walked in and out of death."

Cedric shook his head in disbelief. "Put her leg in my hand, told me 'don't let go,' and dove in."

Fred laughed through the tears that continued to fall, "That sounds like her."

Tonks patted his shoulder, seeing the movement of nurses and a familiar person outside the door. "You'll be fine." Tonks lowered her voice, "Though, the way your mother's looking at you...I'd be a little more worried about yourself."

Rebecca entered the room, lead by a nurse who was talking softly. "We're almost to your bed, are you tired?"

"No, not yet." Rebecca's head lolled. "Not tired, few more minutes."

The nurse chuckled, "I see. Let's lie down and then we can have a few more minutes."

Rebecca nodded and saw Fred. "He's mine, you know that? Big mama did good."

The nurse raised her eyebrows at Fred and folded back the blankets, lifting them up to her neck and giving Fred a stern look as she stepped away. "Two minutes, Mr Weasley. She needs sleep and is, clearly, already feeling the effects."

Fred nodded, untucking her blankets like she liked. "Love?"

Rebecca's eyes fluttered open again, wandering around. "Yes?"

"What am I going to do with you?" He asked, kissing her forehead, noting the cut the nurses had healed the best they could. It had been too long from the time of injury to get rid of it completely and a faint scar had been left, but he was certain she wouldn't be bothered by something so trivial. He would make sure she knew she was just a beautiful with it than without.

Rebecca's head fell back onto the pillow. "Sing a song?"

"I said do with you, not for you." Fred looked around embarrassed. "Right now?"

Rebecca nodded, her eyes too heavy to open again. Fred sighed and put his mouth near her ear. "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine." A smile spread across her face, her breathing slowing. "You make me happy when skies are grey."

Cedric made his way back to his bed, the room falling silent as Fred held her hands. "You'll never know, dear, how much I love you. Please don't take my sunshine away."

Fred sat back, leaving his hands in hers. Harry shook his head and looked to Molly. "She kept him from me, Voldemort."

Remus looked away from Sirius a moment, watching as Molly insisted Harry get some rest and talk in the morning. The entire room slowed to hear what he was saying.

"No!" Harry shrugged his head away from her motherly hands, looking around the room crazed. "She closed my mind off to him, that's why he only had her at the end."

Rebecca snorted, delirious from the potion and only brought out of the dredges of sleep because of his shout. "And I'd do it again."

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<3


	89. Chapter 89

The hospital room went quiet in the early evening, the kids drifting off to sleep shortly after Rebecca had and the adults conversing amongst each other quietly around Sirius' bed. Remus had his hand in Sirius', exactly where it had stayed since Sirius had been brought back. 

George patted Fred's back, "I'll tell you what happens." Fred nodded, his eyes not leaving Rebecca's sleeping face.

"No, kids aren't allowed." Molly said, pointing her hand back towards Fred.

"Good thing I'm not a kid." George planted his feet and crossed his arms, looking around the circle of adults. 

Tonks looked at George in a new light, seeing man take place of boy. "Guess that's good then. We have to figure out what to do next."

Molly sputtered a moment before Remus shook his head. "Molly, they've left school. They're not returning. Not that there's anything more to discuss on the matter, but that's not urgent, not right now."

Moody grimaced, "Lestrange was watching."

Arthur's face paled as he gathered what they were talking about and he glanced across the room. "When she-During that?"

Kingsley nodded, "The Dark Lord knows by now."

George looked between the adults in the same confusion Molly was. "Knows what?"

Sirius' face fell, "He knows she's brought me back."

*******************************************

Rebecca, surprisingly, was one of the first of the kids to wake up. Fred's head was propped on his elbow, soft breaths leaving his opened mouth as he slept sitting up. Her hand was still wrapped in his and she tried to remove it gently. She pushed herself up so that she was sitting with her back against the plastic head of the bed and she looked around slowly.

Molly noticed her movement and stood up from Ron's bedside, walking quickly to her. Molly put her hands on her shoulders and ran her eyes over her carefully, looking for any sign of further injury. "What hurts?"

Rebecca did an internal check. "Nothing, really."

Molly gave her a sharp look. "Don't lie to me!" The sound of her scolding woke Fred, his eyes opening and finding Rebecca shaking her head adamantly.

"I'm not lying!" Rebecca paused. "My face hurts," She brought a hand up and traced the line, wincing at the tenderness of the skin. "And my head...well, that always seems to hurt one way or another. But other than that I feel good, great actually." She smiled and looked around the room, seeing Sirius and Remus lying side by side on his bed.

"I swear..." Molly shook her head. "You children will be the death of me! Marching off to the Ministry, not getting us first? How stupid could you have been?"

Rebecca's smile dimmed, "Stupid?" She leaned back, making Molly's hands leave her. "We did what we thought was right, what I thought was right."

Molly shook her head, Arthur putting his arm around her as he joined them. "What she's trying to say is that you should have waited for the adults or alerted the aurors. You shouldn't have left school where you were safe-"

"Before we left we were being interrogated, about to be tortured."

Fred sat up straight. "What?"

Rebecca nodded, "Umbridge thought we had a weapon, that we were hiding it for Dumbledore. Nearly crucioed me for the information."

Arthur shook his head, "That's not the point! You shouldn't have-You could have been killed!"

Rebecca's face set in determination, the determination that generally got her into trouble. "I didn't though, did I. No one did. In fact, without me, Sirius would have."

Arthur's face grew gravely serious and he let go of Molly, grabbing Rebecca's arms tightly. "You are forbidden from bringing anyone, no, anything back ever again."

"Forbidden?"

Arthur tightened his grip, "Forbidden!"

Rebecca yanked her arms back, staring up at him. "No."

The other kids looked over at the interaction, Hermione's mouth dropping in surprise. Arthur looked at her a long moment before shaking his head and leaving the room. George followed him outside, watching as he paced and left the hall.

Molly sighed and looked at Fred before leaving the two of them, her eyes filled with disappointment. 

"I'm sorry." Fred's voice was soft, his hands finding hers and holding them again. 

Rebecca looked around the room, her cheeks burning as the others pretended to have not heard. Sirius sat up and motioned for Remus to help him up. Remus tried to argue, but Sirius only moved to get up without assistance. Sirius' feet dragged across the room, his muscles aching terribly. 

"They're not wrong." Sirius said, taking the seat Fred offered him. "You had no idea what you were doing."

"No one knows what they're truly doing." 

Remus hid a smile with is hand as Sirius tried to argue back. "Well, umm...That may be the case, but-" Sirius looked to Remus for help. "Are you laughing at me?"

Remus shook his head, failing to look serious. "Of course not."

Sirius rolled his eyes and reached for Rebecca's hand. "We cannot cut off those who care, no matter how frustrating." His voice echoed in her head. "Out of love comes the strongest anger."

Rebecca shook her head. "I don't understand why everyone can't just be happy everything ended okay instead of worrying about if they hadn't." Sirius was silent, unsure how to argue with her. "And don't act so cool."

Sirius looked at her shocked, "What?"

"Sliding over here, talking in my head as if you've always been able to. Too cool."

Sirius winked, "No such thing as too cool, though if there was, it would be me." He laughed. "I have always been able to. When your father and I were out with Moony on his furry nights we could talk to each other," He tapped his head. "Up there."

Fred grabbed the glass of water off the table and handed it to her without prompt. She lifted it to her mouth quickly, not realising just how thirsty she was. Fred smiled and put the empty cup back on the table. Sirius held her hand a moment longer, Rebecca nodding begrudgingly before Sirius rose to his feet and made his way back to his bed, Remus helping him all the while.

Fred looked at Rebecca a long moment, his eyes unintentionally gravitating to her lips. "Fred?" His eyes jolted to her eyes as she spoke. "Can you lay with me?"

She moved to the side of the bed, making plenty of room for him. Fred looked over his shoulder, making sure the nurse wasn't nearby. "Course, love." Her head took its place on his chest and he gingerly laid his arm around her.

"Fred, I'm not going to break." He sighed and let his arm lay slightly more on her. She looked up at him through her eyelashes, frowning. "You haven't scolded me yet."

He shook his head, "I'm not going to. I learnt my lesson last time." Fred bit the inside of his cheek a moment before asking the question that burned him. "But...I have to know. Did you know?"

"Know?" Rebecca asked.

"Did you know that you'd be able to come back?"

Rebecca fell silent before answering carefully. "Did I know? I-I'm not sure. I didn't even understand what that arch was, let alone what I was doing. It was like...It was like I'd done it before. That's all I can describe it as. I knew if I had a tether to the living, I could enter and come back. It was instinctual."

Fred nodded and kissed her forehead, pulling her tighter. "You will be happy to hear that Sirius is quite impressed with his markings, called them 'the sickest tats.'"

Rebecca giggled, "That's Sirius, finding the positive."

Fred stroked his hand over the side of her head, moving her hair behind her ear and letting his heartbeat slow as they spoke to each other quietly.

Harry was talking to Tonks' in hushed tones, both of them relieved that Fred was more than enough distraction for Rebecca. "Are you certain?"

Tonks nodded, "As much as we can be."

"What does this mean for us? She will figure it out eventually, she's not blind." Harry looked at the back of Rebecca's head.

"We don't need her to be blind, Harry." Tonks shook her head. "The Order will tell her when it's deemed the right time."

Harry scoffed, "Yeah, because that's been proven a fantastic idea."

"I know, okay? I think you all should know more, but it's not my place to tell you everything. I fought tooth and nail to tell you and that's only so that at least one of you will be aware."

Harry sighed. "Thank you, for telling me and for fighting for us." Harry shook his head and sat up. "But she has to know. I won't keep this from her. I have to tell her."

Tonks pushed him back onto the bed as he went to stand, "Good, I hoped you would."

Harry raised his eyebrow, "Are you going to let me tell her?"

Tonks gestured to them, Fred whispering something that sent her laughing happily. "Yeah, later. Let them be a moment longer."

"I didn't picture you a romantic." 

Tonks gave him a glare and left to go congratulate Cedric on his Hufflepuff status. Harry sighed and stood up, greeting Ron and Hermione just as George and Arthur came back in with an air of tenseness following them. Rebecca ignored Arthur's swift approach to Molly and pretended his hushed tones didn't hurt her.

"He's just worried. At least a table hasn't been thrown." Fred whispered.

His plan worked, she was quickly busy poking fun at him. "Ah yes, I guess that is good news. Weasley men do have a tendency to lash out irrationally."

Fred narrowed his eyes at her, "I wouldn't go as far to say 'irrationally,' 'perfectly reasonably,' yes. Irrationally, no."

"Sure." Rebecca patted his chest lightly and sat up.

"Where are you going? I'll get whatever you need." Fred said quickly, trying to keep her from standing.

"I have to use the bathroom."

Fred nodded, "I will not be getting you what you need then." Rebecca laughed, searching the ground for her shoes. "Here." Fred called, grabbing her shoes off the ground next to him and handing them over. 

She slipped them on and stood slowly, her body twinging in sore pains. Molly stood up from Ginny's bed and met her in the middle of the room, taking her arm and walking her out of the room and down the hall. Molly sighed and looked at her, Rebecca staring straight ahead. "Arthur's just..."

"I know he's angry."

Molly shook her head, "No, he's hurt!"

Rebecca slowed, still not looking at Molly. "I thought he would have a little more faith in me, that he would know I'm capable of making decisions."

Molly turned her making Rebecca look into her eyes. "He does, we all do. It's...complicated. Nothing in creation has ever come back through that stone. You-"

"I did what was needed."

"No." Molly's voice was sharp and left Rebecca feeling chastised. "You did what was selfish."

"Selfish? How was I selfish? I brought Sirius back to life! I made it so Harry's got a home to go to, so that Remus doesn't have to be alone. I manag-"

Molly grabbed her shoulders and shook her once. "All selfish! What would you have done if you couldn't get back? You would have left your fa-Arthur and I. You would have left Fred, what's that boy supposed to do without you? What about Ron? Ginny? George? What would any of us do without you? You treat your life like its expendable and it's not. A lot of people would be lost if you were gone."

"I-" Rebecca shook her head and stepped out of her grasp, moving towards the bathroom. "It's not selfish to do what you can."

Molly stood in the hallway, feeling as though she'd failed to get her meaning across. Rebecca used the bathroom quickly, pausing at the sink to wash her hands. She cupped the water and washed the grime off her face, studying herself in the mirror once she was clean. The scar around her eye shocked her the most, she hadn't expected it to be so evident.

Rebecca closed her eyes and put her back against the counter, letting her head fall to her chest. "Selfish. I'm not selfish. I'm the opposite of selfish! I've always done what's best for-Oh..." Rebecca stood up straight and horror coated her throat and panic seized her mind. "What would I have done if that hadn't worked? If I hadn't been able to get back? I'd just be stuck. Left Fred. Left Harry. Left everyone."

Rebecca left the bathroom slowly, ashamed of herself. Molly stood up off the wall she'd leaned on, not noticing anything different about Rebecca other than the fact that she was slightly clean. Rebecca wrapped her arms around Molly in a flash, burying her head in Molly shoulder. "Do you see know? Why he got so cross? We love you. That's all."

Rebecca nodded, "I love you, too. I love you all."

Molly hugged Rebecca a long moment before two more arms wrapped around them both. Arthur frowned down at Rebecca, cupping the side of her head and pulling her close. "I shouldn't have shouted. For that, I apologise."

Rebecca shook her head, putting her arms around him. "An apology given and not needed is as bad as-"

"As a an apology withheld and in need." Molly finished beaming at Arthur. "I told you one of them would listen to me one day."

*******************************************

"And you'll be..." Fred lead her on.

"Staying at school, perfectly behaved and awaiting your every owl until term is through where you'll be waiting at King's Cross." Rebecca rolled her eyes. "A little trust, Frederick."

Molly looked at the two of them confused. "Frederick?"

Harry shook his head, "It's best to not ask questions. Ask the wrong one and suddenly, an hour's gone by, you're horribly confused, and they're still talking."

Molly nodded, not fully understanding. Fred leaned down and kissed her quickly, Tonks shouting for them all to hurry up. "Please, please, please, let this be an uneventful end of term?"

Rebecca winked, "We'll see." Fred groaned and followed her out the door, calling after her rule after rule. 

Hermione and Ron put their arms through Harry's, exiting St Mungo's in peaceful silence. "You read the Prophet?" Hermione asked chipperly. Both boys shook their heads. "Officially reporting His return."

Harry nodded and looked off into the distance where Fred was holding Rebecca's jumper above her head. "They're not reporting something though, something Tonks told me."

Ron followed his gaze to Rebecca. "What is it?"

"He knows." Harry looked to Ron and then Hermione. "Voldemort knows what she can do."

*******************************************

"Fred, you are causing traffic." Rebecca kissed his cheek, pushing him back into the fireplace where he shook his head and stuck his head out and pointed at his lips.

"How am I to last with a measly peck for so many weeks?"

Rebecca sighed, "Fred, like I've told you already, it's only five weeks. Perhaps there would be time for more than 'measly pecks' if you listened the first time." Fred stayed where he was, looking at her expectantly. "You're a fiend!" She laughed and kissed his lips, his hand taking its place on the back of her head as she held the base of his neck. "Now go!"

Fred pursed his lips and nodded, "That is an acceptable goodbye."

"Acceptable?" Rebecca asked, whirling back on him. He gave her a cheeky smirk and flooed away. 

"I don't know why he's not apparating or why he left first." George said from behind them. Realisation crossed his face and he cursed loudly. "That bastard's trying to pick rooms!" George kissed Molly's cheek quickly and waved goodbye before popping away, leaving them all amused.

"Rebecca?" Harry called from where he stood at the front of the line to go back to Hogwarts. 

Rebecca looked back up to Arthur and Molly and hugged them again, taking a few steps to the right and hugging Remus. Sirius held his arms out and leaned back as they hugged, lifting her feet off the ground momentarily. "Keep an eye on Harry for me, would you?" He asked in her mind, expertly blocking off what he didn't want her to have access to.

Her mind was less refined, louder and busier due to inexperience. The surprise at Sirius' mental discipline only flustered her further. "Abso-Fred." Rebecca squinted. "I mean-Hogwarts." Sirius chuckled and nudged her back to the others. 

"We'll work on it." He waved with the other adults, Amos letting Anne cry into his shoulder.

"It's only a few more weeks. Then Ced's graduated." Amos comforted his wife, leading her away from the others.

"Oh, bloody hell." Sirius sighed, watching the last child disappear in the green fire. 

"What? What's wrong?" Remus' voice was frantic, not liking how Sirius had spoken.

Sirius sighed again and put his hand in Remus' back pocket as they turned around and walked to where Moody was ushering them. "Nothing's wrong. I just miss them."

Remus shook his head, "You can't do that to me." Remus exaggerated Sirius' sigh, drawing a laugh from Molly. "Don't do that, that sounds like you're in pain."

Sirius rolled his eyes and stuck his tongue out at Molly, "Don't encourage him."

*******************************************

"Are you still behaving?"

Fred's second owl of the day was nothing more than a torn scrap of parchment he'd put on Darcy, their business owl, with the one question scribbled onto it and a sloppy drawing of a stick figure wearing glasses that she assumed was supposed to be her.

Rebecca thanked Darcy and gave him a handful of seeds from the bowl in the Owlery. She'd managed to escape Hermione's watchful eye for a few minutes and wanted to send a letter privately. They'd been back at Hogwarts for a three weeks and things were slowly going back to normal. Classes had resumes with review over the topics they'd felt unprepared for in their O.W.L.s and excitement was building for the final Hogsmeade trip the next day. Dumbledore's return lifted the castle's spirits as a whole, and the fact that there were only two more weeks of term certainly helped.

That was, until she and Harry were summoned that morning to report to his office before dinner. Harry shrugged it off, expecting that it was nothing more than a follow up, but Rebecca disagreed. There was something that they were keeping from her, she could tell. Too many times had they fallen deathly silent when she joined them, too many times had they changed the subject abruptly.

"I wish you were here." Rebecca said to no one, giving Darcy her letter to Fred and George before watching as the owl spread his impressive wings and soared back into the distance.

"Absence, they say," McGonagall's voice rang out from behind her before the professor entered the Owlery's main room. "Makes the heart grow fonder."

Rebecca shrugged. "It might, but it's...hard." 

McGonagall looked out over the grounds, motioning for Rebecca to join her at the outstepping. "It is. I'm certain you two will manage."

Rebecca smiled, "We will. Summer's coming and Molly and I have been talking about working in the shop a few days a week. There's so much to do with production and set up and George, George of course keeps changing his designs at the last minute. I was hoping I could floo in for the morning and comeback wh-" Rebecca looked up at McGonagall. "I'm sorry, you don't want to hear me rambling."

McGonagall returned her smile, "It's quite alright, dear. I wanted to find a moment to catch you before the Hogsmeade outing anyway." McGonagall reached into the pocket of her robe and pulled out two small bags of black powder. "I think you'll find the Hog's Head has a functioning fireplace, if you care to look."

Rebecca's eyebrows furrowed, "Professor, are you saying I could go to Diagon Alley tomorrow?"

McGonagall turned and walked away. "I'm saying nothing, Miss Potter. Nothing other than the last returning carriage leaves at four and all my students had best been on one."

*******************************************

"Rebecca!" Hermione's voice scolded her before Rebecca even had both feet in the common room. "Where have you been!"

"Bed's empty...no note...car gone..." Rebecca mumbled to herself, remembering Molly's thrashing of the boys before their second year.

"What?" Hermione shook her head. "It doesn't matter. You cannot go off like that, someone needs to know where you are-"

"WHY?" Rebecca raised a hand and lowered her voice from the shout that stilled the rest of the common room, acknowledging her misstep. "Why are you doing this? All of you, there's something that you're not telling me." Hermione paled, looking to Harry for help. "Harry?" Rebecca took a seat across from them and looked over them slowly. "I deserve to know too."

Harry sighed. He'd been putting off the inevitable ever since they got back, trying to give her as much time as she could before the truth was made clear. "There is something, though I've only asked them to keep it from you so that you could have some peace." Rebecca said nothing, her face unchanging as she stared at Harry.

Harry gulped, her gaze feeling intrusive. "The thing is..." He looked around, making sure there was no one close enough to hear his words. "He knows." Harry went silent, thinking his job done.

"Are you going to expand on that or should I wonder for eternity?" Rebecca's voice was flat.

"Voldemort knows about you, we're not sure how much."

"I don't understand, he's always known about me. Well, maybe not always but he certainly has since first year."

Hermione sighed and leaned closer, whispering to Rebecca's ear. "Bellatrix was watching when you...when you helped Sirius."

Rebecca's mouth fell open slightly, her eyes darting to Ron and Harry on the couch across from she and Hermione. "You knew? That's something I needed to know! That-That's clearly about me!" Harry tried to explain, but Rebecca didn't pause long enough to give him a chance. "Does Fred know? I-Does he know to be careful? Wha-What about George? How..." 

Her questions trailed off before she stood abruptly. "I'm leaving." Ron tried to call after her, going to ask where she would be going when she whirled back around. "I will walk where I please!"

And so she did, leaving the castle with her mind racing and her fists clenched until she looked up and saw where she'd ended up: Their table at the Black Lake. The anger rushed out of her, a deep longing taking its place.

"If you were here, you'd tell me they only kept it quiet because they care." Rebecca said to the Lake, sitting on the bench. "You'd tell me, 'You'd have done the same thing, I know it.'" Rebecca put her elbows on the table and rest her chin on her hands, squinting her eyes at the disgustingly beautiful sight ahead of her.

"Ugh." She groaned, observing the budded and flowering trees, the birds flitting about filling the air with sweet melodies. "Bugging disgusting."

"Cynical really isn't a good look for you." Cedric's voice rang out behind her. "It's frightening, actually."

"Cynicism tends to work best in solitude."

Cedric grinned and swung his leg over the bench next to her, waving his hand over the view ahead. "Look at this! There is beauty and life all around you! What can be distracting you from it?"

"Voldemort knows I brought Sirius back, he has known since the Ministry break-in." Rebecca turned to him. "But you knew that too, didn't you?"

Cedric but his lip before nodding. "Yes, Harry told me shortly after we'd returned."

"So even you lied?" Rebecca turned back to the sights ahead. "You know why this isn't as poetically beautiful as you said? Because come winter it all dies again. Nothing lasts."

Cedric laid his hand on the table in front of them, inviting her to take it if she wanted to hear his disagreement. She let her hand rest on his without looking at him. Instantly, their minds made contact. "We wanted you to be normal for as long as you could."

"Normal?" Rebecca said aloud. "I didn't realise I was so abnormal beforehand."

Cedric curled his fingers around her hand, silencing her. "You know what I mean." Cedric spoke in her mind again. "We wanted you to just be able to miss Fred and plan for the summer without extra worries. Normal problems. Now that He knows..."

"He'll only try to get us more now, won't he?" Rebecca knew that was what had her so upset. Of course she'd wished they'd all been more forthright with her, that was a given. But knowing that it was her fault, her ability, that would send Voldemort after them so much stronger was a blow. "We've lost our one advantage: Surprise." She told him without speaking.

Cedric let go of her hand and ignored how she looked at him, looking only at the rippling water. "That's not true." He glanced at her only a moment, not able to stand how weathered she looked. "Voldemort will never be able to imagine how many people you have behind you." Cedric pointed out at the trees, the flowers. "You're right, nothing lasts. But that doesn't mean we can't enjoy it when its here."

Cedric sat with her a while before they made their way back to the castle, talking more. "Cynicism doesn't really suit me, I think."

Cedric nodded, "No, it doesn't."

Rebecca sighed and hugged him quickly. "I can't believe you won't be here next year. I'm going to miss you."

Cedric laughed, "Don't get sentimental now. You're already late! We'll talk later and...and next year? My wisdom is only an owl away."

Rebecca snorted, "Wisdom? Okay. Bye!"

*******************************************

"Ready?" Rebecca asked loudly, appearing at the end of the hall where Harry paced, worried that she wouldn't be meeting him at Dumbledore's summoning.

"Yeah," Harry said lightly, opening his mouth to apologise.

"Nope, no need." Rebecca looked at Harry before hugging him tightly. "I'm sorry. You were only doing what you thought was right." She stepped back. "What was right, in all honesty. It was incredibly normal to have spent the weeks only worried about Fred. Felt a little boring, almost, without the threat of the world ending." Harry rolled his eyes at her jests, giving the eagle the password so that they could meet with the reinstated headmaster. "I appreciate the effort, I'm sorry I was so cross."

Harry stepped up the first step, waving her on. "We're late as it is, can we continue this later?"

"Nope, absolutely not. I already said that you were right and I won't repeat it." She grinned deviously. "Not even at knife point."

Harry sighed and ignored her, greeting Dumbledore before both of them were asked to sit on a bench across from an old, wooden chair that Dumbledore perched himself on gracefully. "A lot has gone on this year, many circumstances that are my fault." Dumbledore began, looking at both of them carefully. "I knew Voldemort would find the connection between you, it was only a matter of time."

Rebecca didn't bother hiding her face as she normally would have. Instead the emotions that swarmed through her were clear: Betrayal, hate, fear.

"I thought by distancing myself from you two as I have all year, he'd be less tempted and, therefore, that you'd be more protected."

"We weren't though, were we?" Rebecca's voice was anything but level. It took everything she had in her to not start breaking things, letting the inferno that was burning through her out. "You put our housemates, our friends, our school in danger."

Harry's hands gripped the lip of the bench, similar feelings of outrage coursing through him.

Dumbledore nodded once, lowering his head. "If you are to attack me, as I know you are close to doing, I will have thoroughly earned it."

Rebecca's resolve broke at his resignation to an attack. "I can't exactly judge you for holding information or distancing yourself. We've done it. To each other, to others, to our family."

Harry laid his hand on her knee, leaning forward on the bench and asking the question that had bothered him the most. "Professor, the prophecy said that, 'neither party can live while the other survives.' That means one of us is going to have to kill the other, in the end."

Dumbledore's eyes lowered as he slid his half-moon spectacles off and polished them on the edge of his robe. "Yes."

"Why didn't you tell me? Tell us?" Harry demanded.

Dumbledore put his glasses back on. "The same reason that you," he gestured to Rebecca. "Brought back Sirius, despite the fact that you were unsure if it would work. For the same reason your friends saved you. For the same reason Mr Weasley, Fred that is, has owled me twice a day since you've returned."

Rebecca blushed at the look he gave her at Fred's owling being mentioned. She hadn't realised that Darcy had been delivering to him as well.

"After all these years, after all that you both have suffered, I didn't want to cause you any more pain. I care too much about you." Dumbledore stood up and made his way behind his desk, Harry and Rebecca following after him. "Do you know why I didn't make you two prefects?"

"Because you knew we'd be shi-poor at it?" Rebecca offered, taking one of the sweets Dumbledore was offering them.

Dumbledore chuckled. "No, because I thought you both would enjoy not being responsible for a change."

Harry nodded, sticking the sweet he was sucking on in his cheek. "We would have. Plus, we really would have been terrible prefects."

All three of them laughed a minute before the room was filled with a peaceful silence, neither group having anything left to say. Dumbledore picked up a letter and slid it across his desk to Rebecca, motioning for her to open it. "I received this the day that we returned." He explained before pointing to the pile next to it that had come since.

"Dear Professor Headmaster,"

Rebecca read aloud, rolling her eyes at Fred's attempt at formalcy.

"I am writing because..."

Rebecca's voice fell silent. "Because?" Harry asked, taking another sweet at Dumbledore's silent insistence. Dumbledore had, of course, already read the letter addressed to him and knew where she was pausing.

"I am writing again because you are currently in possession of my most prized person, my reason for being. It would drive her (Rebecca, of course) mental to actually follow the rules (although she has promised 'to try'). I ask, once more, that you take her actions with a grain of salt. 

She has faced more this year, as all of us have, and has prevailed at every obstacle. She became a guardian, a protector of those Umbridge sought out and an attractor of negative attention to draw away from the younger students. She kept Hogwarts a home for as many as she could, no matter what came back at her.

These are only some of the traits that manifested this year. I haven't mentioned her constant lifting up of the hopeless. I haven't mentioned her mastery of loving care. I haven't mentioned the sheer awe I have in everything she does. (Well, I guess I have mentioned all this now.)

Anyway, as much as I'm sure you've enjoyed reading all of this, I did have a point. I write to tell you that I need help in the times that we are apart. I need help making sure she is safe.

(I've included our updated Puking Pastilles, which we think you'll find to be much more flavourful.)

Fred Weasley"

Rebecca folded the letter slowly and handed it back to Dumbledore, her heart aching terribly. "No, Miss Potter. I think I will have to insist you keep that one." Dumbledore smiled at them. "It's not like I have a shortage."

"Thank you, professor." Rebecca looked at his handwriting and smiled. "He tried really hard with this. The best handwriting I think I've ever seen him make."

Dumbledore nodded, "Yes, I'm well aware. Minerva thought it to be a fake for that sole reason."

Rebecca paled. "Professor McGonagall's read this?"

Dumbledore shrugged, "I had to ensure the...validity...of the sender."

Harry laughed loudly, ignoring the look she gave him. The clock outside stuck once, signifying only half an hour until dinner. "Go on, supper will begin soon and I do believe we've touched on everything we needed to."

Rebecca paused at the top of the stairs, turning back and looking at Harry. "Professor?"

Dumbledore looked up from the correspondence he'd picked up. "Yes?"

"What about Harry this summer?"

Dumbledore sighed. "I have been pursuing this adamantly, though I have yet to find a solution. The Ministry has declared that he will be staying with your aunt and uncle for a minimum of three weeks."

Harry winced at the words and stepped forward. "Why? Why can't Sirius take me? He's family too."

"The Ministry has...reserves."

Harry narrowed his eyes, "Because he and Professor Lupin are married?" Dumbledore said nothing. "That is disgusting. That is-That is-" 

Rebecca grabbed his arm, leading him from the office and waving to Dumbledore over their shoulders. "C'mon Harry, let's get to dinner." She said softly, letting Harry continue his rant to her.

When they paused outside the Great Hall, Harry grabbed her wrists and stopped her. "Rebecca?"

"Hmm?" She asked, looking up at him.

"Three weeks isn't that long." Harry sighed, "Three weeks and then I'll be anywhere else. You think Sirius and Remus will let me go with them? I've never really asked, only assumed."

Rebecca smiled and nodded at him, "If you write them and ask, I know you'll make their day. But, we have to talk about the prophecy...and what is says has to happen."

Harry shook his head, "Not just yet, let's let that be the future's problem."

Rebecca nodded, "That works for me, for a while at least. Can we go eat now?"

Harry laughed, "You sound like Ron!"

"Lunch was ages ago and emotional afternoons tend to build an appetite!"

Hermione was talking to Ginny quietly when all three of them fell silent as Harry and Rebecca joined them. "I'm sorry." Rebecca said quietly, looking over all three of them. "I was mad that you hadn't told me but...But I would have done the same thing were it you."

Hermione looked at her warily. "You're acting strangely calm."

Rebecca shrugged and scooped a heaping spoon onto her plate. "I was hoping it would spread to you."

Hermione narrowed her eyes and took the spoon from Rebecca's hand, forcing her to look at her. "Why would we need to be calm?"

Rebecca grinned sheepishly. "I've sort of made plans for tomorrow..."

*******************************************

Author's Note:

Bit of an in between chapter. Neither the book nor the movie ever really touched on what happened after the Ministry breakin, so I had to kind of make it up. I really hate doing that. There's a reason I write fanfiction, I don't think I'm a very creative person and I hate trying to come up with scenes myself.

I hope it's reasonably enjoyable and, if not reasonably, tolerably readable.

Next chapter should be a little more book/movie-centric. At least until we get to the summer.

<3


	90. Chapter 90

"Bloody hell Ron!" Rebecca groaned, holding her stomach as they left the Great Hall. "How do you eat that much every damn meal?"

Ron shrugged, "You didn't really eat that much."

Rebecca gaped at him, holding her hand at the top of her neck. "I've got food up to here!" Harry and Hermione laughed at her, none of them noticing how Draco lingered in the background, watching them. "You laugh, but if I ate one more thing I'd explode."

Hermione laughed harder, her head thrown back with the sheer force of it. "I told you you'd be sick if you ate another piece of tart! You just didn't listen!" Rebecca argued back, explaining how she had to eat another piece because if she hadn't there would have only been one left and it would have been lonely.

Draco stared in awe, stunned by the joy passing through Granger and struck silent by her smile. "Stop it." Draco muttered to himself, letting himself only have one more look. "Mudblood. She's a mudblood." He turned and put his hands in his pockets, walking with his head down until he bumped into the boy who'd started this all, who'd started his doubts.

"Sorry." Louis stepped to the side smiling. "Didn't see you there."

Draco stopped, watching how Louis skipped away happily. "What's got you so bloody happy?" Draco spat rudely.

Louis walked backwards a little, raising his hands in a joyful shrug before leaving Draco alone in the corridor. "What's not to be?"

Draco glared in his direction and continued his sulk, muttering to himself. "It's almost time to leave, for one."

*******************************************

"Let's go!" Rebecca shouted as Hermione and Ginny took their time getting ready. 

"Merlin! She tells me to hurry up one more time, I swear I'll..." Ginny's threat petered off as Hermione shook her head.

"You know she's just happy. Though she is a little, um..."

Ginny gave Hermione a knowing look in the mirror. "Excessive?"

Hermione nodded, "Well, she can be a little overly excited. Let's just get to Hogsmeade before she implodes or," Hermione shuddered. "Tests something again."

Rebecca had taken the lessened school work to focus entirely on the prototypes Fred and George had asked her to get the kinks out of. Ginny's face set in a scowl as she remembered the toothpaste from a few days earlier. "Who the hell even thinks up 'Two-headed Toothpaste'? Really, what kind of a loon comes up with that?"

Rebecca poked her head back into the bathroom, having turned back because she decided against bringing the jumper she'd had. She was holding a small black fuzz menacingly. "I happen to be that loon and, I'll have you know, you happened to look great with a second head." Rebecca held her hand higher, making both girls flinch. "I'm heading down for breakfast. Are you done yet?"

Ginny stared at the fuzz before meeting Rebecca's eyes. "I don't know what that is and I better not find out." Ginny's voice was terrifyingly calm, just as Molly's was when Rebecca, Fred, and George were about to push her over the edge. Ginny was making it clear that Rebecca was risking her life if she let it go.

Rebecca stared back a minute before grinning and tossing the black spot at her. Ginny jumped back, covering her face. Rebecca laughed so hard she could hardly breathe. Ginny stood up slowly and deciphered the sounds gasping out of her. "It's a ball of lint, found on jumper."

Ginny jumped onto Rebecca's back, sending them both toppling to the ground. "Do you think that's funny? I swear, I will ask for a new roommate!"

Rebecca laughed harder, dodging Ginny's hands expertly. "No you won't! And that was hilarious!"

Hermione put her toothbrush back in its cup, shaking her head their shenanigans. "I'm headed down to breakfast. Will you two be coming or staying here today?"

Rebecca threw Ginny off her, jumping to her feet and smoothing out her shirt. "I'm coming!" She ran into the bathroom, pulling her hair out from behind her ear and making sure the scar around her eye was covered.

"You don't have to do that." Ginny said quietly so that Hermione wouldn't hear her from the door. "Fred certainly won't care."

Rebecca lifted her shoulders minutely, not looking away from the mirror. "But I do. Believe it or not, not everything I do has to do with him." She sighed and turned away, joining Ginny. "I don't hide it. I just don't want it seen."

Ginny narrowed her eyes, "That's hiding."

Rebecca tilted her head, "Is it though?"

Hermione opened the door. "Yes, yes it is." Ginny retorted, moving forward to put Rebecca's hair behind her ears. Hermione put her hand across the door, making both girls stop before they could leave. "Rebecca, you're just as beautiful as you were before the scar. If anything..." Hermione sighed, knowing they were going to give her hell. "It's pretty badass."

Ginny whooped, raising her hand to her mouth. "Call the head girl! Prefect cursing! Prefect cursing!"

Hermione rolled her eyes, "And Ginny, if she's hiding it, she's hiding it."

Rebecca was pushed through Hermione's arm by Ginny. "I'm not hiding it!" Hermione and Ginny walked on either side of her. 

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Let's just get some breakfast."

Rebecca patted her pocket, making sure she still had the two bags of floo powder. A smile crossed her face and she joined Harry and Ron in the common room without anymore mention of the scar. It had faded a minimal degree in the weeks since Voldemort's public return, though where it slit through her eyebrow hadn't returned and most likely wouldn't. It hooked down around the curvature of her eye socket, going down across the top of her cheek bone where it ended roughly in line with the bottom of her nose. Luckily enough, the healers at St Mungo's had been able to take care of everything else so there was at least that positive.

Harry saw how distant she was and knew what had to have been brought up again. He'd had to talk Nigel and Dennis out of saying anything. "C'mon! She looks totally wizard! I'd want to be told!" Dennis grumbled.

"No, Dennis. You either Nigel. You don't understand, she doesn't think it's 'wizard.' It-You can't understand. It's just another scar. Please, I'm asking you as a friend. Don't say anything."

Nigel had thrown his arm around Dennis and answered for them both, promising Harry they wouldn't. That had been only a few days after their return. Whispers had, Harry thanked his lucky stars, been silenced quickly. He'd threatened a few people, warned a few others, explained to others that he'd appreciate it if they'd stop. Ron and Hermione had been on perfect prefect duty when it came to silencing the rumours. 

Lavender had been at the forefront of the rumours, of course. With Umbridge and Fred gone, Lavender seemed to think herself invincible. That was until Lavender dared to howl as Rebecca walked past her in the common room nights after they'd returned.

Rebecca stopped in her tracks, lowering her head. "What was that?"

Lavender looked around, gaining her bravado from the stares of the other Gryffindors. Angelina shook her head slowly, sighing at her stupidity. "A howl. You'd know, wouldn't you? Wolfy now, aren't you? Just like your fag-"

Rebecca had her by the collar of her shirt in a second, a comical sight as Lavender had gained a few inches through the course of the year and was now half a foot taller than Rebecca. "Here's the thing, Brown. I think you're a bad person." Rebecca took a breath pulled her closer, leaning forward so her lips were closer to Lavender's ear. "And I don't care what bad people say, but I won't have you badmouthing my godfathers. Does that make sense?"

Lavender tried to answer, but Rebecca shot her down. "No, don't talk. The sound of your voice makes me want to dive off the Astronomy Tower." Rebecca tightened the grip she had on Lavender's shirt suddenly, drawing a gasp out of her. "You're lucky I'm not a werewolf." Rebecca let a slight smile pass across her lips as she looked directly at Lavender. "You'd certainly have a lot more to be scared of, wouldn't you?"

Lavender nodded, not realising it was a rhetorical question. Rebecca let her go quickly, sending Lavender stumbling back. "Professor Lupin taught us more as Defence Against the Dark Arts students than any other professor we've had. He is, as of recent, also now one of our godfathers." Harry nodded and stood up, looking around the room as he took Rebecca's side. 

"Speaking badly of him will..." Harry trailed away, looking to Rebecca. He knew she'd mastered the art of subtle threats much better than he had.

Rebecca smirked out at them. "Go very, very poorly for you."

"Harry!" Rebecca called, waving a hand in front of his face and sending him out of his reminiscing. "Aren't you going to eat something?"

Harry looked around, shocked that he'd thought they entire time they'd walked to the Great Hall. "Yes, sorry. Thinking."

Rebecca giggled, "That's dangerous."

Harry rolled his eyes before laughing with her, Ron saying something about how, "He had to have been thinking about Cho again."

"Again?" Rebecca asked, reaching for a piece of toast and smiling scandalously. Ginny turned from where she was sitting farther down the table, hearing their conversation and .

"I've got to run." Harry said, seeing how Cho waved to him at the door. She'd told him she 'had to talk' to him while they were in Hogsmeade and he was a little nervous as to that such ill-omened words could be about. "See you later." He stopped a few feet away and looked at Rebecca. "Four, okay? Don't be late."

Rebecca's mouth dropped in surprise, "Late? Kind brother, I would never dream of such a grievous error."

Harry stifled a groan at her horrible posh accent. "Just don't be late!"

Rebecca stuffed the rest of the piece of toast in her mouth, Hermione looking at both she and Ron disgustedly. "You two are horrid."

Ron and Rebecca looked at each other before turning back at her confused. 

"What?" They asked at the same time, both of their mouths full.

*******************************************

"Later!" Rebecca called over her shoulder, jumping out of the carriage before it had come to a full stop and jogging out of the area. 

"Four o'clock!" Hermione shouted after her, shaking her head at how she hurried towards the Hog's Head. "Well, just the three of us now." 

Ginny sighed. "Just what I wanted. Stuck with you two on our last outing of the year."

Hermione followed Ginny's storming off with Ron, putting a little distance between them. Ron looked at Hermione confused. "What's she mean 'stuck with us?'" Ron shrugged before pointing off in a direction, "Honeyduke's?"

Rebecca turned off Hogsmeade's main road, her legs going faster until she was flying through the cobblestone roads in the early morning sun. The breeze was cool and carried with it the scent of fresh baked goods from Madam Puddifoot's and the telltale smell of chocolate from Honeyduke's. 

Rebecca slowed at the back of the sweetshop, trying to decide if she should pop in and bring them breakfast. "What the hell? Sweets for my sweet." She laughed at her thoughts and popped in, happy to see the shop was empty. 

"You're quite early!" The boy behind the counter called happily, chatting like they were best mates. Rebecca racked her brain, trying to remember his name.

"Hey, you!" "Think Rebecca, think!" "How are you?"

The boy's eyes sparkled as he grinned. "Jonas. I can see the panic in your eyes."

Rebecca winced, "That obvious? I'm sorry, crazy morning. I'm actually here to see if you have any-"

"Pains au chocolat?" He asked, taking a box off the counter and flicking his wrist expertly, the creases opening and making a box. "It's our most popular morning treat."

Rebecca nodded, "Then yes, chocolate it is." 

Jonas picked up the tongs and held it in front of him, "Just one?"

"I need, well...let's see. Probably six? Yeah, six please. Oh wait, no, seven."

Jonas scooped them out impressed. "Seven? You've certainly brought an appetite!"

Rebecca laughed and moved down the counter with him. "I'm bringing them as a surprise for someone. Two someones, actually--My boyfriend and his brother."

Jonas' eyes fell. "Ah, I see." He tapped in her price, his kind façade gone. "13 galleons." Rebecca counted out the coins, confused at the change in his attitude. "Is that all?" He asked rudely.

"Yes, it is." She picked up her box. "Thanks."

Jonas turned his back to her and pretended he was filling bins. She scoffed and left the shop quickly, tucking the box under her arm. "Prick." Rebecca took a left on the street and ducked down an alley, finding the promise of seeing their shop and Fred (as well as George) more than enough to wipe away the unpleasantness of the clerk.

"One of those for me?" The grizzled barkeep, Aberforth, asked expectantly. 

"Of course. Are you really asking me that?" Rebecca opened the box and slid it away. "Not that one."

Aberforth stared at her. "What special about that one?"

"Look at it!" Rebecca pointed around the edge. "It's got the most chocolate chips."

Aberforth grumbled. "Maybe I like chocolate..."

"If you need it, well," Rebecca smiled. "It's not like they'll know."

"They? Is there a reason you're here with such sweets or are you hoping to use my fireplace and head to Diagon Alley?" Aberforth looked at her carefully. 

"Well, I was sort of hoping to. Brought my own powder and..."

"And?" 

"I did share this delectable, flaky, chocolatey treat with you."

Aberforth smiled and waved his hand at her. "I'm only ribbing you. Go for it. Not like I give it much use anyway." Aberforth sighed. "You tell those boys to make their way back here, alright? They've got a round on the house. Can't believe the stories I hear about what you three did. They left that swamp up, didn't they?"

Rebecca put the lid back on box and dug around in her pocket for one of the bags of powder. "Me? I simply watched. And yes, Professor Flitwick left a fair amount of it up. Even added some benches, I think."

Aberforth shook his head and pointed to the newest frame on the wall. "Look at that and tell me that again."

Rebecca walked to it, her hand finding the bag as she looked over the napkin inside. "Is this...?"

"Yes. It's not everyday that companies are made in here. Don't say you didn't play a role in it because I've seen those boys: They're smart as a whip but need a little help when it comes to it."

"Companies?" Rebecca's voice was layered with skepticism.

"Companies! You heard me, don't be a wise arse. Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes is going to be a name feared by parents and professors alike." Aberforth turned back to the glass he was wiping off.

"Me? A wise arse?" Rebecca raised her hand and backed up to the fireplace. "Alright, I hear you. Can't argue with that. How late are you open today?"

Aberforth gave her a long stare. "Pubs don't close before four."

"Ah yes, four. I will be back by four." Rebecca tapped her wrist. "Four, four, four." She stepped into the fireplace and waved. "Thank you, Aberforth! That thing you said, 'feared by parents and professor,' you mind if I pass that on?"

"Sure, if you get out of here already!"

Rebecca tore the corner of the bag open with her teeth, closing her eyes. "Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes!"

The flames shot out from under her, enveloping the Hog's Head in a flash of green light before Aberforth was spreading the grime around his glasses alone once more. "Heh, damn kids."

*******************************************

Rebecca looked around the downstairs of...she wasn't sure. There were half built shelves in one corner, a drawing board in the other with so many papers tacked onto it, it looked more like a confetti bomb had gone off on it, two stools next to each other with dirty plates on it. "Three weeks, they've been alone for three weeks!"

She couldn't help but smile at the work they'd done, however. They had a map circled in red at the forefront of their mess on the board, a map that seemed to be what they were working on. Footsteps pounded down the stairs at the back of the shop, both boys running down the stairs shirtless and wands held in front of them.

"Oh my M-Why wouldn't you owl first?!" George shouted, waving his wand angrily. "Nearly gave me a heart attack!"

Fred lowered his wand and held his arms open, hurrying down the rest of the stairs to hold her against him tightly. "Don't listen to him, he's still grumpy he got the smaller room."

Rebecca stepped back and opened the box they were eyeing. "Ta da!" Rebecca slapped George's hand away. "What were you saying? Heart attack..."

"I was saying it's wonderful to see you! You should have come sooner!" George cried in excessive joy, reaching for a pastry.

George grinned and took another, munching happily and asking with his mouth full. "Who's Jobas?" Fred narrowed his eyes at his brother, snatching the box out of his hand and crinkling it as he grabbed it tighter, reading the invitation to get a butterbeer some time. George swallowed and grinned. "Seems like you've got an admirer!" He sang.

Fred set the box down and put his pastry back. "So that's why he turned into such an arse." Rebecca murmured to herself before waving the boys to eat up. "Don't be absurd, Fred. They're still perfectly good breakfasts and the note was on the bottom of the box, he's probably written it on them all. Besides, you still need breakfast."

Fred raised his chin, not looking at the box and the deliciousness inside. "How can I eat such a scandal? That prat had best be thanking his lucky underwear I wasn't there. Three weeks and the snakes start circling..."

"Do snakes circle?" Rebecca asked curiously before shaking her head. "Stop while you're ahead and eat some damn chocolate." She pecked his cheek before heading to the board. "We've only got until three."

*******************************************

"It's three." George gasped, falling to the floor. "Thank. Fucking. God."

Fred, while not entirely agreeing with his brother's expression, and fell to the floor next to him and added in his own level of dramatic-flair. "I'm...dead..."

Rebecca wiped her hands on her pants and looked over the room. "Got quite a bit done today. I wish I could come tomorrow." George's eyes shot open, his head shaking quickly in fear. "Ha. Ha. George. Look around though! This looks amazing!" The shelves were all constructed up to their second shelf, Rebecca wanting them to be able to go over the layout and see how the products looked on the shelves before the last two levels were put on. Fred put his elbows back, looking up at her. "I mean really, look at this progress!"

He chuckled and mouthed something to George, "There is one more thing we can do today, now that you're here."

George sat up with a new found excitement, knowing what he was talking about. "Yes, there is!" Rebecca took a drink of water from the cups George had brought them all earlier. "It's upstairs."

Fred stood up and grabbed the shirt he'd put on only to end up taking it off again after getting too hot earlier. "Let's go upstairs then."

Rebecca wiped her forehead off with her sleeve, the work they'd done had been hard, sweaty work. "Half an hour, that's it. That leaves extra time for any distractions and still to get to the carriages in time."

Fred held a hand to his chest, motioning for her to fo up the stairs first. "Are you calling me a distraction?"

Rebecca looked him over and smirked. "Well, when you're like that..."

George gagged and pushed past them, throwing open the door to the flat above the shop. "I'm going to grab it, you give her the tour. And put some clothes on, man-slag!"

Fred stood in the entry, "You are aren't wearing a shirt either!" Fred lowered his voice and grinned deviously. "He's just jealous Cedric's not here to ogle him." Rebecca nodded and shushed him. Fred guided her in, pointing as they walked into the flat slowly. "Here's the kitchen." The kitchen was home-like, red and yellow towels hanging on the oven handle like at the Burrow and tea cups sitting out on the counter. "Here's the table for business and eating. Though, we've taken to just getting takeaway and eating at the telly."

Rebecca gasped, "Dastardly!"

Fred nodded, "I know, I know." He pointed at the wooden desk in the corner of the living room, smiling cheekily. "That's where we send our mail."

"You mean where you nag the hell out of me? And Dumbledore?"

Fred paused a moment, not realising she knew he'd been writing him too. "Well, that too." He pointed down the hall that intersected the length of the flat. "Down there, that's George's room." Fred pointed down the opposite way and walked towards it, speaking when he put his hand on the door knob. "And this...this is our room. If you want, that is."

Fred stepped in and watched as Rebecca took it in. He'd taken the bigger room because he'd always planned on sharing it with her, though as she looked around and failed to say anything, he wondered if he'd been wrong in thinking that. "If you don't want to, that's always okay too."

"Fred, you can't live like this." She pointed to where he'd hung his clothes on half the rack and how he'd only covered half the bed. "This...this isn't right."

Fred grabbed her hand, turning her towards him. "I'm sorry, I thought you'd want to share a room. We've got an extra one that's got the back stock that can-"

"No!" Rebecca said quickly, shaking her head and putting her hands on his shoulders. "That's not it at all." She giggled. "It'd be kind of silly to have separate rooms and sleep in one another's beds." Rebecca looked back at his stuff and frowned, "But darling, I've got two more years of school. You can't live in half a room for two years."

Fred sighed and brushed the hair away from her face. She turned her head, moving so that he couldn't see the side of her face. "I like it like this. Reminds me what there is to look forward to."

Rebecca moved her head so that her hair fell forward again before looking back up to him. "Two years though. That seems like an eternity."

Fred reached a hand and traced her jaw before tilting her chin up to him. "For you, I'd wait an eternity." He bent down and kissed her deeply, bringing his hands to the sides of her head and letting his thumbs lay on her temples before drawing the hair away from her face again. When they parted, he kept his face right in front of hers a moment before bringing his lips to her lightning bolt and holding his lips to it. Then he kissed the top of the line around her eye, making his way down it until he was at the very bottom where he kissed down to the spot below her ear. "Don't hide from me, not anything about you."

Rebecca closed her eyes as he pulled her into his chest, leaning his back against the doorframe. George ran out of his room, a small disk in hand. "Ready?" He called before dashing out of the flat.

Rebecca sniffed and wiped her nose, emotional at Fred's tenderness. She patted Fred's chest before standing up. "Let's go before he combusts." 

George had left the door to both the flat and the front of the store open. "Hurry up!" He shouted from outside. Fred entwined his fingers through hers, twirling her once slowly as they stepped onto Diagon Alley. George tossed his wand in the air before staring at the two of them. "Let's go, wands out."

Rebecca looked around like he was talking to someone behind her, "Funny! I'm still not seventeen."

George scoffed, "Pretend then, wise one."

Rebecca sighed and did as she was told, holding her wand backwards for an extra safety measure. "On the count of three, okay?"

Fred took a look at their storefront, amazed at how much they'd managed to finish. "One."

George looked back at his brother, at how he had his hand was still holding Rebecca's. He thought of a certain brown haired badger and knew what was going to do. "Two."

Rebecca looked away from Fred and looked to George, shocked at everything they'd gone through, how far they'd come and that come summer, they'd be opening a shop. "Three."

"Wingardium Leviosa." Fred and George said in unison, sending the disk up in the air. George whispered something as it reached the space for a sign, enlarging it until it was clear enough for them to see. 

A circle was formed around three interlocked Ws, purple and orange filling the circle and the Ws in zany patterns. Three bright orange rectangles hung below it, glittering chains connecting them to the main sign. Each rectangle said a word of the shop's name: Weasleys', Wizards, and Wheezes. 

George grinned and pointed at them before looking back up at the sign. "Watch this."

He slowly walked back into the shop, the top most rectangle turning a marvelous purple. Fred laughed loudly, dancing away from Rebecca and hopping in the doorway, pointing and cheering when his turned purple. "C'mon, last one!"

Rebecca looked up at the sign before turning back to the boys. She ran at them and launched herself at them, throwing them all to the ground. George groaned and laid his head back, sticking his tongue out of the side of his mouth like a child did when playing dead. Fred smiled up at her before opening his arm so that she fell into the gap between them. His smile turned to a smirk at her surprise at such a smooth move.

"Hello?" A voice called out from outside the shop. "Mr Weasleys?"

Fred and George sat up confused, pulling her to her feet between them and walking back outside. "Yes?"

The little woman smiled sheepishly and pointed down the street. "I'm your neighbour, I own the Special-Tea Pot."

Rebecca grinned, "That is a brilliant, brilliant name."

The woman curtseyed comically, introducing herself. "My name's Margaret, but call me Margo." They noticed the camera in her hand and Margo held it up. "I opened up nearly thirty years ago and have seen a lot of shops come and go, but the one thing I always do is make sure there's a picture."

George nodded, "That's really nice of you. We're hoping to open at the beginning of summer." Fred rearranged himself, putting Rebecca in front of him and throwing an arm around George's shoulder.

Margo lifted the camera to her eye. "That's a great idea, give the kiddies lots of time to build of stock for school." Margo looked up at them a moment, "Smile!" She turned a knob on the side a few times before snapping the photo.

They did, their joy more than evident as they laughed. Out the bottom of the camera spat out three pictures, their grins and laughter captured in the moving image. "Good luck then," Margo handed them the pictures. "I hope you'll be here a while. Holler if you need anything, anything at all."

Fred nodded, "You as well."

"It's half past, I've really got to go." Rebecca sighed, turning back to the shop as Margo returned to her shop. "Today's been perfect. I really do wish I could stay." Fred opened his mouth. "But I can't." George looked up from his picture. "Besides...Angelina's asked to talk to me tonight and I think it's going to be about quidditch next year."

George rolled his eyes. "Angelina? Talk about quidditch? You're nuts."

*******************************************

"I've got to go!" Rebecca laughed, pushing Fred out of the fireplace he was pouting in. "Also, Aberforth wants you to go back soon. Said something about a round in celebration. We should add him to the gift list, I'm certain he'd get a kick out of a little basket."

"Look at her, on her way out the door and making more work." George told Fred, acting as if she couldn't hear them.

"I know, bossy isn't she?"

Rebecca waved to them and opened the bag of powder, smiling sadly. "School's nearly through and then I'll be here so much, you'll both be sick of me."

Fred and George shook their heads, answering in unison. "Never."

Fred waved her on, "Get going! If you're late, McGonagall will make sure this doesn't happen again!"

"The Hog's Head!" Rebecca called, throwing the powder to her feet. The green flames wrapped around her ankles before she was sucked through the Floo system and the Hog's Head appeared in front of her. 

"Cutting it close, aren't you?" Aberforth called from behind the bar, patrons sprinkled about the pub and confused as to why a teenager had just flooed in. 

"Damn!" Rebecca cursed, jumping out and running to the bar. "Thank you!" 

Aberforth gave her an exasperated smile and pointed to the door. "Thanks can wait! Get!"

Rebecca nodded, waving over her shoulder as she hurried out of the pub and found the streets of Hogsmeade frighteningly empty. The clock at Hogsmeade's center showed mere minutes until four. Rebecca broke into a run, the slapping of her shoes on the stone walkways echoing up into the air.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione were waiting in the middle of the carriage's clearing. "She'll be late." Harry sighed.

"One minute or two?" Ron asked, his eyes glinting deviously. "I'll take one minute for a sickle."

Hermione shook her head. "You two are horrible!" Harry turned away from her and nodded at Ron, holding up two fingers. "Let's get in, carriage leaves in a minute." Hermione sighed.

Rebecca's side pinched horribly as she ran on. "Wait!" She shouted, tearing through the stone archways separating the carriage's entrance from Hogsmeade's business streets. "I'm not late!"

The carriage jerked forward, leaving at four as it was supposed to. "Hurry up!" Harry laughed, holding his hand out for her to grab as she got closer to the carriage. Ron stood up too, holding his hand out for her to grab as well.

Rebecca jumped forward, using the last burst of speed she had and grabbing their arms and stepping onto the step. Hermione had her eyebrows raised as Rebecca fell onto the carriage's seat and panted heavily, holding a hand against her chest. "I was...on time...I swear..."

Ron nodded, "Sure you were."

Rebecca shook her head, "I was!" She took a deep breath and explained. "We put the sign up and met someone from a few shops down. Took a minute longer." Rebecca took the photo out from her pocket and handed it to them, all of the smiling at how happy they looked.

"Got a lot done?" Hermione asked, looking over her ragged appearance. 

"Loads. Shelves built, stock organised, map made. Took a tour of the flat, put the sign up as I said."

"And?" Ron waved his hand. "How wicked was it?"

Rebecca squinted at him, "The flat?"

Ron nodded, appalled at the question. "Yes! They're the first to move out and be visitable!"

Rebecca shrugged, "Molly's given them some towels, if that's what you mean. Fred showed me his room."

"His room?" Harry asked, leaning forward and staring at her. "Strange."

"Strange how?" 

Harry smirked, "Well, it's just strange considering he'd written to me a while back for permission for you to to share a room."

Rebecca's mouth dropped open. "Permission?" Rebecca scoffed, "Fine, it's our room and it would have been whether you approved or not."

Harry nodded, "That's pretty much what I told him."

Ron handed her back the picture. "I want supper. Today was long."

"Where'd you two end up? Where's Ginny?" Rebecca reached up and lifted the hair off her neck, leaning into the cool breeze and looking to Ron and Hermione.

Ron groaned and nodded towards Hermione, "She had me looking at parchment thicknesses and ink shades for hours!"

Hermione shook her head adamantly, "Minutes, maybe. Ginny went back early, sick of his complaining. All he wanted to do was look in the window at Wiseacre's to see a glimpse of some broom he's supposed to have gotten."

"Some broom?" Ron sat up, raising his voice. "SOME BROOM?" Harry covered his ear. "That 'SOME BROOM' is supposed to be the next Firebolt!"

Hermione rolled her eyes, "And you don't even know if it exists!"

Ron sat back scoffing, "I know it does. I could-I could hear it calling to me!"

Hermione and Ron bickered angrily, giving Rebecca the perfect opportunity to talk to Harry. "And you? How'd tea with Cho go?" Harry pursed his lips, nodding his head once, saying nothing. Rebecca shook her head. "I'm so sorry, Harry. She doesn't know what she's missing out on."

Harry sighed and looked out over the castle. "Next year'll be different."

Rebecca snorted, "Sure. I think we've said something like that about every year and...I don't know about you, but I don't think we've really seen much difference."

"IT'S A BROOM!" Hermione shouted.

"IT'S A WORK OF ART!" Ron shouted louder, his face red.

"No, not much changes." Harry smiled at her. "Maybe it's for the best. She cried so much--Like a human hosepipe."

Rebecca rolled her eyes, "Very nice."

"Well, it's true."

*******************************************

<3


	91. Chapter 91

"Don't be absurd!" Rebecca wrote quickly, her quill scratching on the back of the invitation Sirius and Remus had sent her with an apology attached for only sending one invitation to their 'celebration,' as the two men were calling it. It was a chance for their loved ones to celebrate their marriage with everyone there since they'd opted for a private ceremony at the Ministry. She mouthed the works silently, disbelief crossing her face.

"Harry's not one for sentimental-notions anyway. Mine'll be hung up in place of picture I WILL get of the two of you--I can't excuse not having one any longer. Harry sends his congratulations, his thanks, and his love."

Rebecca gave Hedwig the envelope back, patting her head lovingly before she flew away from the Common Room window. Remus and Sirius had sent them both new quidditch gloves at word of their co-captaincy. Angelina had decided that, with Katie going to be in so many N.E.W.T. classes, Harry and Rebecca taking over as dual captains would lessen Katie's stress and increase the chances of a third year in Gryffindor's Quidditch Cup victory streak.

Rebecca's head slammed forward, a pillow having been launched at her. She turned around, Harry grinning cheekily. "C'mon! You know how Ron feels about the end of term feast!"

Rebecca laughed, standing and crossing the common room quickly. "Yes, yes I do."

Hermione linked her arm with Rebecca's, beginning to talk about the summer and how nervous she was for their O.W.L. results to come back. Hermione, along with Harry and Ron, went quiet at the sight of the Great Hall. Decked in just as much splendour as any year, the hall had banners of all the houses hanging. 

Once they'd taken their seat and the start of supper passed, Dumbledore took his place at the podium. "This year..." He looked across the room slowly. "This year has proven must irregular. For this, I must apologise."

Rebecca watched Seamus put his hand over Dean's as Colin put his arm around Dennis, family members, loved ones, and friends pulling each other closer as Dumbledore continued.

"This castle is your place of learning, the place in which you grow into the witches and wizards your professors and I know you to be. And that reputation was tarnished this year. That is why, in efforts of replicating a modicum of fairness, the house cup will not be awarded this year." Dumbledore raised a hand to silence the whispers. "Instead, I want us to celebrate our wisdom and our loyalty and our ambition and our bravery. That is all."

Dumbledore raised his hand once more, "That was a joke." His eyes crinkled as a few students gave him fake laughs. "While we will not be recognising a single house tonight, there are a few mentions that must be done. First, for a knack in coordination and planning, Nigel Wolpert."

The Gryffindors clapped loudly, cheering as Nigel stood. "Louis Yorksmith, for remaining strong in your beliefs."

The Hufflepuffs stood and shouted, the ones around Louis slapping his back and laughing as Louis' face burnt a scarlet Gryffindor's ties were jealous of.

"Yara Bellington, for keeping cool in the face of tensions." Yara was pushed up by those next to her, smiling proudly.

Dumbledore turned to them all, "There were too many instances and students that deserved recognition, if I had not been convinced otherwise, I'd make you all sit while I called each and every one of you." Ron's eyes widened in fear, the promise of dinner seemingly distancing itself. "But, I shan't. Bon appetit!" He clapped and dinner appeared, the Great Hall jumping into celebratory conversations. 

"At least it's only a few weeks again." Rebecca said, motioning at Harry with her fork. "With the Dursleys, that is."

Harry scoffed, "Yeah, for me. Can't believe they're not making you go."

Rebecca patted his arm, "Can't you though? I do believe Vernon threatened twin-icide if they got both of us."

Hermione looked up warily, "Are you joking?"

Rebecca nodded until Hermione looked away when she shook her head. Hermione sighed, "Rebecca, I can see you doing that."

Rebecca froze and turned back to her dinner, laughing. Harry rolled his eyes at her, pointed at her plate and snapped. "Can you just eat your dinner? Not everything has to be funny. I swear, the closer summer comes the worse you act."

Rebecca frowned and took another bite, saying nothing to not give his insult any weight. Harry grit his teeth, knowing he'd been harsh but too proud to apologise. Ron tried to keep a conversation going, but stopped as every attempt failed. Rebecca was secretly grateful when a voice called her name behind her, giving her an excuse to leave early.

"I wanted to talk to you about something, if you've finished of course." Cedric smiled at them all and picked up on the tense-vibe.

"How excellent, I just did." Rebecca set her fork on her plate and nodded curtly at them before leaving with Cedric talking quietly. 

"Good going, mate." Ron ribbed.

Hermione shook her head. "No, it's not 'good going.' Now she's off doing who-knows-what" Hermione glanced at Harry. "I guess there is one positive, though."

Harry raised his eyebrows and looked over his glasses at Hermione, "And what would that be?"

"She's missed dessert. Bring a piece of something or other and all will be forgotten." Hermione spoke confidently.

"How can you know?" Harry sighed. Hermione looked at him a long moment. "Yeah, never mind. It's Rebecca."

*******************************************

"Are you kidding me? That's what this is about?" Rebecca asked incredulously. "I thought this would be about Ge-"

"He told you?!" Cedric gasped, holding his hands together and wringing them nervously. "We agreed to see how things went first!"

Rebecca laughed and punched the air, "Yes! I know everything!" Each word was punctuated with a jump. She shook her head, "But he didn't tell me. That would just be my genius showing."

Cedric narrowed his eyes at her and plucked another poster off the wall as they passed. "Sure." Cedric turned down the hall and motioned for Rebecca to stop dancing, seeing what he'd called her away early for. "Luna?" He asked. "You didn't go to the feast?"

"No," Luna finished pinning one of the posters she had in her arms before turning to them and tilting her head at her recollected posters. "It seems all my possessions have gone missing."

"What's this?" Cho asked quickly, appearing behind them with a poster in hand.

"My belongings, they've gone missing." Luna lowered her voice. "Apparently people have been hiding them."

"That's awful." Rebecca said, catching Cho's eye. Cho nodded discreetly. Cedric watched the girls' silent communication and motioned for Cho to fill him in.

Luna disagreed. "No, no. It's all good fun, I'm sure of it. I do need them back though. It's the last night."

Cho walked a few steps away with Cedric, talking softly about who'd stolen Luna's belongings. "I'm sorry about what happened, Rebecca."

Rebecca faced Luna, trying to ignore the way Luna's eyes traced her scar. "There's nothing to be sorry about."

Luna shook her head, "It's miraculous, what you did. It's all some people would like--to have someone lost back again." Luna grabbed Rebecca's wrist, holding them a moment. "I called you the seer, on the train a few years ago."

Rebecca nodded, "I remember."

"I wasn't sure why. I saw you and that was the word that came to mind." Luna let go of her arm. "I'm happy to say now I think 'friend.'"

Rebecca smiled, "I'm happy as well, Luna. You're a great person to have as a friend."

Cho turned away from Cedric, waving Rebecca to them. "Don't worry Luna, maybe its nargles that took your stuff."

Luna looked up at the light above, "Maybe. I'm not worried. My mum always said that the things we lose end up coming back to us in the end." Luna pointed, her trainers hanging by their laces. "If not always in the way we expect."

Rebecca nodded and left to Cho and Cedric, happy that their didn't seem to be an awkwardness between the two exes. "You know who's done this?"

Cho rolled her eyes. "Yeah, and I already told them to return it all once."

Cedric chuckled, "We'd best ask again then."

*******************************************

Rebecca crossed her arms in front her and stared at the Ravenclaw third years who had found it so funny to torment Luna one final, larger time before the year ended. "Do you know who I know?" The four boys paled, knowing the pranks she had not only participated in, but had helped create as well. Rebecca reached into her pocket and pulled out a small grey shape. 

Cedric gasped, "No, Rebecca you can't! They're just kids!"

Cho had insisted she get bad cop. "Do it! I warned them once already and they're still being wee shites! They get what they've earned!"

The boys grabbed each other, tears actually glistening in one's eyes. "Please don't, we'll return it all!"

Rebecca held her hand higher, "Tonight?"

The boys shouted, "Right now!"

Rebecca looked over her shoulder at Cedric and Cho, waiting for them to nod. When they did, Rebecca lowered her arm and stared at them a long moment as the boys continued to stand still. "So go."

They tore off to the right, sprinting to the Ravenclaw common room. Cho was the first to laugh when they were in the corridor alone and soon all three of them were in stitches. Cedric reached a hand up, gasping. "What was it? Something new?"

Rebecca laughed harder and shook her head, "A rock!"

That was how Harry, Ron, and Hermione found them a few minutes later. Laughing and holding their stomachs, tears running down their red faces. "Wh-What's going on here?" Harry asked, looking everywhere but at Cho.

Cho left to exit, trying to end awkwardness before it could begin. Cedric explained, laughing before he could even tell them about what Rebecca had scared the boys with. 

Rebecca pulled it out again and tossed it to him, Harry nearly dropping the plate he'd smuggled out of the hall to try and catch it. "Hey!" Harry cried. He caught the rock in the air and held it to the light, shaking his head as he saw that it was just a regular, unremarkable pebble. "This is for you." He held the plate out.

Rebecca saw the tart and beamed, "How'd you know?"

"Because we like the same dessert?" Harry answered seriously. 

Hermione sighed, "Sarcasm."

"Ah." 

Cedric looked between them, "Alright, I've got to know. What happened?"

Rebecca unwrapped the edge of the plate, eating a piece of the crust as she balanced the plate on her knee, sitting cross-legged on the floor. She held her other hand up so Cedric could grab it. Cedric did a few seconds before wincing and letting go, "Tense Harry?"

Harry rolled his eyes, hating that they did that. "Yes, Cedric. I am."

Cedric nodded and backed out of the hallway slowly, "Well, did I tell you the good news?" All four fifth-soon-to-be-sixth years shook their heads. "I've got a job lined up."

"Really?" "Where?"

Cedric grinned, "A prank shop needed a clerk."

*******************************************

"Rebecca?" Hermione called from their room, setting the last of her belongings in her trunk.

"Yeah?" Rebecca asked, coming out of the bathroom with her hair tied up in her towel when Hermione didn't say anything else. "Need something?"

Hermione shook her head and made sure Ginny wasn't in the room. "I just-I wanted to make sure you knew that you can owl me about anything, call too. I've given you my number."

Rebecca nodded, furrowing her eyebrows. "What's up, Mione? This isn't our usual goodbye." Hermione sighed, closing her trunk and sitting on the edge. Rebecca sat across from her, crossing her legs on top of her own trunk that was mostly done. "Is something wrong?"

Hermione shook her head once before shrugging. "I don't know. I..." Hermione looked up, making sure she was paying attention. "You've been talking in your sleep again."

Rebecca tried to remember any pains like she'd seen something or strange dreams, but couldn't come up with any. "I haven't been seeing anything, if that's what you're asking."

"No, no. I figured you'd say if you had. I just want to make sure you know that I'll listen when you do and if you want to talk about it. Anytime. I mean it, anytime."

Rebecca nodded slowly, "I will. Things have been...quiet. Even Remus said so in a letter, it's like Voldemort just dropped off the map."

"Isn't that good?" Ginny asked as she entered the room, catching the end of her sentence. 

Hermione stood up and grabbed Rebecca's shoulder as she walked into the bathroom. "Who knows?"

Ginny laid on her bed and watched as Rebecca plucked the last few things from the walls, smiling as she looked at the picture of the three of them in front of the store. "Alright, go ahead." Ginny groaned.

"Go ahead and what?" Rebecca asked, putting the picture and a Gryffindor pennant into her trunk and making sure she had muggle clothes out for King's Cross.

"Talk about your stupid job."

Rebecca beamed and began. "Molly and Arthur have agreed that I can go weekdays until three. I said I'll floo in, but Fred's insisted on apparating me over. I think he's just rubbing it in, but I don't know. I think he also likes the idea of seeing you guys everyday, even if it's just for a few minutes."

Ginny nodded, "And what'll you be doing in the store."

"Don't rush me, I'm getting there."

*******************************************

"Do it again, spazz!" Rebecca turned her head at the sound of Crabbe's taunting as they walked to the Hogwarts' Express. Harry glimpsed over too, less interested. "Show us some tears!"

Ron rushed forward, raising his wand. Cedric appeared behind Crabbe and Goyle, Nigel, Louis, and Yara stepping out of the stream of walking students, scowling at the sight in front of them. Crabbe had Dennis hanging in the air, shaking him by the back of his clothes. "Cry like you did last time!"

"Put him down!" Colin bellowed, the loudest and most commanding any of Dumbledore's Army had ever heard him.

"Or what, Creepy Creevey? Gonna take a picture of us?" Goyle stepped forward menacingly.

"Or else you'll regret it." Nigel answered calmly, raising his wand to Goyle. Luna, Cho, and Neville filled in the gaps where they could, a circle of angry, protective students forming around the Slytherin bullies. Draco paused, lagging behind.

"We're not scared of..." Goyle's brain blanked, losing all insults.

"Ninnies!" Crabbe finished laughing like he'd come up with something fantastic. Crabbe raised his hand to punch Dennis in the stomach.

The two boys were hit with such an array of hexes and jinxes that Dennis was dropped to the ground and they fell to the ground in two massive piles, groaning all the while. Dennis tapped his now-in-hand wand to his chin and flourished it over both boys. In a flash, their underwear was wrapped around what had been their heads. 

"Wicked." Ron said, raising his hand to Dennis for a high-five as Colin walked past him to get to his brother.

"Wait," Colin said as the reunited Dumbledore's Army turned to continue back to the train. "He's right, I am going to take a picture." Colin set his camera on his trunk and ran back to the others, the members throwing their arms over one another and grinning wildly. Colin waved his wand at the camera and a flash went off. 

"The train waits for no one, Mr Creevey." McGonagall's voice rang out behind them. 

Colin smiled sheepishly as she looked over the mess of Crabbe and Goyle. "Yes, professor."

McGonagall waved for them to get a move on and began undoing the effects of their defence. Harry shook his head and smiled, the last act of the year leaving him feeling particularly joyful. "What's got you beaming? Not that I mind, of course." Rebecca asked, nudging him with her elbow as they climbed the stairs to the train's platform.

"I was just thinking that, well..." Harry turned so that all of Dumbledore's Army could hear him. "Voldemort is back."

Cedric reached forward and held his hand to Harry's forehead. "You well, mate? That's not good news."

Harry ducked away from Cedric's hand. "No, it's not. But we've got one thing he never will." Harry met Ginny's eyes, seeing a strange look over the youngest Weasley's face. "Things worth fighting for."

Rebecca nodded, "You're right, little poet. But the train leaves soon." She put on an old man's accent, "Shall we reminisce upon the past inside, laddy?"

Harry groaned and plowed ahead.

*******************************************

"Sweets?" The trolley lady asked, sliding open their door. "To purchase or, perhaps, send?" She raised her eyebrows at Rebecca.

Rebecca laughed and stepped out into the hall, leaving the others confused as to who she would send a candy to with Fred and George gone. "I'll take a licorice wand and a chocolate wand to the usual."

"I assumed so," The trolley lady handed the licorice wand to her. 

"Actually, can I get some droobles too?" Rebecca peeked into the compartment behind her where Ron had his head thrown back in laughter, Hermione trying to shut him up. "Thank you, have a good summer miss."

The trolley lady smiled and continued on her way. "I was the fiftieth purchase, won these." Rebecca tossed them to Ron. Ron tore them open, popping one in his mouth happily. He handed the box across the bench to Hermione who took one and laughed as Ron blew a bubble that popped across his face.

Rebecca pulled her knee up onto the seat, watching the wilderness pass the train quickly. Harry's eyes bore a hole in her, staring at the licorice wand. "Really? You couldn't have asked for one?" She took another bite before handing it to Harry who thanked her gratefully.

"I didn't want one then."

Rebecca pulled her jumper out of the bag at her feet, her muggle clothes not quite warm enough for the chill of the air conditioned train. Rebecca grabbed a piece of parchment and smiled, having an idea. "You mind if..." She pointed to Hedwig's cage on the seat next to her. 

Harry rolled his eyes, "I've got nothing to send off."

Rebecca grinned and scratched out a little note, opening Hedwig's door and standing to get to the window. "I do!"

Hermione smiled and turned her attention to Rebecca, ignoring Ron's jests. "We'll be there in less than an hour."

"Thank you, angel." Rebecca waved to Hedwig as she cooed and hopped out the window, her wings snapping open and catching the wind. "And my note will get there in less." Ginny knocked on the compartment door and tapped her watch at Rebecca. "Ah, I've got to step out. Keep an eye out." Rebecca swung her bag over her shoulder and stepped out.

Harry watched her leave, the licorice wand hanging out his the side of his mouth. "Watch?"

Rebecca giggled as Ginny crouched down and snuck down the hall, ducking and rolling between compartmant doors and windows while she hummed a theme. Rebecca stopped in her tracks, a memory surfacing.

Rebecca was walking in the vast, dense forests around where, at the time she was unaware of, the Burrow. She'd been pretending their were men in suits chasing her for one reason or another and had been ducking from tree to tree as Ginny was. When she'd exited the bout of forestry, she somersaulted before her misery wiped away her fun.

"Coming?" Ginny asked, noting the strange look on her face.

Rebecca nodded, shaking her head from the fog. "Yeah, right behind you."

Ginny raised an eyebrow, "No, you're not. You would have joined in."

"I did that, played like that." Rebecca looked away, "Before you lot. I think...I was. I was still walking." Ginny watched her, trying to figure out what the emotion was on her face. "I don't think about before you all a lot and well, not on purpose."

"I'm sorry."

Rebecca put her arm around Ginny's shoulder and shook her head, smiling. "Sorry for what? Having fun? Don't be mental."

Ginny scoffed, "Are you kidding me? With what we're doing, we are mental."

Rebecca took her arm out from around Ginny and nodded, "That is a good point. Changing your mind?"

Ginny grinned, "Never."

*******************************************

"Bloody hell, this is harder than it was supposed to be." Rebecca hissed, straining to open the bathroom window.

"Want me to try again?" Ginny asked from where she was on the floor getting everything set up. 

Rebecca sighed, "We're running out of time." Rebecca slapped her thigh, "Ginny! Is there a tube of paste in there?"

Ginny reached down into the bottom of Rebecca's backpack and laid out the assorted things found. "You've got some sweets...a magnifying glass...Why would you even need that?...Let's see...A toothbrus-"

"Don't touch the bristles!" Rebecca shouted, jumping off the toilet she was standing on and plucking it out of her hands carefully.

Ginny stared at her. "I'm not reaching back in there."

Rebecca smirked and plunged her hand in the bag, digging around. "Scared?" Rebecca pulled out the paste she'd been talking about. She jumped up and twisted the top off, squirting a layer onto the seam where the window was jammed into place. The paste let off a small stream of smoke before popping open a crack. "Yes!"

Ginny picked up the tied bundles and handed them up to her gently. Rebecca dabbed a touch of glue onto the fuse and tossed it out the window, replacing the lid carefully. Ginny zipped their bags and handed it up to her, grabbing her wrist and pulling her from the bathroom before the rockets went off.

The booms echoed from outside the train into the hall where Rebecca and Ginny were making their way back to the compartment, listening to the oohs and ahhs of their classmates they passed. Harry was on his feet, his hand against the window as he shook his head in disbelief. 

"WWW--OPENING FRIDAY  
BRING YOUR KNUTS"

"So...What do we think?" Rebecca asked, her smile unwillingly spreading to Harry. "It's great, isn't it?"

"It's..." Harry started, a lecture playing at the tip of his tongue. Rebecca's face fell, sensing the scolding. "It's great." Harry said, nodding and turning back out the window. "Talk about advertising!"

"That's what I said!" Rebecca shouted, launching into a vivid reenactment of the conversation she'd had with Fred and George about why they had to launch them. 

"Are you really opening on Friday?" Ron asked, still looking out the window.

Rebecca nodded, taking her seat and taking her jumper off. Excitement from the launch and now anticipation at being so close to going home had her warm. 

Harry's lips pressed together as he squeezed into the spot next to her. "I'm sorry I won't be there for it."

"Don't be, there's going to be so much to do and things are going to be so crazy...By the time you get there, we'll have all the kinks worked out." Harry nodded once, leading her to wrap her arms around him. "Don't sulk, it's a horrid look for you." Harry raised his eyebrows and looked down at her, saying nothing. Rebecca jumped up, standing closer to the window. "They said the end will be the best!"

Fred and George were right, it was the best. The words jumped into motion. The spots formed an image that sent them all into stitches: Umbridge moving in a slow jig with a frown and devil horns. 

The train tooted its whistle, their approach being announced to the riotous train. Rebecca grabbed her bag from the floor again and stood at the door, bouncing from foot to foot. Hermione smiled and made sure they all had their belongings, sticking her bookmark in happily. 

Rebecca threw the door open, hurrying down the aisle until she was at the exit of the train where she looked back at Harry, excitement evident on her face.

******************************************* 

"Who sent you that?" Pansy's shrill voice squealed as the sweet lady handed the chocolate wand. "Who's 'the usual?!'"

Draco's small smile at he and Rebecca's routine was wiped away in an instant. "If 'the usual' doesn't make sense to you, I would imagine it's not meant for you to know."

Pansy scoffed, scooting away from him on the bench with a huff. Draco unwrapped the treat, eating a small chunk of it. He'd spent days agonising over the 'important' topic his father had written to him about and found a small bit of peace as he chewed. Of course with the Dark Lord's return, he had an idea as to what his father would talk about-

"Can't think about it. Not here." Draco looked around the compartment of Slytherins to make sure none had noticed the deathly pale that covered him or how his hands had started to tremble. No, Draco knew exactly what his father was going to talk to him about and it filled him with fear.

*******************************************

"Now arrived: King's-" Rebecca didn't hear the end of the announcement that went through the train. The second the doors had begun to open, she turned sideways and slipped out. There, on the far end of the platform, were the Weasleys, Sirius and Remus, and a few members of the Order. Fred and Molly were talking animatedly, Molly's voice carrying through the distance between them and the quickly exiting train.

"On Merlin himself, Fred if you so much as dare. They're all going home first and then she can go."

"But mum, we wan-"

"After supper now!" Molly scolded, shaking her finger up at him. "Don't make me push it farther!"

Harry and Ron were talking to each other quietly behind Hermione and Ginny. "You're headed to their place in a few weeks, aren't you?" Ron asked, looking down towards Sirius and Remus.

"Yeah, why?" 

Ron looked away. "Dad's been working on a new car. If they try to keep you locked up, we'll be there."

Harry looked away too. "Thanks, mate."

"Any time."

Rebecca was, clearly with how she was running, the first to reach the adults and she launched herself into Molly and Arthur's sides, hugging them tightly. They laughed, hugging her the quick moment they had before she moved onto Sirius and Remus and then onto Tonks and Moody. Moody stood up, stiff as a board. "I find this entirely unprofessional."

"I'm not in the profession, am I?" Rebecca quipped, exchanging a hello with Tonks before turning to Fred and George who stood side by side with their arms crossed.

"Don't you feel like a last option, Freddie?" 

"Yeah, yeah I do, Georgie. I don't know how we're going to deal with this pain."

Rebecca opened her arms up to them both, George grinning. "I told you that I was saving the best for last! Didn't Hedwig come already?"

George wiggled his way out of her arms as Fred kissed the side of her head, standing up with her in his arms and spinning in a slow circle. "Just giving you a hard time, love." When her feet were on the floor again, Fred took her hand in his and grinned.

Molly had Ginny held against her with one hand and was using the other to hold Hermione's shoulder, keeping her from moving too far away as she was next for a hug. Tonks was mussing Harry's hair as he tried to talk with Sirius and Remus. Cedric cleared his throat behind them, his parents a few feet away talking to another set of parents. 

George blanked, seeing Cedric as he turned around. Cedric scratched the back of his neck timidly. Fred rolled his eyes and knocked George forward, ducking behind Rebecca when George whirled back with his hand raised. Rebecca rolled her eyes and stepped out from between them. "You're leaving me?!" Fred cried out, despite the fact that George had already turned back towards Cedric and was conversing quietly.

"I'm going to chat, are you coming?" Fred hopped after her, reaching for her bag and holding it over his shoulder. 

"Well, if it isn't the trouble makers?" Sirius goaded as they stopped at Harry's side, Lupin shaking his head with a slight smile playing at his lips. "On the train? Really?"

Rebecca blushed, shaking her head. "Not sure what you're talking about."

Fred sighed, "Maybe you two will have better luck trying to get her to tell a lie. This is shameful!"

Tonks leaned over, poking Rebecca's cheek. "Aren't Gryffindors supposed to be good at lying?"

Rebecca stepped back, looking over Tonks. "Aren't Hufflepuffs supposed to be nice?"

Sirius threw his head back and cackled, "BURN!"

Remus patted Sirius' shoulder, sensing the stares he was attracting with his shout. "Pads? Let's rein it in."

Rebecca smiled at how Sirius and Remus looked at each other before turning back to those in front of her. Remus glanced at Fred and her hands. "I expect visits, even though you'll be-"

"Moony!" Sirius jumped up and kissed him quickly. "Let's go, Arthur's waving for us."

Rebecca glanced at Tonks but Tonks ducked away. Turning into Fred's side, she looked up at him and let her hand rest on his chest gently. "Darling? You don't happen to know what's got this lot going batty, do you?"

A slow smile spread across his face. "Rebecca, are you trying to woo me?"

Rebecca raised an eyebrow, "Is it working?" 

Fred grabbed her hand off his chest and walked her to where their group was filing out of Platform 9 3/4 to the muggle King's Cross. "Wait until you see the shop, there's only a few things left before Friday."

"Changing the subject? A coward's way out." Rebecca laughed and followed him through the wall.

Harry popped up in front of the two of them, startling them both. "It's time."

Rebecca sighed and let go of Fred's hand, wrapping her arms around Harry and turning her head against his chest. "I'm sorry I can't come with you."

Harry shook his head, "I am too, but I know you're going to be busy."

Sirius lay a hand on Harry's shoulder, Remus turning Rebecca towards the Dursleys. Moody, Tonks, Molly, Arthur, Fred, George, Ron, everyone in their massive group fell into step around them as Vernon, Petunia, and Dudley came closer into view.

"Hello," Sirius offered, holding out a tattooed arm and hand to Vernon. Vernon stared at it and gulped. "Okay then..."

Remus took over, towering over them all. "So, it seems you'll be having Har-"

"Not the girl." Petunia's voice trembled. "Not the girl."

Remus narrowed his eyes, "It seems you'll be having Harry for three weeks. We expect daily communication to be allowed between he and Rebecca, as well as between us and Harry." Vernon opened his mouth to argue, but Remus raised a hand and silenced him. "I'm afraid these points are unarguable. They will happen. To not do so would be...unwise."

Sirius tore his eyes away from Remus unwillingly, loving how protective looked on him. "I'm sorry, I don't think we introduced ourselves." Sirius pointed to himself, "Sirius Black, previous mass murderer-proven innocent. I'm not dead set on innocent though, particularly when it comes to our godchildren."

"Our?" Dudley asked not rudely, but for clarification.

Remus stared down at the pudgy boy. "Yes, our."

Vernon glowered darkly, "I knew that was something originating from you people-"

"Vernon, big V, main mustache..." Sirius interjected, raising a hand between his mouth and Sirius for 'privacy.' "Look at everyone around you and look back at Harry. Now look back at me. I'd stop while you can, you see the size of him?" Sirius pointed at Remus. "Once he starts, I can't stop him." Sirius chuckled and let his hand fall, "In more ways than one!"

Rebecca and Harry tried to wipe what Sirius had said from their minds, but it was stuck. "Let's go, boy." Vernon said after a long pause, pointing towards the exit. 

Harry turned to Rebecca and hugged her one more time, "Three weeks."

Rebecca nodded, "Three weeks, it'll fly by." Harry filed after the Dursleys with his head held high, feeling strengthened by the support they'd shown him.

Molly clapped her hands once they were all left alone and started issuing orders. "We're going to split up, adult to child. We'll meet at the Burrow for an early supper before we go our separate ways." Rebecca's head shot up, causing Molly to laugh. "Yes." 

Rebecca jumped and was only held in one place by Fred putting both of his hands on her shoulders from behind her. "Mum? Can I?"

Arthur chuckled and looked around. "Back through, then yes. Home, Fred!"

Fred steered Rebecca back back towards the brick wall that would bring them out of muggle-view. "Ready?"

She shook her head, pulling him into a deep kiss once they were through and out of family eyes. "I am now."

*******************************************

<3


	92. Chapter 92

"Home at last." Rebecca said, to herself mainly, as Fred apparated the two of them outside the Burrow. Molly arrived seconds after them, pointing to the pile of trunks she and Arthur brought as Sirius and Remus apparated with Ron and Ginny. Molly called for their trunks to be put away before anything else.

Fred handed her her bag and took his wand out. He waved it at the pile of trunks and watched as Ron and Ginny jumped back, all three trunks floating in the house and stopping when they were outside their respective rooms. "Yes, home." He said not looking at their family's home, not looking at how Sirius and Remus or how Arthur and Molly were sneaking glances at the two of them and back to each other in the rapid-silent communication all adults seemed to master. No, his eyes only saw her.

"Rebecca! Fred!" Sirius shouted, making Remus wince at his side. "Get out of here before you make us all positively sick!"

Rebecca turned her attention to Molly and Arthur, a hopeful smile playing at the corner of her mouth. Arthur sighed and looked to Molly. "I don't know. What do you think, dear?"

Molly pursed her lips and watched in amusement as agony crossing Fred's face. "Supper's at six. All three of you had best be here."

Fred nodded and apparated the two of them away before Rebecca could say a word. She stumbled, Diagon Alley around them. A pop sounded beside them as George apparated. Fred grabbed her and turned her away from the store front, holding a hand over in front of her glasses so she couldn't see. "Really, I've seen the sign already!"

Fred shook his head, realising he'd have to voice his disagreement as he was blocking her vision. "Believe it or not, we've managed to get an awful lot done since then."

"She's going to flip!" George laughed madly, rubbing his hands together. "C'mon Fred, let's see what she thinks!" Fred shook his head at George, smiling. All three of them stood in silence.

"Can I look yet?" Rebecca asked after a long moment, their silence unnerving.

"We wanted to see how long it would take you to ask." George admitted, jumping back as she flung her arm in the direction his voice had come from.

"Ready?" Fred said softly, his mouth suddenly right next to her ear. She nodded, afraid that if she spoke she would betray how the slight rasp of his murmur had affected her. Fred lowered his hand slowly, revealing the store front they had painstakingly perfected over the past weeks.

George looked up at the front, the plastic enchanted mannequin that looked like he and Fred raising the top hat off its head. "Look, look!" George called, pointing up at the hat. It was lifted up and showed the top of the mannequin's head, then it came back down. The next time it lifted, a little rabbit was popping out.

"That's adorabl-"

"It's not done!" Fred turned her face back quickly, making sure she watched as the hat lifted once more and a head poked down from inside the hat. A head with wild black hair and rectangle glasses that looked just like her. 

Rebecca jumped, throwing her arms above her head. "That's..."

Fred and George laughed as she failed to come up with a word and herded her towards the door. Inside, she didn't even try to word her wonder. The bulk of the store was organised and priced, prank and humorous knicknacks spread around and displaying the array of goods they had to sell.

"Well?" Fred prompted, her extended silence leaving his heart pounding. 

Rebecca turned back to them and dragged them down to her level, holding her arms around their necks as she continued to take it all in.

*******************************************

"It's time, Draco." Lucius voice was soft but commanding. There was no room for negotiation. So he thought.

"Please father, I was wondering something."

Lucius glanced down the table where Voldemort himself was sitting, watching their interaction carefully. "I don't know what you think you're pulling right now but you'd better-"

"Lucius, let the boy wonder." Voldemort chuckled and waved a hand over the the table with Death Eaters seated around. "Wonders are, after all, the makings for greatness."

Lucius narrowed his eyes at Draco dangerously as Voldemort motioned for Draco to stand. Draco stared up at the muggle woman suspended over the table, her body maimed and steadily producing whimpers of pain. "I was wondering, Lord..." Draco steeled himself, hoping that with time he could get out of his fate. "I can't take the oath yet. I can't receive my mark."

Narcissa stood up, holding her hand over her heart. "Dark Lord! He knows not what he says, he must-he must be feverish! That's it."

Voldemort stood up and stalked around the table slowly, his long, flowing black robes trailing behind him like ink in water. "Explain yourself boy, before I take offence at your lack of enthusiasm."

Draco gulped, looking into the snake-like irises of Tom Marvolo Riddle. "I'm not yet sixteen, Lord. Just a child, a boy." Draco nodded his head, "If we wait until my birthday, I join the ranks more man than boy. Less of a child."

Voldemort stared at him, his eyes searching Draco's for any falsehood. "Lucius." Voldemort whirled away from him, tapping the end of his bone-white wand into the palm of his other hand. "You did well raising this one. I agree--We postpone until the day after your birthday, Draco."

Narcissa and Lucius sat back in their chairs glaring at Draco furiously for disagreeing with them in their home, in front of Lord Voldemort no less.

"That's bought me a few weeks." Draco thought morosely. "I find a way out of this by then or...it's over."

*******************************************

"It's five past!" Rebecca shouted, jumping up and thumping the back of her head on the shelf above the Exploding-Elephants she'd been stacking next to the Fainting-Foxes. "Bloody hell, GEORGE!"

George jumped up from where he had been flipping through a magazine while 'stocking.' "Why are you shouting my name like that? Can't you tell time?"

Rebecca appeared at the end of the aisle he was in, rubbing the back of her head and scowling down at him. "You were keeping watch!"

Fred climbed down from the ladder he had been balancing on and wiped his hands off on his pants. "Was that your head that whacked?"

"No, it was my elbow. Just holding my head for the fun of it." Rebecca winced as soon as the words left her mouth. "I didn't mean that." 

Fred raised an eyebrow in amusement. "You didn't?"

Rebecca sighed and grabbed her wand off the counter where it sat, unable to be used. "No, I didn't. I just didn't want to give anyone a reason to think that we won't follow the rules."

George snorted, "Rules? What are you, five?"

Fred gave George a look over Rebecca's head, holding his hand out for her to grab so he could apparate them. "Don't worry, I'll explain everything. Besides, if they try to stop you from coming...Well, I'll just have to take you. Won't I?" Fred closed his eyes and pulled them both through the tube-sensation that was apparating.

"Do you know how late it is?" Sirius said, sitting on a chair inside the door with his arms crossed and a glare set across his face. "Do you know how worried we were?"

George apparated behind them. "It was all his fault!" Fred called, pointing at George and running in the house with Rebecca's hand still in his. Sirius tutted, launching into a discussion on punctuality and responsibility to George. 

Fred stopped in the kitchen, kissing Molly's cheek and grabbing a towel off the rack. He opened the freezer and scooped ice out into his hand fluidly, his body sliding across the floor like he was floating as he worked around Molly's dinner preparation for an icepack. Molly pointed at it, demanding an explanation for the ice and their tardiness.

"We just lost track of time." Fred handed the ice to Rebecca, looking away from her only once she had it held on the back of her head. "And by 'we,' I mean George." Molly gave them a knowing mhmm and said nothing else on the subject, instead pointing to the plates that needed to be brought outside. "Outside?" Fred asked, looking around confused.

"Did you see all the people here? Unless you'd like people to sit in laps, I suggest you go set the tables outside!" Molly shooed him out from behind her. Fred gave Rebecca a sly grin and mouthed, "Sitting on laps?" Before exiting the kitchen out the back door. Rebecca's face burnt a terrible red, her lips suddenly dried and in desperate need of a drink. 

Tonks slipped out the back door after Fred, neither Rebecca nor Molly noticing how she had been sitting on the stairs waiting for dinner. "Oi! Green bean!" Tonks called after Fred, noting how he whirled at the name.

"Who told you about that?" He demanded, moving the pile of plates she was grabbing for out of her reach until she told him.

"Who told me about-What? You're tall and thin, it works." Tonks shook her head, "Don't change the subject of the conversation."

"Were we having one?" Fred remarked as he set plates down from the half he had after Tonks took some. "I didn't realise."

Tonks shot him a look, "We are now. What was that? In the kitchen?"

Fred cocked an eyebrow, "Snooping? We'll have to get you a bell."

"It's hardly snooping if, I don't know, I was sitting right bloody there!" Tonks laid down the last plate she had. "You'd better watch yourself, that was rougeish."

Fred stared at her a long moment, "I don't know what you're trying to say." His tone was blank, he honestly wasn't sure. Whatever it was though, he was pretty sure he wouldn't like it.

"You're a seventeen year old boy. She's got two more years of school, minimum. If she looks into being a professor-"

"She was talking about being a professor?" Fred interjected.

Tonks tilted her head, "She wrote to me about it, I assumed you knew." Tonks pointed at him. "Besides the point, you and double-trouble are young and now you're out in the real world. Don't string her along if you're plan on following the first tail that's shown."

Fred closed the distance between them in three long paces, his face swirling with equal fury and disbelief. "Who do you think you are?" Fred lowered his voice, making certain that anyone in the kitchen couldn't hear him. "I would wait my entire life for her, if I had to. I don't 'follow tail.' I haven't and I won't."

Tonks looked up at him carefully, "Are you sure though? That's the real question."

Fred's jaw set and his hands trembled at his side, wanting nothing more than to wrap around Tonks' neck and squeeze until she stopped talking. "She is my reason." Fred said dangerously, a vein in his neck standing out. "When we wonder why we have to win, why we have to beat him, she is my reason." Fred scoffed, "And that is certainly reason enough."

Tonks looked at him a moment before nodding once, "Okay."

"That's it? 'Okay?'" Fred shook his head in disbelief, "What brought this on? I've never acted anyway that would make it seem like I'd do anything but care for her."

Tonks' eyes left Fred's. Instead, she looked out over the fields and hills in the distance. "It's started just as it had before, Fred." Tonks sighed, "You can't remember last time, you were just a tot." Tonks looked into Fred's eyes once more. "The world is going to become a dark and dangerous place--There's not going to be any extra room in her for heartbreak."

Fred tilted his head at Tonks, seeing how her questions only came from a place of caring but still hating her for the implication that he'd ever hurt Rebecca. "There will never be any."

Tonks nodded and walked to the far table, fixing the plates he'd left unset when he stormed at her. "I still think you're too tall."

Fred grumbled back into the kitchen, muttering darkly. "Stop that this instant!" Molly scolded, holding a spoon at him dangerously. Molly turned back to the pot, muttering exactly as she had just told Fred to stop. "Coming in my kitchen like that...I ought to..."

Rebecca watched him carefully, motioning at the seat next to her. Fred took it and rest his head on her shoulder. "That woman manages to stir up trouble wherever she goes."

"Tonks?" Rebecca laughed softly and brushed the hair off his forehead. "There are quite a few people who would say the same about us." Fred didn't say a word, only looked at her in disbelief. "Do you want to know what I think is the issue between you two?"

Fred's tongue slipped across his lips, his thoughts distracted by how close he was to her. How, despite the supper being cooked across the room, the only thing he could smell was her shampoo. "I always want to hear what you are thinking."

Rebecca fought the urge to roll her eyes at him, "I think you two are exactly alike."

Fred looked away from her lips, staring into her eyes. "I take it back."

*******************************************

Dinner was an occasion filled with laughter and good will. As the plates were sent back to the kitchen on their own, Rebecca felt a pang of guilt. 

"I'm certain he's fine." Fred murmured, reaching for his cup.

"What?" 

Fred gave her a knowing look and grabbed her hand under the table. "You have a look, you were thinking about Harry."

Rebecca pursed her lips, "I may have been." She looked around the table and took in the happy faces of them all: Sirius having pushed his chair right up against Remus' so that they were next to each other entirely. Tonks and Ron talking about the latest match of the Chudley Cannons. Arthur was smiling and telling Molly about a new 'muggle-contraption' he'd gotten hold of. George was talking to Ginny about something rapidly and quietly, clearly not wanting their business known to the rest of the table.

And Fred...Fred was reading her every emotion and thought with apparent ease. "He'll call tomorrow and you'll see then."

"I'll see what exactly?"

Fred turned a half-smile at her that seemed to stop her heart and send it racing at the same time. "That I know everything." Rebecca laughed loudly, drawing the attention of those still sitting around the table as most of the adults had started heading into the house. Fred shook his head, "You don't believe me?"

Rebecca patted his shoulder as she stood up. "Of course I do."

Fred hopped up, trialing directly behind her. "Your tone says otherwise." She turned and stopped, Fred walking right into her. She stumbled back a step before Fred caught her by the upper arms. "Careful!"

Rebecca looked up at him and let the smile drift away from her, leaving a look of pure seriousness. "You're right tonight, but I can't say you are about everything."

Fred nodded and cheekily told her, "I know, that's your job." Before letting go of her and following her into the house. "Forgot to tell you that you have an appointment tomorrow."

Rebecca paused in the middle of the kitchen, looking around for anything that still needed to be cleaned up and finding nothing. "An appointment? Where?"

George smirked, appearing in the kitchen from the sitting room where Sirius' voice was escaping, loudly telling a joke. "Madam Malkin's, and don't ask why. We're not going to tell you, are we Fred?" Fred mimed that he zipped his lips shut. "Bout ready to go Fred? We've got a busy day tomorrow."

Fred sighed and put his hands in his pockets, slowly walking to Rebecca with his feet dragging. "One moment, then yes." George ran up the stairs, needing something from their room before they could return to the flat. 

"I hate to leave so early."

Rebecca put her arms around his back, Fred resting his hands behind her back. "It's really not that early, it's already nearly nine and I'm turning in early. Big day tomorrow."

Fred nodded, memorising how her green eyes lit up with excitement. "Yes, big day." Fred bent down and kissed her temple. "You could always come with us, you know."

Rebecca smiled up at him as he straightened, letting her head lay against his chest. "We talked about that earlier, I think I should stay here for now."

A chuckle grew through Fred, starting deep in his belly and trickling out of his smile down onto Rebecca like light did on a meadow in Spring. "I think that's probably best." The stairs began to creak, George descending with a box in hand. Fred lowered his head to kiss her again, stopping before he did so with a devilish look flickering in his eyes. "I don't know how much sleep we'd get if you came."

Rebecca's mouth fell open in shock as Fred kissed her deeply, pulling from her only when George joined them in the kitchen. Rebecca was breathless and her head was struck sufficiently empty from Fred's closeness, his words, and the ferocity of his kiss. "Good night, love. I'll be here about eight?"

Rebecca nodded, finding her words had escaped her. George pulled Fred from the kitchen to say goodbye to the adults. Rebecca picked up a rag off the table and took to wiping every square inch of the counter, enjoying the task's ability to give her something to do.

Remus wandered in a few minutes later, noting her distant look as she passed over the same area she had twice in the short time it taken him to fill a glass of water. "Rebecca?"

Rebecca jumped at his voice, not having noticed his entrance. "Goodness, Professor Lupin! You scared the he-you scared me."

Remus chuckled, remembering the many, many instances Lily's mouth had gotten her into trouble. "Wipe that counter much longer, they're be a trench." Rebecca stopped suddenly, looking up at Remus as he cleared his throat. "And you really must find something else to call me. I haven't been your professor for quite some time now and you can't exactly call me 'professor' when we'll be seeing so much of each other this summer."

Remus reached into his pocket and pulled out a chocolate bar, snapping off a brick and handing it to her as she tried to think. "Mister?" Remus gave her such a sharp look she averted her eyes. "No, not that."

"Have you considered Remus? I do have inclination to respond to it as it's, you know, my name."

Both of them laughed a moment, his cheek leading Rebecca into a divergence. "It's hard to imagine calling you Remus. You were our professor, and one of my favourites at that! Remus seems so-" Rebecca struggled for the word. "Friendly."

"Pity, I thought we were friends." Remus shook his head, stopping Rebecca from further explanation. "I understand. Perhaps a nickname then, something. Professor makes me feel old."

This only made them laugh harder. "How about Rems?" Rebecca offered, eating the last bite of chocolate she had. "Young enough?"

Remus was glad she hadn't offered to call him Moony. Her hair, her eyes, the mischievous turn of her mouth, no. It would have been too much like James and Lily were with him once more. "That's perfect. Now, I must ask: Why are you in here sculpting the counter?"

Rebecca blushed, Fred's parting words brought back to the forefront of her mind. "Thinking."

"Hmmm." Remus stared down at her and raised an eyebrow. "Thinking."

"Yes, thinking. Fred and George said something about an appointment tomorrow and I feel horrid showing up after weeks of puttering around school useless only to duck out for Madam Malkin's!"

Sirius wandered in after Remus, curious as to his extended absence. "You have not been 'puttering around useless.' Harry wrote about how much time you've spent in the library."

Rebecca looked away from them, "I like to say I'm well read. Can't do that if I don't read."

Sirius snorted, "Merlin, they were right. You couldn't lie if you'd been paid to."

"I can for a lolly." Rebecca winked, saying nothing else and easing the conversation away from her library-attendance to making sure they were going to stop in Friday. Truth of the matter was, she'd spent every minute not writing to someone or in class down in the library to research anything and everything she could on prophecies of the past or how one could increase their magic.

"No matter what happens," She reasoned to herself at night when she felt the pangs that she was doing something terribly wrong by searching such topics. "No matter what happens Harry and I will need to be stronger. To fight...or to bring back the dead."

*******************************************

"What, in Merlin's long, flowing, grey beard, did you say to her before we left?" George asked the second their feet landed in the living room of their flat above Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. "She was redder than a tomato."

"More red." Fred corrected, going into the kitchen and pulling out his tea cup, boiling the water left in the kettle on the stove. "It would be 'more red.'"

George scoffed and put his cup on the counter next to Fred's, motioning for him to make him one as well. "You think grammar will distract me? Now spill!"

Fred sighed, "If I wanted to tell you, I would have told you. Wouldn't I?"

George raised his hands in surrender, chuckling. "Touché, cheeky bastard." George pointed to the kettle just starting to whistle. "Whatever it was, it certainly boiled her kettle." Fred's hands jerked, sloshing water over the edge of his mug. "Kidding, I'm kidding. Fred? Fred, please don't look at me like that." George backed out of the kitchen shaking his head. "Fred! I'm your twin!"

Fred had set the kettle back down and was slowly turning towards George, a dangerous glint in his eyes. "Then no one will forget what you look like."

*******************************************

Harry was in his bed, laying on his stomach with a book open in front of him even though his eyes were looking out into the dark night's sky. The Dursleys had fed him the same dinner they had eaten without insult, instead they hardly said a word at all when he was in the room.

Harry sighed, turning the page despite the fact that he had not even glimpsed at the words. Hedwig let out a little hoot in the corner, sensing his loneliness. "I'm alright." Harry's voice seemed so loud in the room, the room that seemed so much bigger without Rebecca humming or tapping or annoying him in.

Harry looked down at the clock and smiled, "Two weeks and six days."

Harry jumped off the top bunk, landing on the floor with a muffled thump. He tapped the top of his dresser twice, once under the picture of his parents and once under the picture he still had of the entire Weasley group when they'd gone to Egypt what felt like lifetimes ago. 

"Two weeks and six days. That's...470 hours? 480?"

*******************************************

Across the country, Draco's mind was racing and his heart was pounding. Bellatrix had him cornered in one of the many halls of Malfoy Manor. "You're telling me that what I saw...didn't happen?"

Draco shook his head, his back hitting the wall as he tried to back away from her advance. "I didn't see it, so how could I know? All I'm saying is that nothing comes back from the dead. With or without magic."

Bellatrix snorted before raising her wand and holding it at the base of his neck. "Say it again, boy."

Draco wanted to, he really did. But his mouth remained closed and he couldn't gather enough strength in him to tell her again. He wasn't brave, and hated himself for it.

"That's what I thought." Bellatrix closed the distance between them, whispering slowly and carefully so her words were fully understood. "In three weeks you will join the Dark Lord's forces. You will join the fight against the impure, against the traitors." 

Bellatrix stepped back, grinning madly. "You will fight for the deaths of the Potters."

*******************************************

Molly watched as Arthur paced at the foot of the bed. "Oh my, this is all my fault. No!" Arthur pointed at Molly, still walking back and forth. "It's your fault!"

Molly sighed and looked over the top of her reading glasses, resting the top of her book on her legs and raising an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"If you hadn't made me talk to them, that blasted talk, they'd live their lives like a band of monks!"

Molly sighed and took her glasses off, putting her bookmark back in her novel. "Arthur, the reason we talk to our children," Molly held up one finger, correcting herself. "The reason we educate our children, is because we never got that. We both agreed before Bill had even been born. They would have grown up no matter what. Monks--pah!" 

Arthur stopped, putting a hand to his brow. "You saw them tonight, didn't you? And when they left, she was visibly lessened. Oh...we're too young to be grandparents."

Molly swung her legs off the bed and walked down the room, sitting on the bed next to him. "Artie, they're growing up. We can't stop it. We can't slow it. All we can make sure is that they're prepared. And we're not going to be grandparents!"

"How can you know?"

Molly said nothing, staring at him until Arthur looked away and jumped up. "There must be a spell. We'll turn Fred, George, and Ron back into the cheeky tykes that drove us up the wall and stick Rebecca and Ginny up a tower somewhere. We'll solve all our problems in one fell swoop."

Molly patted Arthur's leg and spoke softly, "There isn't, dearest. Time ages all."

Arthur smirked and looked over Molly, "Well, not all." He leaned forward and kissed her deeply, sending her laughing. 

"How can you fault our boys and then say things like that?"

Arthur lifted his head slightly, turning serious only a moment. "I see, so you're blaming it on me."

Molly held a hand to her husband's face. "Do you remember how you convince me to give you a chance?"

Arthur chuckled, lowering his head into the crook of her neck. "Oh no, please. Save me."

"I don't know, do you deserve saving after pulling me from my book?"

"The boy dies." 

Molly sat up, her mouth open in a grin of surprise. "You didn't?!"

Arthur nodded, "I did. I'm saving you, let the characters live happily in your memory. You don't want to read about such an end."

Molly let her head fall back onto the bed, sighing. "I figured. It seemed to be leading to one of them dying. Which one--that I hadn't decided."

*******************************************

<3


	93. Chapter 93

"Miss Potter!" Madam Malkin's voice was sharp and scolding as she walked out from behind the front counter. "Punctuality is a staple in every respectable young witch's repertoire! Much more so than any-"

"That will do, won't it?" Fred interrupted, looking at Madam Malkin expectantly. "We're behind schedule because mum insisted we bring these." Fred set the basket of bread on the counter and tapped it twice, smiling. "I hope this makes up for our," He checked his watch and hid a grin well enough for Madam Malkin to not notice but not well enough that Rebecca couldn't see it fighting to show. "Lateness of three minutes."

Madam Malkin narrowed her eyes at him, sensing traces of insolence. "It will suffice, come. We need measurements."

"Fred, the mystery is robes?"

Madam Malkin shushed her as she had been instructed to by both Fred and George. They had given the clothing maker clear instructions and she was not going to give them any reason to bring any of their dreaded prank goods into her shop. "Not another word, I'm afraid I need silence for my measuring to be exact."

Rebecca sighed and did as she was told, Fred leaning against the counter of the shop and inspecting his fingernails. "Arms to the side."

Madam Malkin's measuring tape zipped out of its drawer, measuring first around her wrist before going from wrist to shoulder. When the tape wrapped around her chest, holding the fabric of her shirt tight enough to be a second skin, Rebecca caught Fred's eyes boring holes into her.

At being noticed, Fred tore his eyes from her body and met her eyes. Rebecca looked away, the intensity of his stare too much to take. Even at such a distance, it was enough for her to need to look anywhere else in the room.

Madam Malkin wrote out the measurements and sketched on the pad she kept just out of Rebecca's sight, pausing to purse her lips and wave her wand so that the tape would zip back to a place it had been. When it reached from the outside of her hip to her ankle, Madam Malkin tittered.

"What?" Rebecca asked, suddenly very, very self conscious.

"Your arms and your legs are exactly proportionate!" Madam Malkin mused. "Such exact proportions are unlikely in someone of your stature."

"My stature." Rebecca repeated, not feeling the slightest bit comforted.

"Your robes haven't been raised since last year." Madam Malkin answered as if that cleared it all up. Seeing the lack of understanding, the seamstress laid it out as plainly as polite-conversation would allow. "You seem to have reached full height and it's...less than average."

Fred snorted, drawing both women's attention to him. 

"Is that funny?" Rebecca tilted her head at him a long moment. Madam Malkin ignored them both and waved her off the stool, telling her that she had all the numbers she needed. 

"Tomorrow evening, Mister Weasley."

Fred put his arm around Rebecca's shoulder, ignoring the look she was giving him. "And everything we talked about?"

"I'm not daft, it will be done."

Rebecca thanked Madam Malkin profusely, hinting towards questions that would reveal details about what exactly she was being measured for. Fred thanked Madam Malkin himself and lead her from the shop, rolling his eyes at her attempt at subtlety. "Come now, there's lots to be done."

Rebecca grinned up at him. "I know!"

George poked his head up from where he had already started as the door jingled at their entrance, his face red and sweaty already as he struggled. "About time, slackers. I've started over here, we still need the shelves tightened along there and we need some sweets that save started upstairs."

Fred hung his coat on the hook at the front of the store, grabbing a screwdriver from the box of tools and making his way to the shelves George had motioned towards. "Upstairs, first door on the right when you turn towards my room. Cauldron's set up all the time and ingredients are in the drawers."

"Sweets that save?" Rebecca asked, laying a hand on the bannister of the stairs. "Anything in particular."

Fred and George looked at each other before turning to her and grinning. "Surprise us!"

Rebecca did as she was told, climbing the stairs and hearing the first bars of a song starting downstairs. Rebecca left the door to the flat open so that the music could follow her, tapping her hand to her leg in time as she entered the room Fred had said had their 'extra stock.' 'Extra stock' couldn't have been a bigger underestimation. 

One wall was stacked nearly to the ceiling with labelled boxes and the middle of the room had a table with everything they could need to make magic happen. Rebecca looked around in awe as she pushed her glasses up her nose and began to work happily.

*******************************************

"REBECCA!" George shouted up the stairs for the third and loudest time. Rebecca jumped, startled out of her concentration. 

"What?" She called, not moving from where she was hard at work.

George stood their silently, shooting Fred a look. "Does she expect me to shout all day?"

"We could always just, you know, go upstairs." Fred answered, stepping up the first stair. 

George sighed and lay a hand against his forehead like he was feeling faint. "It's so far." George opened his eyes and apparated to the top of the stairs, grinning wickedly. "That's better."

Fred laughed and ran up the rest of the steps, joining George at the top where they both entered the supply room and opened their mouths in shock. "What the hell?" George whispered, looking at the stack by the door.

Rebecca had made it so two batches were going at the same time by using the extra cauldron and in the few hours they'd been working downstairs had managed to box up Ton-Tongue Toffees, Bouncing Bon-Bons, and was just sticking the sticks into the next batch of Lying-Lollies when they entered. "Sorry, George." Rebecca used the back of her hand to push the strand of hair that had fallen again. "If I left the sugar would have hardened and then we'd have stickless lollies. Very messy, bad for business."

Fred pointed at the stack by the door. "You got all this made?"

Rebecca laughed softly, "Yeah, going two at a time really sped things up."

"You know we don't open until Friday, right? We've got two days and plenty of time." George told her incredulously. "There's no need to work like your hair's on fire."

Rebecca stuck the last stick in and put her hands on her hips, looking at George annoyed. "Are you trying to scold me for working?"

George raised his hands and stepped behind Fred before ducking down. Fred chuckled and walked across the room to her, taking her hands into his and smiling endearingly at her. "Scolding? Never. But we do think we've done enough today."

"But-"

"Downstairs is nearly finished, only have to shelve these things and sweep up. With all this, we've got enough for opening weekend at least, maybe longer. Let's go for a walk and find some lunch--Enjoy ourselves for a bit."

Rebecca sighed, seeing he wouldn't be convinced otherwise. "This was enjoyable. I like to feel like I've done something. I hardly helped with an-"

"SHE'S DOING IT!" George shouted, picking up a handful of candy from the top of the box and pelting it at her. "FRED!"

Fred took a deep breath and nodded, "He's right, love."

Rebecca opened her eyes in fear, stepping back. "Please, don't."

Fred shook his head and raised his hands, "It's too late. You know what has to happen." Fred jumped forward, hooking his fingers in to the sides of her stomach and tickling her ferociously. She dropped to the floor and opened her mouth in silent screams of laughter, writhing as Fred pinned her beneath his legs. "Not allowed!" Fred paused his tickling and tilted his head down at her. Her cheeks were red and tears streamed down her cheeks as she panted, trying to catcher her breath. "Are you done?"

She looked up at him a moment before shaking her head. "No! I'm just trying to-"

Fred tickled her harder, digging his hands down into her side and dodging all her attempts to get him off. When he paused, he asked again. "Now?"

She nodded, unable to speak a moment. "For now." Fred moved like he was going to start again and laughed as she flinched. He stood up and held his hand out to her, helping her to her feet. 

"Then let's grab lunch." Rebecca sighed and followed him downstairs, looking around and grinning. "Friday seems so close and so far." 

George nodded, agreeing. He flipped the sign on the door and locked it behind them, putting an arm around her shoulder as Fred held her hand. "What're we thinking? Three Broomsticks or something new."

Fred's head shot to them, a devious grin passing his face. "Left, right, or straight?"

*******************************************

"If you don't bloody choose, I'm resorting to cannibalism!" George shouted, the amusement at their game long gone with how long Fred took at each intersection. "And I'm not starting with you!"

Fred glanced at Rebecca and pursed his lips, "Now you're pressuring me."

Rebecca giggled and discreetly pointed to the left, wanting to see George's reaction. "Left." Fred said surely, skipping along with Rebecca's hand still in his so she had to trail beside him. 

George stopped, his jaw dropped. "A circle. You've spent an hour taking us in a circle." 

Fred turned back and patted George's shoulder, "Three Broomsticks it is."

George walked on, his face crestfallen. "Too hungry to fight. Stomach digesting itself." Rebecca laughed, stopping when George turned his gaze on her and glared. "You think it's funny? Come here." Rebecca did and promptly had her head grabbed and put against his stomach. It growled loudly, loud enough that she would have heard it even if he hadn't put her ear up to him. "Starving to death."

"Are you two coming or not?" Fred called from the door, waving them in. George followed and sat next to Fred, leaving Rebecca to take one of the seats across from them at the rectangle table. "Really?"

"You deserve worse." George muttered, pouting petulantly.

Fred sighed and looked across the table. "So, tomorrow."

"Tomorrow." Rebecca nodded, her fingers drumming against the lip of the table until she noticed the look George was giving her. "Sorry." She mumbled, holding her hands together and trying to sit still.

"We only have enough work to fill in tomorrow morning." Fred paused as the man came to take their orders. "As I was saying," He resumed. "I was wondering if you wanted to go somewhere tomorrow afternoon. George has a business meeting."

Rebecca grinned, "A business meeting or staff training? I thought I heard something about a clerk, but I can't seem to remember."

George blushed lightly and scowled, avoiding both of them. "You know bloody well who it is. Bugger off."

Fred looked back to Rebecca, a smile still growing. "So, with previous engagements in mind, I thought you'd like to spend the day exploring."

"Diagon Alley?"

"Diagon Alley, sure. London too. We've got the entire day."

"Three chippy plates." Plates were placed in front of them and they dug in, Fred and Rebecca having been just as hungry as George was after such a productive morning. 

Rebecca asked only one more question as they ate, wondering whether Fred wanted her to Floo to the shop and go from there or if he was apparating to the Burrow. Fred rolled his eyes, "I'll be there, you don't have to Floo. Not tomorrow, not Friday, not any day."

"I really don't mind."

Fred tried to silence her with a sharp look, but she stared straight back at him. "You. Will. Not. Floo."

Rebecca's head set back a degree, her jaw setting in defiance. "I won't?"

Fred's eyes softened and he laid a hand on hers across the table. "No, you won't. I will be there for all your travelling needs. Please? Let me do this."

George's eyes flitted from one of them to the other, practically seeing the battle of wills between them.

"Fine," Rebecca sighed and looked away. "If it means that much to you. Though I think you just like to show it off."

"Me? Never."

*******************************************

"You don't happen to know what this morning was about, do you?" Rebecca asked Molly. She'd already asked everyone else that was around the Burrow that evening after supper and found that none of them would spill even the tiniest of detail.

"No!" Molly laughed and pointed out of the sitting room. "Don't come in here and pester me, I'm...working."

Rebecca glanced at the muggle novel in her hand, another one that Arthur had brought home that week. "Muggle studies?"

Molly nodded, liking that description more so that just reading. "Exactly."

Rebecca took a seat on the chair and grabbed a random book off the table, opening it and holding it up without reading. Her eyes wandered around the room, thinking about Harry who still hadn't called, thinking about where she and Fred were going to go tomorrow, thinking about the blasted measurements from the morning.

"If you're going to pretend to read, you should at least hold the book right side up." Rebecca looked down at the book at Molly's tip and flipped it over. "Tomorrow evening's not far, if you don't think about it the time will fly by."

Rebecca put her head back and groaned, "I know."

Ginny and Ron appeared in the door, breathless and panting. "Quidditch?"

Molly looked between them both and raised an eyebrow before deciding she didn't want to know what scuffle had left them so. Rebecca hopped up, grabbing her broom as Ron tossed it to her and heading out of the parlor. "Definitely."

Rebecca ran out the front door and threw her broom under her, her momentum leaving her with an excellent take off. Ron and Ginny were ahead of her, Ginny holding the quaffle under her arm as they made their way to the homemade pitch. "Only three." Ron noted, his tone showing that the admission left him saddened.

"The best three." Ginny argued, pointing. "We've got a co-captain, a keeper, and a-well, what am I now?"

Ginny hid the panic in her voice but couldn't hide it from her face. Rebecca shook her head, holding her hands out for the quaffle. "Angelina's graduated now, we need another chaser. If you're interested that is." Ginny nodded excitedly, already imagining the terror she and Rebecca would be with so much time to practise over the summer. "Unofficially of course. Angelina insisted we hold tryouts."

Ron paled, "Tryouts?"

"It's nothing more than a formality. You and Ginny kicked such arse last year, you certainly have nothing to be worried about." Ron nodded, relieved. "You want to keep, keeper?"

Ron nodded and took his spot in the rings, slightly afraid at the looks Rebecca and Ginny were exchanging. "We're not going crazy. This is just for fun. Right?"

Rebecca and Ginny flew away, lining up at center-pitch. Rebecca threw the quaffle to Ginny and flew ahead, dodging invisible chasers before looping around and pausing higher up. Ginny had the quaffle launched so quickly, Rebecca only had enough time to put her hands up before it was between them. Rebecca turned and flew towards Ron, dropping like a stone in the air and throwing the quaffle back up for Ginny to take the shot.

"Oh no..." Ron whimpered.

Ron ended up battered and bruised before long, Ginny making it a point to throw the quaffle at him instead of through the goals around him. Ron used the anger and focused harder, eventually so angry neither girl could make another shot. When Molly's voice echoed out towards them, they were all positively dripping in sweat and laughing madly.

"Ron! You'll have to remember this when we play!" Ginny shouted, flying in a circle around both he and Rebecca as they made their way back to the house. "We'll never lose!"

"She's not wrong." Rebecca leaned forward, curious as to why Molly would call them back with the sun still shining about the horizon. "You were a beast!"

Ron bowed, wiping the hair off of his forehead. "Playing against Malfoy will be easy. Seeing his ugly mug is enough to piss anyone off."

Rebecca muttered her disagreement but didn't voice it loud enough for him to hear. As much as she would love to argue people can change, it was hard for her to argue for him after the role he'd played in Cedric's beating and then the capturing of Dumbledore's Army. Molly was standing in the kitchen when they poured in, chatting into the phone.

"These muggles, they've certainly got a knack for communication!" She mused to the caller, stopping every few seconds to look through the ends. "I can practically see you!"

"Is it Harry?" Rebecca interrupted, taking her shoes off at the door. 

Molly said her quick goodbyes and handed Rebecca the phone, nodding. "Hi Harry! How are you? I miss you, it feels like it's been ages already. How are they treating you? Are they behaving? Do we need to come get you? Have you-"

"Rebecca!" Harry laughed loudly, catching the eye of Petunia who was standing as far away from Harry as she could while continuing to clean up dinner. "I can't answer your questions if you never stop talking!"

"Oh, I guess you're right." They were silent a moment until Rebecca prompted him to answer. "Well?"

"I'm fine." He could imagine the look of disbelief that was on her face. "Really, nothing to report." Petunia relaxed at the words, still keeping her distance. "I miss you too. Yes, I ate. Yes, they're being fine. What did you get up to today? Molly mentioned quidditch, that's smart. We'll have an even better chance next year if all three of you are at your sharpest."

"Today...Well, Fred and I went to Madam Malkin's first. No, I don't know why. No, no one will give even the tiniest of hints. We worked for a while this morning. Fred and George got the loose shelves solved and finished laying out what they had left while I popped upstairs and worked on some extra stock for the weekend. Then we went for a little walk, got some lunch, made some plans for tomorrow and then I came back to pester everyone a little more and ended up outside for some flying." Rebecca took a deep breath, realising she'd probably bored the hell out of him with such a lengthy description. "What about you?"

Harry was not bored, not at all. He hung onto her every word like it was air and he'd spent years underwater. "Me? Umm...Nothing."

"Nothing? Harry, I'm so sorry." Rebecca had an idea. "What are you doing tomorrow?"

Harry turned towards the living room and saw how Vernon and Dudley were watching the television exactly as they had all day. "Nothing."

"Put Aunt Petunia on."

Harry bit his lip, "Rebecca, I'm not sure if-"

"Harry, just do it."

Harry sighed and took the phone from his ear. "Rebecca would like a word with you." Aunt Petunia's face paled and she crossed the kitchen slowly, Vernon turning his neck as far as he could to watch. 

"Hello?" Petunia asked quietly.

"Hi Aunt Petunia!" Rebecca's voice dripped in enthusiasm and cordiality, speaking as if they were the best of friends. "How are you?"

"I'm fine, thank you. Wh-What did you need?"

"Thanks for asking! I'm taking a cultural studies tour around London tomorrow and have reserved a spot for Harry. We can stop by and pick him up or he can bus somewhere we can grab him, it's up to you." Rebecca purposefully left the only question to be answered 'where' they would get Harry, not 'if.'

"That-That's good, expanding education and all."

Rebecca pursed her lips, not having received an answer. "So should I stop by the house?"

"No!" Petunia's voice was loud and shocked Vernon, Dudley, and Harry. "He'll bus somewhere, you can sort out the details."

"Thank you so much! Don't worry, I'll have him back around four, if that's okay with you?"

"Four is fine, goodbye." Petunia thrust the phone into Harry's hands, hurrying across the living room to fill Vernon in.

"What did you just do?" Harry asked quietly.

"Half past eight, Harry. Be ready. We'll pick you up in that tunnel from last summer, remember it?"

"Pick me up for what?" Harry sighed in relief, glad to get a little break out of the house with Rebecca. "And who's we?"

Rebecca had her hand twirling around the cord to the phone. "A culturally explorative tour of England's capitol. We? Fred and I, of course. George has a 'business appointment.'"

"Why did you say it like that."

"He's spending the day with Ced, that's why. Hardly any business there."

"Funny business." Harry offered, chuckling.

They talked a few more minutes before hanging up and saying good night, finalising plans for the next day. The second Harry hung up, Rebecca reached up and dialed the number to the phone Molly had insisted Fred and George put in the flat. Fred had the phone in hand before the first ring had even finished, a smile evident in his voice. "Hello m'lady."

"Wouldn't you be embarrassed if it wasn't me calling."

Fred chuckled, "Yeah, but it was a risk I was willing to take. What's up? Miss me already?"

Rebecca turned away from Ginny, lowering her voice. "Of course I do, but that's not it. I really hope it's not a big deal...but I invited Harry to come with us tomorrow."

Fred's face fell momentarily, but he kept his voice free of any signs of it so that she wouldn't know. "No! That's great! I'll pop over and bring him back to the shop before we head off. No big deal."

"Are you sure? I didn't even think it through entirely before I asked Petunia. Oh, he sounded so sad. They're not being cruel, which is a relief, but they just ignore him entirely." Rebecca talked a little longer, making sure Fred was okay.

Fred smirked. "No, no. It's alright, probably better actually."

"Better?" Rebecca asked confused. 

"Yes, with a chaperone, I'll behave better."

"Ha ha, Fred." Rebecca said plainly. "I see what you're trying to do."

"Trying to do? I'm not trying anything!" 

Rebecca looked over her shoulder around the now-emptied kitchen. "You know exactly what I'm talking about. Last night here, this morning at Madam Malkin's, you're...I don't know how to describe it."

"I don't know what you're talking about. Maybe if you told me exactly what I said, maybe then I'd remember."

Rebecca felt her cheeks warm at the memory of his 'lap-sitting' comment and how intensely he'd been watching that morning. "I think you think this is funny."

Fred's smirk dropped and his voice was entirely serious when he responded a moment later. "That couldn't be farther from the truth."

"Fred!" Rebecca whinged, admittedly. He was being positively infuriating.

"What time tomorrow?" Fred changed the subject, chuckling at how quickly she'd gotten irritated with him.

"Half eight, shall I floo to the shop before?"

"I thought we'd discussed flooing." Fred said seriously, his tone adamant.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Rebecca mocked him. "Maybe if you told me exactly what I'd said."

"Fine, your point has been made. I will be there at eight on the dot and you will be waiting."

"Patiently or impatiently?" Rebecca snapped, hating how commanding he was being.

"You? Wait patiently?" 

Rebecca scoffed and reached to hang up, grunting in anger as she put the phone back to her ear. "Good night."

"Good night! I love you!" Fred sang cheekily, knowing he'd properly riled her up.

"I love you too." She said quietly before hanging the phone back up and turning towards the stairs. 

Rebecca showered and pulled her pajamas on quietly, walking back down the hall in the seemingly very empty upstairs before pausing in front of her trunk at the foot of her bed. She had yet to unpack because unpacking was, in her opinion, a terribly boring chore. Ginny was on her bed flipping through a book, noting the distraction that trailed after Rebecca but not sure what to say.

Rebecca flipped the latches to her trunk and dug through it, looking for something that she was certain wouldn't clear her head of the fog it had been layered with but would at least comfort her. She reached from side to side, lifting piles of folded clothes and flipping through others until her fingers brushed against the familiar feel. Out she pulled one of the few shirts of Fred's he'd left behind after sleeping in her bed at Grimmauld Place.

Ginny gave Rebecca a fleeting glance as Rebecca stood back up and shucked her other shirt into the trunk, pulling Fred's shirt on and crawling up the length of her bed before laying on her back and putting her hands behind her head. 

"Becs?"

"Yeah?" Rebecca reached up and took her glasses off, folding them and placing on the table by the bed before returning to her previous position.

"You and Fred in a spat or something?"

"No!" Rebecca sat up, peering across the room at the blurry, red-haired form that had to be Ginny. "Not really."

"Hmm." Ginny said, closing her book and laying down. "What does 'not really' mean?"

"He's just," Rebecca shook her head. "He's so infuriating sometimes!"

"And you're noticing this now?" Ginny laughed. "They're both the most infuriating people on the planet, more so than you sometimes!"

"I'm not infuriating." Rebecca muttered.

Molly and Arthur knocked on the door, Arthur waving his goodnights and stepping into Ron's room as Molly sat on the edge of Ginny's bed and pulled the blankets up around her, tucking her in. Molly bent forward and kissed Ginny's forehead before crossing the room and doing the same for Rebecca, smiling at her shirt. 

"Hand me downs?"

Rebecca shrugged, "Something like that."

Molly brushed a hand across Rebecca's cheek, smiling. "Get some rest, sweet. A good night's sleep is the first step to a solution."

Rebecca nodded and closed her eyes as Molly kissed her forehead. Molly took an extra second, running a hand down the scar around her eye. "You hear me? Sleep."

Rebecca giggled, "Yes, I hear you."

"Good night, girls."

"Good night." Rebecca and Ginny chorused.

*******************************************

Rebecca was walking in the clearing from first year, the clearing where they'd found the hooded Professor Quirrell drinking from the unicorn. She walked in along the faint path she remembered, looking around and finding the Forbidden Forest to be still and silent.

Frighteningly still and silent.

"Hello?" Rebecca called, feeling her feet drawn towards the gnarled tree the unicorn had been in front of. Time had passed, that much was evident by the height of the grass and wildflowers around her. "Hello?"

The Forbidden Forest was hot, oppressively so. She could feel the heat emanating from the earth swirling up through the air and clinging to her face, leaving it hard to breathe and even harder to think.

She looked up at the branches, noting how the leaves were falling around her. Turning to take in the entirety of the clearing, Rebecca watched as the leaves fell to the ground and the grass died--Only the grass in a close circle around her green. 

"I don't understand." Rebecca whispered, facing the tree again. Two eyes opened on the tree, a mouth appearing below them. 

"You will." The tree spoke.

*******************************************

"Damn!" Ginny hissed, sitting back and holding her head. Rebecca had been talking and whispering, calling out to the room loud enough to wake Ginny up. Ginny had been leaning over Rebecca, trying to decipher what she was saying when Rebecca opened her eyes and jumped up so that they're heads hit each other. 

"Ginny?" Rebecca asked, holding her head where they'd collided.

"No, it's bloody Professor Sprout!" Ginny snapped, rubbing her forehead angrily. "Yes, it's me."

Rebecca sat up, thinking about her dream. "My head doesn't hurt."

Ginny scoffed, "That's really bugging nice, mine kills."

"No," Rebecca groped around for her glasses. "My head doesn't hurt. I didn't see anything in the future." Rebecca told Ginny what had happened, the clearing, the forest and the leaves falling around her, what the tree said.

"If you're head doesn't hurt, it was just a dream. Right?" Ginny's voice didn't have the edge it had before. "That's what makes sense."

"Maybe, but..." Rebecca sat back, closing her eyes and taking her hand from her forehead. "I think we're missing something."

Ginny looked over at the clock, "It's nearly five, we've got time to go back to sleep for a while." Rebecca nodded, standing up and walking to Ginny's bed. 

"I'm sorry, I didn't know you were there."

Ginny rolled her eyes and smiled, "Clearly, I didn't think you had." Rebecca pulled Ginny's blankets up over her, making sure she was alright before grabbing her slippers and heading to the door. "I'm just going to get a drink."

Ginny yawned, too tired to argue against her and watched as Rebecca left their room quietly.

Downstairs, Rebecca sat at the phone a long while. When the clock chimed to signify half past five, Rebecca lifted the phone off its cradle and dialed Hermione's number. It rang once, twice, three times. Rebecca chewed her lip nervously, feeling that she'd made a mistake in ringing so early. 

"Hello?" Hermione asked groggily, realising that there was only one person who would call so early. "Rebecca?"

"I'm so sorry, it's too early. I wasn't thinking." Rebecca shook her head. "I'll call later."

"No!" Hermione insisted, suddenly very, very grateful that her parents' room was farther in the house and away from the phone. "I'm up. Would have gotten up shortly anyway. What happened?"

Rebecca sighed, "I don't know." Hermione listened patiently as Rebecca retold what had happened, ending with the lack of pain. "If my head doesn't hurt, that means it wasn't a premonition and just a dream. But it didn't feel like a dream. I-That tree spoke."

"This is strange. If we were at school, we could research in the library. Home though, I have no way. Have you told anyone else?"

"Ginny."

Hermione sighed, "Adults, Rebecca. Have you told any adults?"

Rebecca put her back to the wall next to the phone, playing with the cord. "No, you were the first person I thought of. Ginny only knows because I face slammed her."

"Accidentally?" Hermione asked.

"Of course!"

"Maybe you should talk to Sirius or Professor Lupin. They might know things about the Forbidden Forest no one else does if they spent so much time in there as they say."

"That's smart."

Hermione giggled, "I can be sometimes."

Rebecca laughed and remembered to keep her voice quiet. "All the time."

The girls were quiet a moment, Hermione having eased Rebecca's worries and Hermione curious as to one more detail of the dream. "You said the leaves around you all fell?"

"Yeah, and the grass died. It was like...I don't know."

Hermione pursed her lips, looking for any symbolism and planning on thinking about it more later. "What're you doing today? Maybe we could meet. We don't leave for the colonies until Tuesday."

"I forgot! Where are you going again?"

Hermione sighed, "New York, Rebecca. I don't know why you can't remember that."

"Maybe it's because I don't understand why they had to name it NEW York. We have York, just York not Old York. Why couldn't they come up with something original."

Hermione waited for her to end her rant, continuing like she'd said nothing. "Today you are...?"

"Exploring London." Rebecca had an idea. "You should come too, Harry's coming."

"And you think that if I'm there, I'll distract Harry because it was Fred's idea." 

"How did you know?"

Hermione laughed. "You're so predictable! Do you guys mind stopping in Hampstead or do you want me to catch a cab to London's center? Or floo, I have powder."

"Can I call you back when Fred comes by? He's taken the mantle of transportation decider."

"Sure, do you guys have a time set?"

Rebecca looked over at the clock, surprised to see that it was already almost half six. "Eight, eight thirty." Rebecca paused, yawning. "I'm sorry for calling so early."

"Don't be. I'm glad you did, I asked you to. I'm going to go then, get dressed and wait for my parents to wake up so I can ask."

"You think they'll say yes?"

Hermione laughed again, "I'm sure of it. I think I've been running them up the walls talking!"

They said their goodbyes and Rebecca hung the phone back up, not as worried as she had been and more occupied with hoping that Fred didn't mind another person. She puttered around the kitchen, filling the kettle and laying out her, Molly's, and Arthur's cup. He and Molly would be waking up shortly.

Rebecca pulled out the pan quietly, rolling her pajama pants up and easing open the back door. "Here chickies!" She called, crouching down at the chicken coop where they clucked and strutted back and forth. "Ready to come on out?"

Lifting the latch to their door and scattering handfuls of the feed in the box above, the chickens scurried out and left behind the eggs Rebecca was collecting. Bending down and holding them into the bowl she made with her shirt, Rebecca heard a squeak and a click behind her that make her freeze. 

"Damn." Rebecca looked at the door, the closed door. The latched, closed door that was only openable from the outside. "Damn!" Rebecca sighed and bent forward, trying to see if there was a way to unlatch it from the inside and finding herself perfectly stuck. 

She stepped back, picking a stony section of the ground and sitting down. She looked out over the green hills and watched as the dew caught the first of the sun's rays that peeked over the distant horizon. The birds were singing sweetly in the trees, bobbing in the air like they were weightless. There were worse places to be stuck, she decided after a few minutes.

When the sun was mostly above the horizon, the back door opened and Arthur stepped out laughing. "W-What are you doing?"

Rebecca stood up, holding her shirt out to show the eggs. "I was up and planned on starting breakfast. Bloody door swung shut."

Arthur laughed harder, opening the door and shooing her into the house. "How long have you been out there?"

"Well, long enough to tell you that it takes a lot longer than you'd think for the sun to fully rise."

This sent Arthur into a renewed bout of laughter that made Molly raise her eyebrows as she poured the kettle that she'd started. "It's awfully early, even for you."

"I've been yolking around." Rebecca snorted at her pun and started piling the eggs on the counter.

"You're horrid." Molly cried, laughing and shaking her head as Arthur slapped his leg, bent over and struggling to breathe. "Now you've killed your father." The kitchen grew silent, Arthur finding his breath much quicker than he thought he would. "I-I didn't...I'm sorry."

Rebecca sighed and climbed up onto the chair at the counter, sipping from her tea cup. "Maybe we need to talk."

Arthur shook his head, "There's no need, dear. She," Arthur paused. "We. We don't want to make you feel pressured to-"

"Pressured? There's no pressure!" Rebecca shook her head and laughed nervously. "I didn't want to make you uncomfortable."

Molly pointed at her with the spatula she pulled out of the drawer. "Uncomfortable? Elaborate."

"Well, I'm not your child and...and I know I don't have parents. It's pretend, it's a nice pretend, buts I know that it's pretending all the same."

Arthur turned away from her and caught Molly's eyes. Molly slapped the spatula to the counter, "Pretend? We're not pretending. When we say that we have eight children, we're not pretending. When we think about how much you've grown, how much you're brought to us, we're not pretending."

Arthur turned back, tapping the counter as he spoke. "When we tell you that we love you, we're certainly not pretending."

"I'm not either! I love you both, I love you all!" Rebecca sniffed, wiping her eyes before any tears could fall. "But you don't want me to call you mum and dad, the position doesn't exactly have a great track record."

Molly walked around the counter and pulled Rebecca into a solid 10 of hugs on the Molly-Scale. "We want you to be happy, no matter what. I know I've slipped before, I've referred to myself as your mum and Arthur as you dad. I would never, not in a million years, ever think I could be Lily, nor Arthur James, but just as you are a Potter, you are a Weasley."

"It's not weird with Fred and I?" Rebecca asked softly, leaving her head against Molly's chest. 

Arthur shook his head emphatically. "Are you kidding? You two are already weird."

Molly gasped, giving Arthur a sharp look but Rebecca sat up and laughed, relieved at the lightening of the mood. "We are pretty odd."

Molly smacked the back of her head, going back into the kitchen to get breakfast on the table. There was a pop in the hall by the front door, a pop of someone apparating. "Breakfast read-Oh, I see. We're having a party and I wasn't invited." Fred walked into the kitchen and jerked to a stop, looking around at their three faces. "What's going on?"

"Just a chat, nosy beast." Molly scolded. "Why are you here?"

Fred gasped, holding a hand to his chest and one to his forehead as he slumped against the wall. "I'm not loved."

Arthur chuckled until Molly turned to him and Arthur became very busy packing his lunch. "You're very loved, but you're also very early."

Fred looked to Rebecca as Molly continued to talk, taking the seat next to her. "Am I? Still loved?"

Rebecca looked at him in shock, "What kind of question is that?"

Fred shrugged, "I knew I left you annoyed last night, wasn't sure if you held a grudge."

Rebecca smiled and stood up, "Nope. But-" Fred put his head to the counter, groaning. "But, Hermione's asked to come too."

Molly set plates for them on the counter. "Hermione? When did you hear from her?"

Rebecca pursed her lips, wishing she had the ability to fib even a little. "I rang her. Had a strange dream."

Molly dropped the pan, a crash coming as the top of the stove reverberated at the shock. "Dream?"

"It wasn't like that, just strange. Not like that." Molly narrowed her eyes at her. "I promise." 

Arthur sighed, "You could have gotten either of us."

"Or called me." Fred offered.

"I know I could have but with Hermione leaving soon, I thought I'd call the person closest to leaving."

Arthur nodded, "York, isn't it?"

Rebecca shook her head, "New York. I know, I don't get it either."

Fred rolled his eyes and dug into his plate the second Molly put one in front of them both. "But really, what'd I walk into?" 

"What?" Molly demanded. Fred had tried meddling more with his mouthful and couldn't have made more sense if he was speaking Bulgarian.

Fred swallowed and gestured to the three of them. "I asked what I'd walked into. It seemed serious."

"Well, Sirius isn't here." Rebecca said, hopping up and taking one more bite before turning to the stairs and running to get dressed.

"I really, really hate that joke." Fred grumbled, looking to Arthur and Molly for explanation.

"Semantics, Fred. God above, you are persistent."

Fred considered his mother's words before nodding and taking a piece of bacon off Rebecca's plate. "Persistently charming, too."

*******************************************

<3


	94. Chapter 94

"It's about bloody time." Fred said from where he was chatting with Ron who had come down shortly after Rebecca had gone up. "Thought I'd have to wait all day."

Rebecca rolled her eyes and ignored his teasing. "It's been ten minutes, I think you'll live."

"Will I? Perhaps a kiss would increase the chances of my survival." 

Rebecca walked up to him slowly, bringing her lips to the side of his face and pausing. "No."

"No?" Fred called after her as she looked around for Molly to say goodbye. 

"No, you can't tease and then ask for a kiss."

Molly looked up from the desk where she was working, looking between them as Fred sulked in after Rebecca. "What now?"

Rebecca laughed and Fred used the melodic sound he loved so dearly to pull himself out of his kiss-withheld-caused gloom. "Nothing. We're ready earlier than planned and hoping to head out?" Rebecca ended with a sweet smile.

"And what about Ron and Ginny, don't you think they'd enjoy a day out?" Molly asked, fully aware of what Fred would offer.

"You're right!" Fred clapped his hands together. "I think George needs to spends some quality time with them!" Fred popped, apparating without another word and leaving Molly and Rebecca shaking their heads.

"Do you have your wand?" Molly enquired as she stood up and crossed the room to her.

"Yes." Rebecca leaned into Molly's hug, sighing contently. The room was filled with a pop again, Fred grinning deviously. 

"George and Cedric will entertain them."

Molly sighed. "Those boys need to get a move on, but not today."

Rebecca and Fred looked to each other before cackling and leaving the room loudly, thrilled that Molly agreed with their thoughts. 

Fred paused at the door, confused as to why Rebecca had brought them to the exit when he was apparating them. "Routine, I guess."

Fred held a hand out for hers, smiling kindly. "Little what-now?"

"Little Whinging, Surrey." Fred closed his eyes and focused, finding it harder with her standing so close to him. He opened one eye. "Can you just...step back a bit?"

Rebecca took a half step back, Fred stretching his hand out and closing his eyes again. With her not so close, he felt that he could apparate them safely. Rebecca looked up at the early morning sun as they reappeared in the tunnel near the Dursley's, checking the time on Fred's watch. "We're really early."

Fred chuckled, "Should we go get him then?"

Rebecca considered it a long moment. "I don't know. We really shouldn't."

"But you really want to, don't you?" Fred leaned forward and saw how he was conflicting her. "Or not. I've only ever been here twice. Once in the middle of the night and once when a living room got destroyed, so I'm not exactly sure what would happen if we went again."

Rebecca covered her face at the memory. "Oh god...That was awful." She peeked at him through her fingers and pointed down a tunnel. "There's a playground down that way."

"Rebecca, I am a mature, adult man. I don-"

"There are swings."

"Off we go!" Fred shouted, running off in the direction she'd pointed in.

"Fred!" Rebecca laughed, chasing after him and catching up to him just as he ran out the tunnel exit where she promptly ran into his back and shot backwards.

Fred tilted his head at the Dudley's gang, Dudley sizing him up. Fred was certainly taller than he was, but Dudley had four friends. Rebecca helped herself to her feet, brushing her hands off on her shorts. "Cousin."

Dudley narrowed his eyes and nodded his head. "Cousin."

"Do you plan on standing there all day or will you be vacating the walkway?" Rebecca demanded as took Fred's side and glanced over all five boys.

Dudley looked between the two of them and turned away, waving his cronies off to follow him without so much as another word. "Is he always so talkative?" Fred softly asked as he turned towards her and looked her over, tutting over her scraped hands and insisting that she let him fix it. 

"No, he normally has much more to say. Let's be thankful." Fred brought her fingers to his mouth, brushing his lips against her fingers. 

"I am thankful." Fred entwined his fingers through hers and walked along the cracked sidewalk that they found themselves slowing down on. "But, I do have something that I've wanted to talk about."

"Oh no, that's never goes well." Rebecca laughed before seeing the look on his face that struck her serious. "What is it?"

Fred bit his cheek. "I didn't want to bring it up now because I didn't want to to bring anything negative out before our day."

"I'm dying, will you get on with it?" Rebecca sighed exasperatedly.

"I heard something down the melon vine."

"The what?"

Fred looked at her carefully. "The melon vine? As in 'I heard people talking about something.'"

"I think it's the grapevine." Rebecca offered, derailing the conversation momentarily.

Fred rolled his eyes, "The grapevine then! I heard that you and Professor McGonagall were talking about professorship in the future."

Rebecca shook her head. "We weren't talking about it. It was offered and-and I said that I didn't see how it could work."

Fred jumped, taking her other hand in his and walking backwards along the sidewalk and forcing her to look at him. "Are you mad? How it couldn't work?" The playground appeared, though Fred persisted. "I'm not joking, explain it to me."

Rebecca grimaced, her cheeks tinting lightly. "Please don't make me say it."

Fred was lost. "Say what?"

Rebecca couldn't bear to look away from him when he was looking at her with such concern and love. Instead, she turned her gaze around his face, taking in how the bridge of his nose tapered into his forehead, partially covered with the hair that insisted to remain messy. Down the side of his face, noting the smattering of freckles across his cheeks to the top of his lips, his lips that were still moving. "Rebecca?"

"I don't want to live away from you!" Rebecca said far too loudly. 

It was Fred's turn to be shocked into silence, never having considered that. "Oh."

"Yes, 'oh.' That's why I never mentioned it, there's no point. I won't do it any longer than I have to."

Fred nodded, lifting her hands to his chest and pulling her close. "I see." 

Rebecca looked up at him, a smile playing at her lips. "You do?"

Fred kissed her so quickly she'd hardly had time to close her eyes. "I do. I do admit, that could pose a problem."

"Could?"

Fred kissed her again. "Could. It's not the future yet, let's focus on today first."

Fred turned and ran, jumping onto one of the swings and flinging his legs so that he had enough momentum to go without moving a moment. Rebecca took the swing next to him and dug her trainers into the ground, launching herself backward. When she and Fred were lined up perfectly, Fred turned and gave her the goofy, crooked grin she loved so much.

*******************************************

"Ready?" Fred asked, reaching a hand up to Hermione's door.

Harry gulped, "As ever."

Mrs. Granger opened the door, her hair the exact same shade as Hermione as Hermione stood behind her next to Mr. Granger looking rather embarrassed. "I'm sorry!" Hermione mouthed, rolling her eyes at how her parents were interrogating the three of them about their plans.

"Left, R-"

"I think what Fred means is that we've left all wrongdoing at home." Harry jumped on, knowing no parent wanted to hear that their children were going to wander aimlessly. "I think Rebecca mentioned The Eye, right?"

Rebecca nodded, not trusting herself to say a believable word. Hermione took over, "Yes, and the Museum of Art."

Mr. Granger pointed between Harry and Fred, "OH! So you boys are..." 

Harry's mouth dropped open and Fred stammered. "N-No!"

"Not that there's an issue, Mr. Granger?" Rebecca asked, tilting her head curiously.

"Of course not!" He corrected, realising what he'd said. "I just worry about my little girl, especially with gentlemen such as these. That would have been a relief to this old man."

Rebecca smiled, "Admirable." She reached down and took Fred's hand. "There's nothing to worry about here."

Mr. Granger smiled at her, liking her tenacity. "I see why you two get along so well." He said, putting his arm around his wife as Hermione hurried down the steps to where Harry launched into an animated discussion with her. 

Fred and Rebecca excused themselves, trailing down the block where Hermione and Harry were plowing ahead. "Do they know where they're going?" Fred asked, squeezing her hand.

"I would imagine Hermione has walked down her block before, probably walking to the tube." Just as Rebecca finished, Hermione and Harry looked behind them and noticed how far behind they were. Harry waved for them to hurry up.

"Impatience is hereditary, I guess."

Rebecca gave him a grin and walked faster. "Who was complaining about ten minutes this morning again?"

*******************************************

"So this is art." Harry said plainly, unsure of where to look. Hermione was peering up at Michelangelo's newest exhibit; An exhibit who's highlight was a piece featuring a collection of women doing wash at an ancient river, including what they had been wearing.

"So it is." Fred added, equally uncomfortable.

Hermione and Rebecca looked at each other and broke into giggles, Harry turning and moving onto the next piece with Fred while the girls stayed a moment longer. "My mum's planning on going to an art museum in New York as well, something about comparative artistry between cultures."

Rebecca raised an eyebrow, "How can they even have art? How old's their country--A hundred years? Two?"

Hermione linked their arms, taking a slow walk about the room as the boys loitered at the exit. "They have art, Rebecca. They're Americans, not animals." Rebecca looked up, seeing the first painting of the room.

"Haven't we already seen all this?"

Hermione shrugged, "Have we?"

Rebecca gasped, "Hermione! Are you making them suffer on purpose?" Rebecca turned back, stopping in front of another painting showcasing the female form Michelangelo was renowned for. "That's a brilliant idea."

At the door, Fred was leaning against the wall and trying to think of anything other than the countless breasts painted around the room. Harry turned towards the exit further. "Want to wait out front?"

Fred jumped up, "That's a great idea. We should tell them though."

Harry put his hands in his pockets, "I'll wait here."

Fred narrowed his eyes at him before turning back to the room. He walked in, looking only at what was directly ahead of him to where Hermione and Rebecca had circled back to the beginning of the room. "We're stepping outside for some air, it's hot in here."

Rebecca smirked. "Is it?"

Fred's nostrils flared as he turned to her, his eyes flitting down her body before looking into her eyes. "It is. We'll be out front." He left without another word.

Hermione laughed and turned back to the painting. "They really make it to easy." The meandered about a few minutes longer before slowly heading for the exit, chatting. "What time do you open tomorrow?"

Rebecca squinted into the sun, holding a hand up to shield her eyes as she tried to find the boys. "Nine, closed at seven." 

"I'm not sure when, but I'll stop in."

Harry noticed them from where he and Fred were in the shade. "They're done." Fred grunted and followed Harry. "About time." Harry sighed as he stood in front of them. "We have other things to do."

"Ah yes," Rebecca kept her face serious. "The breast of London to explore." Fred snorted and Hermione rolled her eyes. "Speaking of body parts, The Eye?"

Harry turned to where Rebecca was looking, seeing the massive ferris wheel that overlooked the majority of London's cityscape. Hermione patted her pockets and pulled out four paper tickets for them. "One of the engineers uses my dad's office, we always have tickets on hand."

Fred walked ahead, Rebecca falling into step beside him as Hermione and Harry mused about the two of them. 

Rebecca felt him looking at her again and caught him. "What?"

Fred shook his head, snaking his arm around her shoulder. "Nothing."

"It's something, you keep looking at me-You're doing it right now!"

Fred chuckled and held his other hand over his eyes. "Better?" Rebecca rolled her eyes, stopping as they joined the queue. There was only one other group ahead of them and they were put onto the box that was waiting.

"Tickets?" The man behind the counter asked, his boredom evident. Hermione slid them under the glass divider. The man picked them up and stamped them before sliding them back and pointing to the right. The other man, the one in charge of putting them into the compartments, sighed. 

"Enjoy your time." 

Harry glanced at them all the second the door closed, finding all of them about to burst into laughter. Harry's face pushed them all over the edge and they were still collecting themselves as the box jerked into motion, their ascent beginning slowly.

Rebecca stood up, peering out one side. Hermione was already standing at the other window, pointing to a spot in the distance. "Look Harry, you can see my house from here!"

Harry and Fred stood, making their to one of the girls. Fred put his arms on the bar on either side of her, leaning down so that his chin was on her shoulder. "See anything neat?"

Rebecca nodded, pointing out a few things. The view was magnificent, of course, but Fred couldn't help himself from glancing at her every few seconds. "You're doing it again."

Fred didn't look away this time, instead he continued to look at her as she turned her neck so that they were face to face. "Doing what again?"

"You're staring." Rebecca said softly.

"I can't help it." Fred let his eyes drift over her face before making their way back to her eyes, "You're stunning."

"Fred-"

"Don't 'Fred' me like I'm joking around. I'm serious. Don't you dare say anything against it." He paused a moment, making sure she wouldn't say something like 'I thought you were Fred' before continuing. "All those paintings, the statues, the sculptures." He leaned closer and kissed the side of her head. "Next to you, they're all just meh." He waved his hand from side to side.

Rebecca turned her body so that her back was to the window and she was leaning against the bar, putting her hands around Fred's neck and kissing him. Harry and Hermione glanced behind them before turning back to the view. Harry made a face and Hermione had a smile forming. "When are you going to Diagon Alley?" Hermione asked.

"I don't know, figured I'd go after I get to leave the Dursleys."

Hermione grinned, "Don't forget to wish them luck."

"I-" Hermione gave him a look. "Yeah, I would have. Thanks."

Rebecca crossed the compartment, throwing her arms around Harry and Hermione. "I love you guys."

Harry raised his eyebrows, "Sentimental much?" Rebecca whacked him, not looking away from the expanse of London ahead of them. 

Fred chuckled, taking Hermione's side as they watched London grow closer and closer as the ferris wheel returned them to the ground. Rebecca put her arm through Harry's and forced him to walk alongside her as she skipped, ignoring his whines. "It's fun, you should have some fun before we get back to Hermione's."

Harry sighed deeply and looked over his shoulder where Hermione and Fred were talking. "Fine." Harry hopped alongside her and refused to admit that it was, in fact, fun. 

"Ready for tomorrow?" Hermione asked Fred.

"Yes, more than ready. A little..."

"Nervous?"

Fred gave her a grin. "A little."

"I would imagine you ended up going to Madam Malkin's?"

Fred scowled, "Yes, no thanks to you."

Hermione scoffed, "Fred, you needed measurements. How could I have helped? And don't you dar-"

"I told you a handful. That doesn't equal a size? Bollocks." Fred pointed at Rebecca's back and then back at her. "Don't all girls know each others sizes?"

Hermione looked at him appalled, "No, we don't. Not like that. You wanted numbers, not sizes."

"I still think you could have been a bigger help." Hermione counted to three, desperately trying to figure out how exactly Rebecca dealt with this buffoonery, when Fred cleared his throat. "But it's done. I pick it up this evening."

Hermione couldn't help but smile at his excitement. "Take a picture."

Fred's confusion seeped into his tone. "Aren't you coming by tomorrow?"

"Not for me, for you."

*******************************************

"You're back earlier than expected!" Mrs. Granger called from her office, finishing her report before joining them in the hall and smiling at them all. "Your father just ducked out for some groceries. Can I get anyone something to drink? A snack perhaps? I remember Wendell at that age, always hungry. Still is when I think about it."

Fred and Harry grinned, "No thank you, Mrs. Granger." They said at the same time before Fred elaborated. "We're due back shortly."

Mrs. Granger nodded, "Yes, the time keeper. Hermione has touched on a..." She looked from Harry to Rebecca. "Family-based lateness."

Rebecca's mouth dropped, "You-You told your mother I'm late?"

Hermione crossed her arms, "It had been in confidence, at the time." Hermione shook her head. "Any case, it's true."

Rebecca laughed, nodding in defeat. "Yeah, it is."

Mrs. Granger turned towards the kitchen, "Should I call for a cab?"

Hermione winced, "No, mum. Fred can apparate."

Mrs. Granger looked at Fred surprised, "You hardly look old enough!"

Fred glanced at Rebecca amused. "Thank you?"

Mrs. Granger waved a hand at him, silencing his questioning tone. "It'll come in handy one day, you'll see." Hermione stepped to her mother's side.

"Here?" Fred asked, looking around. Hermione nodded and Harry stepped next to him. Fred took a slow breath and placed a hand on Harry's shoulder before they popped and were gone. 

"That is incredible." Mrs. Granger said softly, turning to Rebecca. "I assume it's a one-at-a-time ordeal?"

Rebecca nodded, "We'll learn this year, if we sign up for the class."

Mrs. Granger turned to Hermione and pointed, "Have you?" Hermione nodded and went to say something but was cut off by Mrs. Granger. "Excellent! We'll never have to fly again!"

Rebecca burst out laughing, Mrs. Granger joining in. Hermione stood in shock a moment before joining them. When Fred apparated back, telling Harry to stand in the tunnel a moment while he got Rebecca, he looked at the three women curiously. "Rebecca?"

She shook her head, patting his arm. "You missed it."

Fred smirked and nodded his head to Mrs. Granger, "Thank you for letting Hermione come. Do you plan on coming tomorrow?"

Mrs. Granger's eyes widened. "The joke shop! Yes, my husband is quite excited. He likes to think of himself as a prankster."

"We're all pranksters, one way or another." Fred said, saying goodbye once more. He held his hand out for Rebecca and smiled. 

"I'll see you tomorrow, and in case we forget, enjoy your trip."

The Granger women smiled and waved before Fred pulled her through the tube-feeling of apparating. When the world was right side up again, Harry was standing in front of them and the afternoon sun had made the tunnel a small reprieve against the heat. Fred's mouth was dry and his head ached slightly, all effects of excessive apparating.

"We'll have to wait a few minutes before heading back," He said, enjoying Rebecca's cool hands as she held them against his face. "Need a moment."

Harry watched them concerned. "Let's head back, water and a snack should help, right?"

Fred nodded, his stomach growling loudly. "It's hard work, ferrying you lot around."

Rebecca brushed the hair off his forehead, "You did this to yourself, you do realise that."

"Love, let's not assign blame right this second." Fred grinned, "I'm certain you'll tell me later."

Rebecca held Fred's arm around her shoulder, making him stand next to her. Fred tried to explain. "Really, it's no different than playing a long match of quidditch. Not worth the concern."

Harry glanced behind him and shook his head lightly, telling him to stop while he was ahead. Rebecca fawned over him. "No, it's absolutely worth the concern. Mum worried about this."

Harry raised an eyebrow at the 'mum' of her sentence but didn't say anything. He let the jealousy flood him a single second before he forced it away. The Dursleys had been rotten, but they didn't compare to the bits she'd shared about life before the Weasleys. It left Harry rather guilty, his moment of jealousy. Especially when-

"Harry?" Rebecca repeated, already having asked if he thought the Dursleys would be home.

"What?"

Rebecca looked him over, "Did the apparating make you sick? I know you're not the biggest fan of spinning."

Harry shook his head, "No, I'm fine. I don't know if they'll be there. We are earlier than we thought, they may have gone out." Turning onto Privet Drive, Harry sighed in relief. "The car's gone. They wouldn't have left Dudley in case I got back early. We should be fine."

Harry unlocked the front door and directed Fred and Rebecca to the stools at the kitchen counter, grabbing glasses and a box of biscuits from the cupboard. Fred downed his water in one go, Rebecca sliding hers in front of him and pointing towards the snack. Rebecca looked around. "They don't change things much, do they?"

Harry laughed, "No, not really."

Fred paused, a biscuit in his mouth and one in hand and swallowed. "I guess I was hungrier than I thought."

"I guess. Or, maybe, I'm simply always right." Rebecca ignored how he stuck out his tongue and turned towards the door, the sound of a car door slamming shut coming from the driveway. Harry scooped up their cups and set them in the sink while Rebecca grabbed the bag and folded it again. Fred stood up, wiping the crumbs off the counter and reaching for Rebecca's hand. "Bye, I love you!" Rebecca said just before Fred apparated them away.

"Oh, it's you." Vernon remarked as they came in the house. "We didn't expect you back so soon."

"We finished early." Harry said as he went to the stairs, knowing he was going to sit in his room the rest of the evening.

*******************************************

Fred was forced to sit in the living room and eat the jam sandwich Rebecca brought him, Molly siding with her while Rebecca told them about their day. "Here. Eat."

Fred looked to Molly, "You do see the influence you've had, right?"

Molly crossed her arms and pointed at the sandwich, saying nothing. Fred ate slowly, just to irritate them. When he stood up he made a big show of jumping around. "There! Right as rain! Now both of you can stop looking at me like that."

Molly took the plate from him on her way out of the room, asking if her would be staying for dinner. 

"Yes mum!" Fred called after her. "George and Cedric are coming too."

Molly poked her head back in the doorway. "Really?"

Fred looked as serious as he could. "I would never joke about something serious."

Rebecca put her back to the arm of the couch, facing him. "Of course not, you don't ever joke." 

They laughed a moment until Fred cleared his throat, "I have to ask about the dream you had last night. It's been nagging at me."

Rebecca furrowed her eyebrows, "I would have thought you'd forgotten, honestly. We've had a fairly eventful day." She giggled as she ran over the day's events in her head.

Fred did not share her laughter, not even a smile. "Of course I hadn't forgotten."

Rebecca grew more serious, trying to explain. "It wasn't one of...those dreams. I think at least, no signs that it was anything more. I would hope it wasn't at least."

Fred watched her as she rambled, watching how her hands were fiddling with a loose thread of the blanket on the back of the couch. "Rebecca?"

"Yes, I'm getting there." She took a breath. "It was in the clearing from our detention, with the unicorn?" Rebecca glanced at him to see if he remembered. He nodded, prompting her to continue. "The tree, the tree the unicorn was under, I had to walk to it. I had to. It was like the tree had grabbed me, if that makes sense."

Fred laid a hand on her leg, giving her his full attention. "The first thing that happened, I guess, was the leaves started to fall. I turned to watch, turned in a circle. The trees were bare by the time I'd gone half way and then the grass started to die. It slithered in, the rot. Only the bit directly around me was saved and by then I was almost back to the tree."

"It?"

Rebecca didn't look away from the thread. "Death, maybe. Whatever it was that brought the trees down and killed the grass." She took a breath, pausing. "When I looked back at the tree, it had eyes." Fred didn't move, listening carefully as her voice lowered. "It opened them and looked at me. It looked through me. Whatever it was, it was looking inside of me." She shuddered. "I thought 'I didn't understand.' I didn't. I still don't. What could just suck the life out of everything like that?" She wasn't expecting him to answer, but still waited. "The tree spoke to me."

"The tree?" Fred clarified.

"Yes, like the Sorting Hat or how Ced or Sirius and I can: It spoke in my mind."

Fred squeezed her ankle before scooting closer to her and laying against the back of the couch, wrapping his arms around her middle and laying his head on her arm. "What'd it say?"

"It told me, 'I will.'" 

They sat in silence a few moments, Fred expecting something more. "That's it?"

"I know it's silly-"

"If it left you worried, it's not silly." Fred pulled her closer and tried to word his thoughts. "If it wasn't the future, what if it's nerves for tomorrow?"

Rebecca slid down, moving so that is arm had to go down to stay around her middle but so that her head could rest on top of his. "What do you mean?"

"Well, if the leaves fell of the trees, that probably means change. Like how the seasons change. The grass dying too."

Rebecca contemplated that a long moment before pulling her head back and bringing her hand against the side of his face. "That's really smart."

"I have my moments."

"Shut up." She leaned closer and pressed her lips to his, surprising him with her starting a kiss as heated as that was. He normally was the one to start things like that. Her hand slid back, her fingers sliding through his hair and holding his head. When she pulled back, he leaned his head forward, trying to keep their lips together as long as possible. 

"What was that?" Fred asked softly, letting his head fall back.

"You were being annoying."

"So annoying you brings that? I'll annoy you every day, every hour-"

"No!" Rebecca laughed and stood up, smoothing out her shirt next to the couch. 

Fred's hand shot out and grabbed her thigh. "No?"

"No, now if you'll kindly release me." She stepped out of his reach. "I'm going to see if mum needs help with supper."

Fred sighed and got up, stretching. "Probably good then, I've got to head to Madam Malkin's." Rebecca froze in the doorway, having forgotten for a moment about what he was talking about. 

"Go on!" Molly called, "You've got forty minutes." She poked her head out into the hallway just as Fred reached a hand out for her. "Floo, young man. You pushed it already today." Rebecca skipped to the front room and stuck her tongue at him the second Molly's head poked back into the kitchen. "I saw that!"

"Oops!" She giggled, taking a pinch of powder from the pot. "The shop first?"

Fred nodded, taking a pinch of his own and motioning for her to go. "Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes!" Two flashes of green later and the front room was empty. Inside the shop, Ron was chasing Ginny around while bellowing something about how she'd regret something. George and Cedric were standing behind the counter, cheering the running Weasleys on.

"What's going on here?" Fred demanded as he crossed his arms, Ron and Ginny skidding to a stop. Rebecca watched Fred's arms as his muscles clenched, his jaw setting as no one answered. "Are you mute? Did I not ask in English?"

Ron muttered something about a test of some sort. "Relax, Fred. We'll pop down to Malkin's while they make their ways back to supper. Everything's still set for tomorrow," She waved her arm out around the store. "No harm."

Fred breathed through his nose, turning to her and winking so that they couldn't see. "Everything had better be as it was when we get back." He warned threateningly.

Rebecca rolled her eyes and followed him out the front of the shop. Fred grabbed her arm and laughed loudly the second they were out of sight. "I don't see what's so funny."

Fred laughed harder, turning onto the street with Madam Malkin's. "I thought Ron was going to cry!"

Rebecca fought, she fought hard. But in the end, she ended up laughing with him. "I saw it too!" They were still laughing when the door on the seamstress' door rang to signify their arrival. 

Madam Malkin sighed behind the counter, pointing at the two of them. "Punctuality isn't a priority with you two, is it?"

Fred regained a modicum of composure, "I thought we agreed on 'the evening.'"

Madam Malkin pointed at the clock on the wall, "The evening begins at five, not quarter past five. At five."

Rebecca pulled the stick out of her pocket, the stick she'd nabbed from the shop on their way out. "We had a slight delay." 

Madam Malkin looked at the stick disdainfully. "My name is not Fido, Miss Potter. I don't have a need for twigs."

Rebecca stifled a snort and nodded for her to pick it up and tap it on the counter. Madam Malkin picked it up between two fingers and tapped it against the counter so gently, a sound wasn't made. The stick popped loudly and transformed into a small bouquet of flowers. "I-"

"You're welcome." Fred interrupted, nudging Rebecca forward and looking around for whatever they were there for. "How did it go?"

Madam Malkin tore her eyes away from the flowers, struggling to remember the last time anyone had given her any. "Do you doubt my skills, Mr Weasley?"

Fred threw his head back and laughed, "Not at all!"

Madam Malkin laid the flowers on the counter and led Rebecca behind the curtain, grabbing a hanger off racks and smiling. "My instructions were very, very clear."

Rebecca looked at the purple and grinned, "Let me guess, you've made three this colour?"

Rebecca looked at the purple and grinned, "Let me guess, you've made three this colour?"  
Madam Malkin nodded, "Yes, though your used considerably less fabric." The seamstress left without another word, Rebecca putting the purple garb on quickly and finding it all to be exact. Leaving the tie slightly loose, she folded down the collar and took a glance at herself in the mirror before stepping out and making her way back to the front of the shop.

Fred had his elbows on the counter and was leaning against it, his head lolled back as he listened to Madam Malkin recount the steps she'd taken in the process of making the adjustments. "First...First I took the hems in. No proper shop worker leaves the pants dragging along the ground. Positively disgraceful."

"Oh yeah, disgraceful." Fred said, hoping it placated her.

"Then I needed to bring the sleeves in a bit. That was an-" Madam Malkin stopped talking as Rebecca paused under the arch separating the check out and the work space. "That was a brilliant idea of mine."

Fred stood up straight, a grin spreading across his face slowly as Rebecca turned and held her hands out. "What do you think? Of course, George and I match. Thought you'd get a kick out of it." Rebecca laughed and smoothed the jacket's front. "Pretty sure we don't look quite so smashing though."

Rebecca rolled her eyes, "What do you think Madam Malkin?"

Madam Malkin walked out from behind the counter, motioning for her to turn in a circle. "Well, I made it. It's perfect."

The surety of her voice sent Rebecca into giggles, not because it wasn't true but because it was something Rebecca was certain she'd said herself to Fred at one point or another regarding a prank.

"I don't really see what's so funny." Madam Malkin said softly, pointing back to the curtain. 

"Wait!" Fred pulled Molly's camera from his pocket. "A picture?" Rebecca turned back to him, putting her hands at her sides and smiling formally.

"What is that? That's hardly a memory. That's a picture for a funeral!" Madam Malkin called, taking the camera from Fred's hands and shooing him to her. He stood behind Rebecca, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. She reached up and held her hands to his arms, Fred putting his chin on her shoulder. "Now that, that's a photo."

Madam Malkin pressed the button so the picture would take and told Rebecca to grab her clothes. Fred held the picture while Madam Malkin rang them up, smiling at how he looked it over.

Rebecca ran back into the room, the suit draped over her arm and her shoe untied. "You're going to break your neck one day." Fred chided, pointing his wand at her shoe and leaving it tied nicely.

"Yeah, yeah. You've said."

Madam Malkin raised an eyebrow at the two of them but didn't say anything. "Will that be all, Mr Weasley? Or will you be making another appointment to show up late for?"

Fred shook his head. "That's it. Though, you're more than welcome to stop by tomorrow."

Disdain crossed Madam Malkin's face momentarily before she glanced at her flowers. "We'll see."

*******************************************

Cedric and George were the only two in Weasley Wizard Wheezes when Fred and Rebecca returned, the two of them turning towards the ringing of the doorbell and grinning. "And?"

"And it's perfect." Fred answered, slapping their picture on the counter for them to see. "Exactly like what we talked."

Cedric picked the picture up and held it to the light, smiling at the two of them. George motioned to the fireplace, "After you."

Rebecca made one step towards the fireplace before Fred reached out and laid a hand on her shoulder, apparating them both to the Burrow with Cedric and George close behind. "Fred!" She gasped, stumbling forward the moment they were back on flat ground. 

"Rebecca!" He mocked before seeing how her face looked, the slight widening of her eyes, the way her cheeks were flushed. "I'm sorry."

"We were supposed to floo," Rebecca shook her head. "You weren't supposed to apparate!"

"I hate flooing." Fred said quietly, lowering his voice so that only she could hear. "I-" He shook his head, "I didn't want you to have to use the floo system."

"I don't understand this problem you have with it!" Rebecca restrained what she desperately wanted to be a shout. 

"It's not good enough for you." Fred's face set impassively, revealing nothing. "We have a few weeks now in the summer before you'll go back to school. I won't be able to grab your bag, I won't be able to walk you to class, I won't be able to say good night. All I want is to bring you wherever you have to go while I can--To show you how much I care about you."

Rebecca was shocked into silence. "What?" Fred felt his face heat up as she marched up to him and jammed a finger into his chest roughly. "That is-that is absurd. I know how much you care without such stupid things, especially without you popping in and out of existence when you shouldn't be." Rebecca stepped back, not saying anything else and instead, heading up the stairs to her room.

Cedric looked up the stairs, glancing back at Fred. "I can talk to her, if you want."

Fred shook his head, "I'll do it, you two can go help." George subtly shook his head at Cedric, telling him not to push it. "Just-Just tell mum we'll be right out." Fred climbed the stairs without looking back, turning right at the top of the stirs and knocking on the closed girls' door. The door squeaked upon upon knocking, the latch not having been fully caught.

Rebecca emerged from the closet at the sound, her outfit for tomorrow set up. "There's nothing else to say Fred."

"There is." He crossed the room and took her hands in his. "I didn't mean to upset you."

"You see it though, right?"

Fred squinted, "Yes?"

Rebecca sighed, "None of that matters, not really." Fred stared at her, not saying anything. "This here," She grabbed the chain the locket around her neck was on and opened it, revealing one side to hold a minimised picture from the day she'd joined them in Diagon Alley on a Hogsmeade outing. "This is all I need."

Fred tilted her head to the side and brought his face down to hers, his breath pausing as she dropped the locket and put her hands behind his neck. He smiled a moment before his lips brushed against hers. 

*******************************************

<3


	95. Chapter 95

"Can I go now?" Rebecca asked again, Molly having already insisted she wait until the bag of 'good luck sandwiches' were finished for the four of them to eat. "Please?"

"May."

Rebecca bit her tongue. "May I go now?"

Molly peeked down the hall to the front room, "Isn't Fred coming by?"

"No, I'm flooing in the mornings."

Molly raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything on it. When the two of them joined the others at dinner, they were jovial as usual, but Molly had noted Fred's insistence at apparating her days earlier. "And you'll be back at?"

"Three. Please? I don't know if there's anything that needs to be done before opening."

Molly reached forward and brushed off her shoulders, smiling at the suit. "We'll all be coming by later. Go ahead and warn them now."

Rebecca laughed and kissed Molly's cheek, snatching the bag of sandwiches as she ran down the hall. "I will!"

Appearing in the shop's fireplace, Rebecca was startled to find three faces leaning in at her. "Bloody hell!" She gasped, jumping back.

Cedric laughed, his uniform slightly different than theirs in that he didn't have a jacket and instead had suspenders decorated with Ws in different fonts. Rebecca looked him over and smiled, giving him a thumbs up as she set the sandwiches on the counter. "Looking sharp, Ced!"

Cedric slid his thumbs under the straps, wiggling his eyebrows. "You think?"

George nodded, causing them all to laugh. "Alright, alright, enough funny business. Rebecca, you make sure all the sweets are filled. Fred, you make sure the front is clear. Cedric, you man the counter."

"And what will you be doing?" Fred asked as he stepped towards the door.

George grabbed the bag and turned towards the stairs to the flat. "I'll make sure lunch doesn't rot."

*******************************************

People had started lining up ten minutes before they opened and when the doors were finally unlocked, kids swarmed in like locusts. Fred, George, and Rebecca circled the floor, helping and answering questions as they went.

"Hey there," Rebecca called, crouching to the floor as a toddler wandered around. The little boy reached up and took the hand she offered, pointing up to a Bearded-Berry. "That? You don't want that." Rebecca gave a little smile as a frantic mum hurried down the aisle.

"Boo-boo." The boy said, holding a hand up to the scar near her eye.

"Oh,-"

"I'm so sorry!" She shook her head. "Trying to keep him in sight is like...well, something impossible. He didn't say um...anything, did he?"

Rebecca laughed and stayed on the ground, shaking her head. "Not a boo-boo, see?" She put her hand over his along her scar and smiled, "All good!" The boy watched carefully as she reached a hand up to the shelf above and plucked a sweet from the bin. "And who is this master runaway?"

The mum smiled sheepishly, "This would be Timothy. How old are you Timmy?"

The boy raised up three fingers, giggling. "Three? Wow! I thought you were at least 25, maybe older!" Rebecca lifted the sweet up, looking up to his mum. "A sweet for mum, perhaps?"

"Janet, please. Tim's made it so I've met a lot of shop keeps, introductions aren't new. I'm so sorry, he's...well, he's a talker." Pain flashed through Rebecca's heart at her name, though she hid it. "Everything alright?"

Or she thought she'd hidden it. "I'm sorry." Rebecca stood up, "How rude. I...I knew someone named Janet a long time ago. But that was a long ago. Please, I insist." Rebecca held the treat out farther. 

"What does it do?" Janet asked, glancing around the busy shop nervously. "I won't grow a second head or anything, will I?"

Rebecca appreciated how the woman let the name-subject and the scar-talk drop and shook her head. "No, that would be Two-Headed Toothpaste in the aisle across the way."

"Oh!" Janet held a hand to her heart. "I was kidding! How in Merlin's beard did you come up with all this?" 

Rebecca bowed, another giggle leaving Timmy as she winked at him. "Confidential, I'm afraid."

Janet took the candy carefully, unwrapping it like it was an explosive. "Well, I guess if I won't grow a head. What do you think Timmy?" Timmy glanced at Rebecca before nodding his head excitedly, his little feet shuffling as he clapped. Janet popped the candy into her mouth, Timmy's hands shooting to his mouth as he laughed.

Janet reached up to her mouth, feeling the hair that sprouted and bending down to the floor. "What do you think, Tim-Tom?"

Timmy launched himself at his mother, pulling away after a moment. "Itchy."

The two women met each other's eyes before laughing. Janet scooped Timothy up, holding him on her hip. The beard faded away within a few seconds, Timothy reaching his hands up and grabbing his mum's cheeks with his eyes wide. "We've got to go, I have a feeling my oldest is causing mischief somewhere."

"That's no problem, we encourage mischief here." Rebecca walked her to the end of the aisle, Louis walking up to them. 

"Mum! You met Rebecca!"

"That's this Rebecca?" Janet asked, stepping to the side and looking at her in a new light. "Rebecca Potter?"

Louis sighed, "Potter Weasley, mum."

Rebecca glanced at Louis nervously, "Louis, what exactly have you told your mum about me?" Janet switched Timothy to her other hip, putting him out of reach of the shelves he'd been reaching for. 

Louis smiled, "The truth."

"The truth encompasses quite a lot," Rebecca turned to Janet. "I'm sorry if anything's been, um...glorified as it was passed along."

Janet scoffed, shaking her head. "I have a feeling nothing was glorified, Louis' not one for exaggeration." Janet held her hand out and Rebecca shook it. "Between the club you and your brother set up and the..." Janet sniffed. "The other help you offered, I can't thank you enough."

"Mum!" Louis cried. "Please! You're embarrassing me!"

Rebecca shook her head, "I only did what anyone would have."

"And yet, 'anyone' didn't." Fred answered, holding his hand out to Janet, Louis, and then Timothy. "What're we thinking, Louis? Satisfied?"

Louis looked around, "This is the craziest, most absolutely mental shop ever."

Fred considered the words and gave a grin to Rebecca. "I think that's what we were going for." Janet was dragged down an aisle by Louis who was shouting something about needing to show her something. "I bet that little Louis'll end up being just as much trouble, same look in his eyes."

"Really?" Rebecca asked, turning to the side and straightening a shelf. "I thought that look was familiar." She looked over her shoulder with a cheeky smirk. "Seen it on you enough."

Fred tilted his head at her, grabbing her hands and making it so that she faced him entirely. "Careful."

"Of what?" Rebecca laughed, "You?"

Fred bent down so that his face was next to hers, leaning forward so that his lips brushed against her cheek. "You don't want to see me make trouble."

*******************************************

Cedric quickly found that counter duty was not as slow as he'd assumed. By the time the first hour had passed, he'd had exactly four seconds of reprieve and that was simply the time it took the first customer to reach the counter. Rebecca ducked under the counter and patted his shoulder at the end of hour two. "Let's switch a while, if your good?"

Cedric's enthusiastic nod made them both chuckle. "You sure? It gets a little wild."

Rebecca shooed him away, waving the next person up. "I think George said something about an announcement in a bit, I don't know. He's a little excited and when he's excited-"

"He talks too fast!" Cedric finished, knowing exactly what she was talking about. "I think he does that so that we'll agree and move on."

Rebecca shrugged, "Maybe, but I've been commanded to be on the steps at one. Will you keep an eye on the time and come back around then?" Cedric saluted and stepped away to offer help to anyone.

"Hi Rebecca!" Angelina said, setting a few things on the counter. 

"Angelina! What're you doing here? Don't you have training?" Rebecca was so proud of the graduated Gryffindor who'd announced to the team at the end of the year that she would be joining Oliver's team as second string Chaser.

"Later, I couldn't exactly miss all this." Rebecca punched in the prices, handing back her change quickly. "You three...this is really something."

Rebecca smiled, "Yeah, it is." She pointed in the direction she'd last seen Fred and George. "They're off that way, probably giving a child something they shouldn't." Angelina laughed and went off to greet them.

The customers began to blur, Rebecca managing to get the line down to a reasonable two-three person queue. She glanced over at the books and felt her heart jump at the tracking of how much they'd made already. They'd had an estimate based off about half the number of customers they'd had already, to say that their estimate had been low was the understatement of the year: They weren't even half through with the day and had already doubled it.

Cedric walked back to the counter and had just opened his mouth to tell her that it was nearly one when George's voice echoed throughout the store. "REBECCA!" 

Cedric winced, "Guess I don't have to tell you it's time."

Rebecca shook her head, "No, guess not." She ducked out from the counter's area and wove through the crowd, making her way back to the stairs where Fred and George were standing in front of Molly, Ron, and Ginny.

Molly kissed Rebecca's cheek before pushing her up the stairs, telling them to smile nicely. Fred and George took a seat, pulling Rebecca down on to the step between them where they each put an arm around her and grinned up at Molly.

Molly snapped the picture quickly, looking at them proudly. "Okay, okay. Go on, these two want to look around and I have to pick up a few things." Molly took a few steps away before hurrying back and hugging them all quickly.

Fred pulled her up the rest of the stairs, directing her to stand between them. "Come one, come all!" George shouted, holding his hands up to his mouth.

"We've got Fainting Fancies, Nosebleed Nougat," Fred added, looking to Rebecca.

"And all before school starts!"

Fred laid his hand against Rebecca's back and held it there as all three of them bowed and stepped down the stairs. At the bottom of the stairs, Fred checked his watch and shook his head. "Can't believe how fast the day's going. Hungry?" George nodded. "Rebecca?"

"And what if she isn't? Am I just supposed to starve?"

"I could definitely eat." Rebecca and Fred continued like George hadn't spoken.

"I'll run up and get them then." George followed Fred up a step, Rebecca turning to head back to the floor.

"How much is this?" Ron's voice made both boys turn to their youngest brother.

"That's-"

"Five galleons." Fred and George answered in unison, interrupting Rebecca and crossing their arms.

"How much for me?" Ron asked, holding the giant yo yo a little lower.

"Five galleons." Fred and George repeated, shaking their heads in disbelief.

"I'm your brother!" Ron said incredulously.

"Ten galleons." Fred and George shrugged before going off, Fred up the stairs and George to the counter to check on Cedric.

"Pricks." Ron muttered, setting the toy back on the shelf. Rebecca plucked it off and took the lid off, putting the minutest tear in the label.

"This is damaged! We can't sell damaged goods!"

Ron's scowl lifted slightly, looking at her a moment before nodding. "That would be bad for business, wouldn't it."

"The worst." Rebecca laughed and tossed the box to him, walking him around. "They're just excited, they don't mean to be..."

"Gits?"

"Well, yes. But don't tell them I said so."

"Too late." Fred intoned, holding a sandwich out at her and eyeing the box in Ron's hands. "Must have missed the damage in our initial inspection."

"Must have." Rebecca agreed, unwrapping the sandwich and looking on the top and the bottom. "Hmm, no note this time."

Ron snorted until Fred looked at him sharply. "Not funny." Ron amended before walking off, joining Ginny in front of the wall of Umbridge trapeze toys. 

"It's a little funny." Fred admitted as Rebecca stared at him.

"You don't have to make him feel bad." She muttered, taking a bite of her sandwich.

"It's so easy though." 

Rebecca shook her head, walking down the aisle they were in with Fred right behind her, eating his own sandwich. "Did you see the book yet?"

Fred wiped his mouth. "No, afraid to look. Seems like a certain person has been offering samples and giving things away."

Rebecca paused, glancing at him head to toe. "Go take a peek and come back."

Fred narrowed his eyes at her, confused. Rebecca leaned against the shelf, eating her sandwich and watching as Fred paused so that a group of kids could run in front of him. One tripped and went flying. Fred's hand shot out, catching the little one by the back of the shirt. "Careful there!" Fred reached up to the kid's ear, pulling back a knut like it had been in her ear. The girl grinned, especially as Fred told her where the sweet dispensers were.

Rebecca rolled up her sandwich wrapper, smiling at his interaction with the little girl. Fred greeted Cedric and leaned over the counter, turning the book so that he could read it. The sandwich fell out of his hand and his jaw dropped. "Fred?" Cedric asked as he left the sandwich on the counter and turned around quickly, meeting Rebecca's eyes across the store.

Fred turned back to the counter, cleaning up his mess and looking at the book one more time before handing the half-eaten sandwich to Cedric and walking away in shock. Rebecca looked up at him as he came back. "Still worried about samples?"

Fred kissed her without warning, looking down at her one moment and holding the back of her head the next. He pulled back a moment later before shaking his head and kissing her again. "Worried? I can't-I can't even think right now."

"Do you ever though?" Fred gave her a sharp look. "'It's so easy though.'" She mocked his earlier statement and laughed before stepping back. "I'm going to see what I can do, mum'll be back soon and it's almost three." Fred nodded, still in too much shock to speak. 

"Wow!" Hermione said from behind him, just missing Rebecca. "You're certainly busy!"

Fred nodded and looked around, gratitude and pride flooding him. "Yeah, lots of people want to laugh."

Hermione heard his undertone but didn't push. "Where's Rebecca? I said I'd pop by before she left."

Fred pointed down the direction she'd just gone in and felt Hermione's dad slap his back and look around in awe. "God god, this is lunacy."

Fred grinned, "We specialise in that here."

Rebecca was on her knees, pulling the boxes from the back of a shelf to the front. "Nearly missed you down there!" She looked up, her glasses catching on the lip of the shelf above and falling to the floor.

"Damn!" Rebecca tried to catch them but only ended up knocking them farther. 

Hermione picked them up from where they'd slid in front of her. "I've heard about knocking the socks off someone, but never the glasses off."

Rebecca laughed, standing and brushing her knees off. "You shocked me, that's for sure."

Hermione sighed, "I'd ask if you wanted me to fix them, but I know how you feel about magic out of Hogwarts ever since..."

"Ever since I was nearly expelled? Yeah, reason enough to be wary. I don't care if the Ministry can't pinpoint who it is exactly in Diagon Alley. It's alright, Fred or George, even Cedric. They're all capable."

Rebecca followed Hermione out of the aisle, realising just how necessary her glasses were. Hermione looked around and around, leading them down aisle after aisle. "Here, we'll just do this." Rebecca cupped her hands to her mouth, "GEORGE!"

George grinned and excused himself from the introductions Fred was doing between him and Hermione's parents. "I think I'm being called."

"He thinks?" Hermione's mom laughed.

"What?" George asked, sighing as he saw the glasses Rebecca held. "Really?"

"No, not really." Rebecca held them out to him. "Yes! Can you please just help?"

George tapped his wand to them. "Oculus reparo." The lines in the lenses disappeared and the frames straightened themselves out, her glasses good as new. 

She slid them up over her nose, sighing in relief. "Thank you!" 

George laughed, "No, thank you! You look naked without them."

Hermione agreed, "It is rather strange."

Rebecca crossed her arms, "Siding against me? Whatever happened to female solidarity?"

Hermione rolled her eyes and put her arm through Rebecca's, asking questions as they walked through the store. "Harry rang this morning, said to tell you everything looked great."

Rebecca looked around, "He hasn't even been here yet. I can't wait for him to come. We're going to do all our shopping when he's done there." The disdain Rebecca felt for the Dursleys was evident. "I can't wait for him to get to Sirius'."

Hermione nodded, "He can't either. The time will fly, like one paragraph in a book to the next."

Rebecca looked at her oddly, "Hermione, that is not a saying."

"It could be."

*******************************************

"Oh my..." Remus said softly, stepping into Weasley' Wizard Wheezes with Sirius bouncing in anticipation beside him and Harry ahead of them both. Only two weeks remained until Hogwarts' term started and on that day--the first day that Harry, Sirius, and Remus made it to the shop and the day that their O.W.L.s scores were supposed to be sent out. It was a very, very busy day. Sirius wiped at his face and sniffled, startling Remus out of his thoughts. "Pads, are you crying?"

Sirius turned away from Remus, scoffing. "Yeah, right. I don't cry."

"Well, that's not what you said at the end of the mov-"

"That dog died, Moony. That's different."

Remus raised his hands in surrender, "Yes, yes, you're right. But what's wrong right now? This should be your happiest place in the world, look at all the trouble begging to be caused."

Sirius glanced out over the expansive shelves, watching Harry wrap his arms around Rebecca happily in the middle of the shop. "James and Lily would be so proud right now. James..." Sirius turned his head so that Remus opened his arms and Sirius could put his head against Remus' chest. "He'd look at this all and say 'Blimey! Our works cut out for us, isn't it?'"

Remus laughed, practically hearing James say the words. "Yes, he would."

"Everything okay here?" Rebecca asked, Harry disappearing with Ron down an aisle. 

Sirius stood up, waving a hand out over the store. "This...this is magnificent." 

Remus nodded, steering Sirius down an aisle. "And it's this busy? You guys have been open for--what, four weeks now?"

"Five and this? This is a slow day." Rebecca couldn't hide the pride from her voice before her gaze wandered out the window. "It's not good out there though. Seems like more shops are closing each week. Say, would you pop down the block and buy some tea from Margo at the Special-Tea Pot?" Rebecca reached into her jacket pocket. "If you don't need any, I've got-"

"We were just talking about how we needed some more." Remus interrupted, waving her hand away from her pocket. "Go on, give us a tour and don't be silly."

"Not be silly in a prank shop? That's a tall order." Rebecca motioned for them to follow her. "Here's our skiving snacks, not like you need those though." 

Sirius shook his head and purveyed the Puking Pastilles, "You never know when you need to get out of something."

Fred smiled to himself from beside Cedric where he had been going over the current stock numbers. Excusing himself from Cedric who was talking about where he and George had gone for dinner the night before. "Again." Fred thought dryly before finding that not even Cedric's newfound trend for repeating himself could get dampen the joy that enveloped him each and every day he watched Rebecca around the shop. The work became her, always finding a way to help even the youngest of customers find a way to cause trouble and leave the shop beaming.

"Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder." Fred told Harry as he walked up behind them. "Real money spinner right there." He bent down and pecked Rebecca's cheek before straightening up and looking over the many shoppers. 

"Good if you need to make a quick get away." Rebecca added, before Harry waved to Ron from across the store and looked at her expectantly. "Fine, go on. I'll just show Sirius and..." Rebecca turned around to where the adults had been a moment earlier and found them swept away in childlike giddiness as they walked up and down every aisle. 

Fred chuckled, putting his arm around her shoulder and walked down towards the newer portions of the store's layout. "You think the mails arrived back home?" Rebecca asked nervously.

"I don't know why you're asking me." Fred tightened his grip on her. "They'll get there when they get there and we'll open them at dinner." Rebecca nodded, sighing. Molly and Monica, as Hermione's mum had commanded them all to call her, had been corresponding almost daily ever since the Grangers had returned from the states to plan a get together. Coincidentally, the great revealing of O.W.L.s landed on the date they'd chosen. "Love?"

"Just thinking." 

"Dangerous." Fred chuckled. "Hello ladies." He nodded his head to Hermione and Ginny who were standing in front of the Love Potion display.

"Love potions?" Rebecca asked incredulously, stepping away from Fred's side. "You two don't need these."

George snorted from where he'd appeared beside Fred, Harry trailing behind him and stopping as he saw the other two girls. "'Specially not you Ginny."

"Meaning?" Ginny demanded, putting the vial back on the display and narrowing her eyes at George.

"Are you not currently dating that Raven-dork?"

Ginny smirked. "That's none of your business."

Harry looked around oddly as Ginny went off in an opposite direction. Rebecca watched as Hermione glanced over her shoulder before setting the vial back on the shelf and smiling sheepishly at Rebecca. "Anything new?"

Rebecca jumped, pointing back a ways. "Yes, finally perfected the blasted..."

Fred and George put a hand on Harry's shoulders, Harry looking up at them confused. "Harry, we have to thank you again."

George continued. "If you hadn't given us the winnings from the-"

"You already thanked me." Harry said sharply, stepping back. "A few times, actually."

Fred nodded, "And we still feel like we owe you more. All of this-" Fred grinned at the bustling shop. "All this would have taken much, much longer without you. But, clearly business is booming."

Harry shook his head. "Stop there, I don't want to hear another word." Harry looked over his shoulder, seeing that Rebecca was heading back their way with Hermione, Ron laughing next to her. "You made sure she wasn't here for this, didn't you?"

George gulped, "Course not. She's this bloody tall!" He held a hand up exaggeratedly. "But you could always just take the money and not say anything."

Harry smirked, "Sure, I'll take it. But I'll tell her about it."

Fred narrowed his eyes. "You're a devious, dirty bloke, Harry. Have you heard that before?"

"Heard what?" Rebecca asked, checking the time on the clock they'd put up a few weeks earlier. "That it's almost three?"

"Yes," Harry said. "That's all I heard, at least."

Rebecca unbuttoned her jacket, slipping it off and telling them that she'd be right down. She ran up the stairs to the flat where she'd brought a handful of things. Opening the drawer and pulling out jeans and a t-shirt, she hung her suit up in the closet and sighed. Molly was forcing her to not work the last two weeks of summer as she had worked every day prior, despite their three day a week agreement beforehand. Molly couldn't understand that the shop didn't feel like work and it's not like she was paid (to her knowledge and insistence), but alas, the next two weeks were still left empty.

Hermione stood next to Fred, nudging him so that he would look away from the flat door. "You did what I said, didn't you."

Fred rolled his eyes, "Why do you ask? You know I did."

Hermione shrugged, "Feels good to hear it."

"Yes, I got the account set up and yes, she doesn't know. Exactly as she won't, right?" 

Hermione scoffed, "As if. I'm an excellent secret keeper. Just because you melt at the sight of her..." Hermione's words fell on deaf ears as Rebecca closed the flat behind her, Fred beaming up at her. 

Rebecca waved at the counter from the stairs, Cedric and George waving goodbye. "Ready?" Hermione nodded, Ron and Harry already having moved to the fireplace.

"Excuse me, I do believe you're going home for the day." Fred said, holding his hand out in front of her so she couldn't walk past him. "Where're you going?"

Rebecca sighed, "Really?"

Fred nodded. "Really." He held turned his arm so that his hand was facing her, waiting for her to take it. When she did, Fred smiled cheekily and apparated the two of them back to the Burrow before apparating back to the shop a second later.

"I don't think I'll ever understand them." Ron remarked, handing the pot of floo powder to Hermione and Harry. 

"That's probably a good thing," Harry laughed. "You'd have to be mental to."

*******************************************

"Bring the plates!" Remus passed on, Sirius failing to do so as he was preoccupied with antagonizing Tonks with one of the many things he'd purchased that afternoon. 

Molly and Monica were on scooping duty at the table with bowls and plates of every conceivable barbecue related food while Wendell and Arthur gossiped at the grill. Fred, George, and Cedric had arrived minutes earlier, the last of those dining with them. "I've got them, Rems." Rebecca opened the cupboard and reached up, placing a hand on the counter as she stood up on her tiptoes just to find that whoever had put the dishes away had put them back farther than usual.

Remus pointed at her as Fred came down the hall, turning and leaving the two of them alone as he held his hand to the bridge of his nose and went to convince Sirius it was time to eat. 

"Here, let me get that for you." Fred said softly, easily reaching the plates and taking them out of the cupboard. "Ready?"

"Yes!" Rebecca laughed, "You're delaying supper on purpose!"

Fred's jaw dropped, "Me? Tease? Never!"

Rebecca rolled her eyes and found herself grinning up at him. "Yeah, yeah. Kiss me so we can go open the scores."

"So romantic." Fred couldn't have had that much of an issue with it though since he did exactly as he was told.

Rebecca set the plates at the end of the food table and joined the line, stepping between Remus and Harry. "Cut much?" Harry asked, stepping back around so he was in front of her.

"Whine much?"

"Children, children," Remus put his hand between them and sighed. "That will suffice."

Harry and Rebecca laughed, Molly motioning them to step up. "Eat! There's plenty more!"

Rebecca set her overloaded plate down with a solid thump, Ron eyeing his own plate ravenously. The mothers scooped their own plates and walked around the table slowly, "Tonight, we see-"

"Can we please open them!" Hermione shouted.

Wendell his his laughter with a well-timed cough. Monica sighed, "Yes, I guess so." Both women took out the letters and handed them out to the children and instructing them to wait until they all got it.

Fred laid a hand on Rebecca's bouncing leg, squeezing it reassuringly. "Remember what George told you?" Rebecca's face showed no recollection. "You are more than an exam's score." Rebecca thought a moment before nodding. 

"Go on then!" Arthur called, waving his hands. 

Hermione had hers open in a second, her eyes flitting over the paper quickly. Harry's disappointment shown clearly a single moment before he slid plain face on and handed the paper to Sirius' outstretched hands. Molly had a hand on Ron's shoulder and was praising him. Rebecca slid the paper out of the envelope, her heart beating in her ears.

(In case you've forgotten or need a refresher, here are the O.W.L scores)

Pass Grades:  
Outstanding (O)  
Exceeds Expectations (E)  
Acceptable (A)

Fail Grades:  
Poor (P)  
Dreadful (D)  
Troll (T)

Rebecca Potter Weasley:

Astronomy: E  
Care of Magical Creatures: E  
Charms: O  
Defense Against the Dark Arts: O  
Divination: T  
Herbology: E  
History of Magic: D  
Potions: O  
Transfiguration: O

"Well?" Fred asked, not seeing joy or disappointment on her face. She turned the paper towards him, her face still blank. Fred read over the scores and laughed, loudly. "Rebecca!"

Harry looked across the table solemnly, curious as to what she'd gotten. Hermione and Ron switched score sheets, Ron rolling his eyes and telling Hermione he could have guessed. Sirius handed Harry back his paper, confused. "What's wrong? These are perfectly acceptable scores, you know. You don't want to know what I got." 

Harry took Rebecca's sheet as she offered it to him, handing his to her. "I got an E in Potions." Harry said softly, not wanting to announce his disappointment to everyone in attendance. "That means I can't take N.E.W.T levels."

Harry's O.W.L.s  
Astronomy: A  
Care of Magical Creatures: E  
Charms: E  
Defense Against the Dark Arts: O  
Divination: P  
Herbology: E  
History of Magic: D  
Potions: E  
Transfiguration: E

Rebecca read Harry's paper quickly, knowing exactly what had him in a less than celebratory mood. Fred stood up, taking Rebecca's paper and preparing to show it off to the rest of them. "Hey Fred?"

"Yes, love?" He kissed her forehead. "Anything, you ask and it's done." He answered excitedly.

"I was thinking, maybe we should go ahead and...start that thing?"

Fred furrowed his brow. "That thing?"

Rebecca nodded, grabbing his hand and walking back to the side of the house. "Yes, that thing."

Harry turned Rebecca's sheet to the light, narrowing his eyes. "At least I didn't get a T."

Hermione's face paled at his words. "A-A what?" Hermione waited impatiently while Harry read through the rest of her scores, noting that she got a bloody O in Potions. Hermione scanned Rebecca's scores and snorted.

"What?" Ron demanded, taking the paper from her. "What's she gotten?" 

Molly gasped and held a hand to her mouth as she read over Ron's shoulder. "A T?"

Wendell glanced around at the magic adults. "What's a T again? Terrific?"

Cedric shook his head, confused. "Not quite. T...T stands for Troll. What in Merlin's beard did she get a T in?"

George plucked the paper out of Ron's hands, Molly smacking the back of his head in response to his rudeness. "It's a mistake. It has to be."

Arthur shook his head, "No son, there aren't mistakes in the O.W.L.s."

They continued to debate the validity of her score until Rebecca and Fred appeared as they exited the shadows at the side of the house with a box between them. Harry was grateful that they'd all been distracted by the T, finding a moment to mourn his auror goals privately.

"I'm sorry." Tonks said, laying her hand on Harry's arm from the side opposite Sirius. 

"At least it's not a T." Harry offered, trying to laugh off his pain. It didn't work, his narrow failure felt like it was burning a hole in him.

"No, it isn't. I'm not even going to bloody pretend to understand that one." Tonks shook her head.

"It's a little ironic, isn't it?" Remus mused. "The one who's battled subconscious premonitions failed Divination."

"Not for a while." Harry corrected absent-mindedly, finding the score confusing too. Rebecca hadn't mentioned anything horrible happening in her Divination exam, though she hadn't mentioned anything to him about dreams recently either. 

Rebecca sat back down secretively, not saying a word about what was in the box and taking her score sheet back from Ron strangely. "Maybe," Harry thought, shocking himself a moment. "Maybe I don't know her as well I thought."

*******************************************

In case you were curious, this is the best guess as to what Ron's scores would have been and Hermione's scores as well.

Ron's O.W.L.s  
Astronomy: A  
Care of Magical Creatures: E  
Charms: E  
Defense Against the Dark Arts: E  
Divination: P  
Herbology: E  
History of Magic: P  
Potions: E  
Transfiguration: E

Hermione's O.W.L.s  
Arithmancy: O  
Astronomy: O  
Care of Magical Creatures: O  
Charms: O  
Defense Against the Dark Arts: E  
Herbology: O  
History of Magic: O  
Muggle Studies: O  
Potions: O  
Study of Ancient Runes: O  
Transfiguration: O

<3


	96. Chapter 96

"Get up." Narcissa commanded from Draco's doorway. "It's time. I suggest you not 'wonder' anything up today. It will not bode well for you."

Draco gave up his feigned sleep and sat up in bed, his heart heavy. Seeing that he was awake, Narcissa left him to his misery. Draco sat on the edge of his bed a few minutes, his mind blank. His birthday had been weeks earlier, but the Dark Lord had been called to Scotland on urgent business. Today was His return, today was Draco's initiation.

A dark suit had been set out for him by the maid, a suit that he pulled on with the abandon that a man on death row would have recognised as his own. Draco's life was ending, this was it. For all that damned Hufflepuff boy had spoken about choice, for Rebecca's speaking of nothing behind inherently bad, this was it.

"I could refuse." He thought, staring at his ragged appearance in the mirror. "I could say no. He'll kill me, but I won't be one of them." Rage flashed through Draco at the sight of him, shrouded in black like the rest of them. He knew he wouldn't say no. As afraid as he was of a life among monsters, he was more afraid of death. He hated his cowardice, but he still couldn't make himself choose differently. 

Finding no other excuse to delay his exit, Draco jerked to a stop at the door. He raised a shaky hand to the chain around his neck, the chain from the kindest action anyone had ever done for him: The chain with the shrunken rendering Rebecca had given him two years prior. He unclasped it for the first time since he'd put it around his neck, steering his eyes away from the image. 

It fell to the floor with a muffled thump and Draco continued down the stairs; Down the stairs where the Dark Lord waited.

*******************************************

"You will."

"You will."

"You will."

Rebecca sat up in bed, her eyes opening quickly. Ginny didn't wake, already having adjusted to the nightly occurrences. Rebecca had returned to the clearing almost every night after the first time, though the dread followed, that entered and killed the grass and lead to the falling of the leaves, that hadn't been there since.

No, instead she wandered about the tall grass. Some nights the tree's eyes were open and she avoided the gaze of their knowing iries. Other nights the tree was just a tree and she found herself sitting on its roots. More often than not, the tree would stare into her like it had the first night. It sorted through her mind, her feelings, her thoughts. Looking, judging, discerning. 

Rebecca slipped out of bed and made her way downstairs, putting the kettle on and stepping out of the house when it was through. The mug steamed in the cool morning air, swirling up in the space above its warm contents. Sighing, she sipped from the cup and looked out over the hills laden with the fog that dissipated with the sun's first rays.

"Up early." Arthur remarked, taking a seat on the seat next to her. He sat in silence a moment, trying to figure out what exactly to say. 

"Yeah, woke up and couldn't go back to sleep."

Arthur sat back, sipping from his cup before glancing at her. "Sleep well?"

Rebecca let out a harsh laugh, "I didn't see anything, if that's what you're asking."

Arthur didn't believe her. "What are your plans today?"

Rebecca latched onto the change in topic with a passion, just happy he wasn't pressing for details on what had her up with him most mornings. "I think Harry's expecting me at Grimmauld this afternoon."

"Probably smart." Arthur elaborated when she looked to him confused. "When was the last time you sat and chatted?"

Rebecca sighed, "I've been a little preoccupied." She stood up, the peace of the morning disturbed.

"I know," Arthur laid a hand on her shoulder, her back to him. "Family is there to help us--A task that's awfully hard to do to when left in the dark."

Rebecca nodded and stepped out of his grip, leaving the tea left in her cup on the counter and climbing back into her bed where she promptly buried herself under the blankets. "Help. Pah!" She clenched her fists, her nails leaving small crescent shaped indentations in her palms. "No one can help if even I don't know what's wrong."

Molly climbed the stairs around lunch, curious as to where her morning-companion had snuck off to with Arthur left for work, mentioning a slight disturbance. "Girls?"

Ginny rolled over, knowing she wasn't going to be allowed to sleep in any longer. "I'm up."

Rebecca stayed under the covers, not saying anything. Molly eased the door open and lifted the top most blanket. Then the second. Then the third. "I know there's someone in this bed!" Molly laughed, "There!" Rebecca sat up, her face plain. "Where were you? I haven't had a morning alone since summer started."

Rebecca shrugged, "Tired, I guess."

Molly sat on the edge of the bed, her disbelief evident. "Really?"

Ginny left the room, clothes in hand and blissfully unaware of the tension growing between the room's other inhabitants. "What?" Rebecca bit her tongue, her tone too sharp. Molly sat in silence, well versed in the art of getting an answer without asking a question. "I just want to sleep. I want to close my eyes and do whatever it is normal people do. That shouldn't be hard."

"Was it anything-"

"No. I almost wish it was."

"Don't say that!" Molly stood up, her hands clasped together. "Don't even joke!"

Rebecca stood up too, frightened at how Molly was reacting. "Okay, I'm sorry." Molly pulled Rebecca into a hug, holding Rebecca's head to her chest. "I am. Sorry, that is. Very sorry."

Molly shook her head and tightened their embrace. "Don't you ever, ever say that again. Don't even think it."

"Will you be checking?" Rebecca looked up cheekily, hoping some well-timed humour would fully forgive her rudeness.

"Checking?"

"My thoughts, of course. In case I think it." 

Molly rolled her eyes and swatted the back of her head, leaving the room with warnings that lunch was on the table and Ron was already down stairs. Rebecca pulled on old clothes: Her oldest pants, her most worn shirt, her dingiest jumper. The familiarity brought comfort nothing else could as she tried to make her mind feel like her own again.

Some mornings, especially after the tree-"Or whatever it was."- Rebecca self corrected, it made her head feel like it had after Voldemort had gone through it. Sharp, jumbled, foreign. Jumping off the last step, Rebecca downed the rest of her tea before grabbing one of the remaining sandwiches. Biting into the excellence, she turned to the front of the house, deciding that a chore would be the perfect thing to keep her occupied until it was time to go.

*******************************************

"My sweet, sweet goddaughter!" Sirius shouted as he tore through the house into the room Rebecca had flooed in. "Catch!"

Rebecca's hands jerked up, snatching the stuffed kneazle? "Sirius?"

"RUN!" Sirius screamed, cackling as Harry barreled into him and Remus jogged into the room after. Rebecca did as she was commanded, taking off around the couch where Harry tried to stop and switch directions to catch her. 

"Nice seeing you!" Harry called, panting heavily.

"You too!" Rebecca lunged to the left so that Harry dove in that direction before hopping over the couch and tossing the toy to Remus who sighed happily.

"Thank you! Now we're done." 

Sirius scowled. "Clearly I didn't go over the rules."

Rebecca laughed, "Clearly. What even is this game? Aside from utter madness, of course."

Remus grimaced, "Big dog, little dog."

Sirius laughed harder, taking a seat in the room and losing it completely. "I-" He shook his head, laughing too hard to talk. "I named it!"

Remus motioned for Rebecca to follow him, rolling his eyes. "Tea? Spot of lunch?"

Rebecca nodded, Harry's voice following them down the hall as he and Sirius tried to shout over one another. "I'll have some tea, if you're making." She glanced over her shoulder, "Are they always this...excited?"

Remus gave her a look before chuckling and waving his wand at the kettle on the stove. "Yes, nearly every minute. It's a welcome reprieve though, someone else to entertain him a bit." Remus reached up into the highest cabinet and pulled out an old, raggedy biscuit tin that, once opened, revealed a stash of chocolates. "There's something, it's practically spelt on your face."

Rebecca sighed, taking a chocolate and letting it melt on her tongue, trying to turn her jumbled thoughts and feelings into words. "I was hoping to talk to you and Sirius a moment. It's really strange, stupid really..."

Remus said nothing but pulled out a third cup, pouring a tea and adding the copious sugar and milk Sirius preferred. "And Harry?"

Rebecca looked up into his eyes, lost. "I don't know."

Remus pursed his lips, finding a terrifying similarity in her face. The scar around her eye--that was a facet of this similarity, that was true--but it occured to Remus at that moment that it wasn't that, it wasn't necessarily physical. It was something in her eyes, something off. "I think he'll be joining us too then." A fourth cup joined the table and Remus slid the tin closer to her so that she would take another.

The two R's sat in quiet in the few minutes it took for Harry and Sirius to collect themselves from the room they were still rambunctious in and they tumbled down the hall to the dining room, pausing at the mood inside. "Something wrong?" Harry asked nervously, taking the seat across from Rebecca.

"It's not..." Sirius looked over Rebecca carefully before glancing at Remus who shook his head quickly. "Oh thank Merlin."

Harry tilted his head and looked between the men before opening his mouth in realisation. "It's not?"

"No!" Rebecca's face burnt as the Harry and Sirius sat back in the chairs in identical expressions of relief. "Hell, why is that always the assumption? I'm-We're-Just stop!"

Harry grimaced, remembering what had happened the last time he'd tried to make an assumption and/or judgement on anything between she and Fred. "Sorry, as you were saying."

Remus put the chocolates in the middle of the table and poured Harry tea, "Nothing had actually been said yet."

Rebecca sighed. "I have to talk to these two," Rebecca motioned to Remus and Sirius. "Just, listen, I guess." She waited until she got three nods, Sirius lifting his cup to his lips and sipping carefully, his eyes wide with concern. "I've been..." Rebecca looked away from them all, focusing on a point on the wall behind Harry's head. "I've been having this dream. For all I can tell, it's not a premonition. My head doesn't hurt, it hasn't hurt once."

"Once?" Harry interjected before shaking his head in an apology.

Rebecca shrugged, "It's alright, I guess. Maybe I wasn't clear. I don't like talking about this. Feels wrong, almost. Like I should just-" Remus laid a hand on her arm, prompting her to get back to the point. "Sorry. Yes, once. It's been happening since summer started, nearly every night."

Harry's face set in a scowl, somehow knowing that she'd already told Fred more than he'd known. 

"I'm in the forest, it's a place I've been before." She gave the quick background Remus needed about the significance of the clearing and what had happened with the unicorn therein. "But it's different. The tree. It's absurd--" She looked at them sheepishly. "That tree's alive."

"All trees are alive." Remus pointed out, not understanding.

"No!" Rebecca shook her head, grabbing her teacup so that her hands had something between them. "This tree...It talks. To me. It looks in me."

Sirius dropped his teacup with a clatter. "The Forbidden Forest?"

Rebecca nodded, "Yes, it's deep-"

"-There's a path that only you see, that led you there." Sirius finished.

"Yes! You've been there?" Rebecca found herself incredibly grateful that no one was acting like she was crazy. 

Remus gasped, "Reg-"

"DON'T SAY HIS NAME!" Sirius shouted, slamming his hands on the table before wringing them in front of him as he stood nervously. "Remus," Sirius shook his head, using his full name. Not a nickname, not a pet name, his full name. "I am so, so sorry. I don't-"

Remus held up a hand, "It's okay, I understand."

"Understand what? What am I missing?" Harry leaned forward, looking at all three of them. "What do you know about this?"

Sirius sat back down and put her head in his hands, taking a moment. When he sat back up, he was the oldest he'd ever looked. "That clearing, that tree...I followed my brother there in our seventh year. We'd already become animagi at that point and it was a furry-night, as we called them. Imagine my surprise at seeing Ickle Regs in the forest in the middle of the night!" He let out a harsh laugh. 

Rebecca was on the edge of her chair, in utter disbelief that not only did someone else know about the tree, but that they weren't calling the loony bin on her. "What happened? Did he say anything?"

Sirius spat, crossing his arms and falling silent a long pause. "I hadn't spoken to a him for nearly two years at that point, no. I don't know what he was doing."

"This tree has roots, doesn't it? With the little knotches?" Remus asked, motioning with his hands the shapes he was talking about.

"Exactly!" Rebecca cried, "The trees make a circle around it!"

Remus took a sip from his tea, trying to think. "On my nocturnal nights, I can't remember where I go. It's not like I'd popped out on a walk, it's different. But, that tree. That tree was something we avoided because it was different than the ones around it, it felt different."

Harry narrowed his eyes, "A tree? You said the tree talks and 'looks at you', can we go back to that?"

Sirius tore his eyes from Remus to watch as Rebecca's hands danced along the surface of the table, muffled taps coming from her chewed fingernails. "It tells me that I will understand. That's it." She shook her head. "It doesn't look at me. It looks in me. It's like-It's waiting for me to do something before it will tell me more, I think."

Harry turned to Sirius, "What happened to your brother? Maybe he'll-"

"He's dead." Sirius interrupted. "Not that he would have helped anyway. Ended up a Death Eater like the rest of them."

Rebecca sipped from her cup, feeling like a weight had been taken from her shoulders at their understanding. Of course Fred would have tried to understand, he had after the first night. But with how busy he was at the shop and how much she just wanted things to stay as nice and peaceful as they were between them. Well, that was what had kept her bottling it up for so long. "So, I guess I've told you all of this because I need help."

Harry, remarkably, kept his shock from showing. "She's actually saying she needs help?" The seriousness of the situation dawned on him right then. "She's scared."

Rebecca fiddled with her cup, not looking up at them. Sirius took point, hoping that showing some rare initiative would stun Remus into forgetting about his outburst. It was hard for him to think about Regulus, let alone hear his name spoken. Hearing his name only brought out the deep-seated guilt that plagued Sirius. "If I hadn't left...I could have saved him." If he hadn't runaway to the Potters', if he'd stayed and suffered alongside Regulus, maybe he wouldn't have joined them. "First thing, sleep." Sirius winced, "Sorry, love, but you're knackered. That's got to be fixed."

Rebecca felt a flash of insecurity. "That obvious?"

Remus rolled his eyes at Sirius' attempt. "Not at all, we just know you better." Remus took over. "You need a course of action. I would find this clearing on a map and start researching in the library."

Sirius scoffed, "Typical Moony. Even when we were in school 'The Library' was always your answer!"

"And I was always right!" Remus countered, launching in an argument.

Harry was still staring at her. "You could have told me." Her eyes flitted away from the intense light shining from his. "You could have told me at any time."

"It's nutters. It's-It's just a dream."

Harry shook his head. "It's clearly not." He sighed. "Did you?"

"Did I what?" Rebecca asked quietly, barely heard over Sirius loud bickering.

"Did you at least tell Fred? Not that I love being out of the loop, but someone should have known."

Rebecca still wouldn't meet his eyes. "I told him after the first time."

"Why would you do something so stupid?" Harry asked, Sirius and Remus falling silent at the end of his question.

Rebecca felt angry first, all-encompassing rage at his judgement, but it faded into an ache that seemed to wrench at her core. "I just wanted..."

Harry waved his hand on, "Extra danger? A short life? A-" Sirius put his hand on Harry's shoulder, silencing him.

"I wanted to be normal." Rebecca whispered, suddenly feeling just as stupid as Harry had said. She was complaining in front of a werewolf and an ex-convict. "This was stupid. I'm sorry."

Harry bit his cheek sharply before answering with a level tone. "We're not normal and we won't be. Doesn't excuse stupidity."

Remus caught Harry's eyes and shook his head slightly, telling him that was enough. "I think what Harry means is that-"

"He's right." Rebecca offered as she sat back in her chair, her shoulders slumped. "I just thought it would go away if I didn't talk about it."

Sirius sighed and nicked a chocolate before Remus pulled it back from him and set it between he and Rebecca. "You three go and make yourselves comfortable."

Remus led Harry and Rebecca into yet another room, Sirius closing the door behind him. Taking the chair, as opposed to sitting on the couch with the three of them, Sirius pushed his hair out of his face and pursed his lips. "Everything I'm about to say, I'm only doing so because I want you aware. Not afraid, aware."

Rebecca nodded, a pit forming in her stomach at his tone.

"Regulus..." Sirius closed his eyes at the word. "Our mother was not a forgiving woman. She had rules and she expected them to be followed. When we were kids," Remus listened carefully. Between Sirius' time at Azkaban and his general dislike of such heavy conversation while they were in school, Remus didn't know all that much about Regulus from Sirius' point of view, only what he'd gathered himself and come to know from their own interactions. "I did my best. I took the blame, I covered up, I took the punishment. If he messed up, I messed up bigger."

Harry wondered if Rebecca was hearing the similarity between her actions when it came to others.

"When I was sixteen, as I've told you both, I left. I went to-I went to a safe place and I left him behind." Sirius shook his head. "He'd already made his alliance clear, but if I'd stayed-"

"If you'd stayed, she would have killed you." Remus said curtly. Hearing Sirius talk about the life he'd lived with the Blacks, the years Remus had watched Sirius return to school hurt, it only relit the flame of hatred and protectiveness he'd felt back then.

"If I'd stayed," Sirius continued like Remus hadn't spoken. "Maybe he wouldn't have turned." Sirius grabbed the arms of the chair and leant forward, his words quicker now. "He took the mark in our seventh year, the year the war had really turnt for the worst. There were killings, the Dark Mark showed up nightly, Voldemort was nearing his peak...That was what I saw him doing in the clearing, the night we saw him out in the Forest. He was showing the tree his mark and shouting something about 'it being done.'"

Rebecca gasped, "Is i-The mark?"

Harry crossed his arms, "So we get back to school, find the tree, and burn it to the ground!"

Remus stretched his arms out and put them around each of them, pulling them closer. "No, we need to be smart. Not angry, not worried, smart."

Sirius nodded, "You stay away from that tree. Do you both hear me? If I catch a single word, a whisper about you two going off into the forest, I will pull you out of Hogwarts before you can say 'whoops.'" They nodded, Serious Sirius being someone they'd had little time with and someone they did not want to go against. "Moony's right." Sirius sighed, knowing that he wouldn't hear the end of saying that. "If you need answers, you ask the library."

Remus smirked proudly. "What was that?"

Rebecca ignored their playing. "What happened to him?"

Sirius furrowed his brow. "No one is entirely sure, it's not like Death Eater's arguments with He Who Must Not Be Annoyed had a column in the Daily Prophet."

Harry sighed, "Then, aside from the extra homework, that only leaves sleep."

Remus stood up quickly, an idea blossoming. "Pads, remember the prank from fourth year?"

"We were awfully busy, you'll have to be-Oh! That one?"

"Yes, with the-"

"-the charm and the-"

"-and the necklace and the-"

Sirius and Remus fired back and forth for nearly a minute, leaving Harry and Rebecca to sit on the couch and look at each other entirely lost. Harry chuckled, "Yeah, they do this a lot."

Rebecca raised an eyebrow, Sirius shouting now. "It's nice."

Remus and Sirius turned back to Rebecca in unison, pulling their wands out. "We need your necklace."

Her hand flew to it, toying with the golden chain as she had a hundred times before. "You're not going to-"

"We're not asking." Sirius said before changing his tone at Remus' look. "It'll be fine."

Rebecca unclasped it and let it fall into the palm of her hand before holding it out to them. The men ran out of the room, talking over one another. "Shop still doing well?" Harry asked, not wanting to sit in silence.

"You were there yesterday." Rebecca sighed, "But yes, it's doing better than well. Perfect, really."

"You don't sound like it." 

Rebecca looked at him, a light smile toying at her lips. "Observant of you, not entirely characteristic."

Harry scowled. "I can be observant when I want to. You're changing the subject."

Rebecca conceded, "I've been forbidden to work the next two weeks. I got away with going in everyday but now I'm paying for it."

Harry shook his head, "I think Molly just wants you to take a break. You look-" Harry winced, "You look exhausted."

"Well, being tormented by a tree isn't conducive to a full eight-hours, is it?" She looked away. "Sorry. That was harsh."

"Why don't you see if you can stay over tonight? Rems put in a telephone. Call back and ask." Harry had an idea, one that he was certain would get him brother-of-the-year. Maybe even of-the-century!

Rebecca looked over her shoulder where Remus and Sirius had disappeared. "I don't know."

"They'll love it and Ginny will probably appreciate a quiet night."

Rebecca raised an eyebrow, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Harry blushed, "She owled earlier in the summer to see if there was a way to..."

"A way to what?"

Harry stood up, "Just call and ask, I'll be right back." He left the room, but not before pointing down the hall to the kitchen where the phone was hung on the wall. Harry poked his head in the room where Sirius and Remus were bent over the necklace, flipping through a book. "I have a question."

*******************************************

"Oh, wow." Rebecca whispered as Sirius put dinner down in front of them. "You weren't joking."

"Why would I joke about cake for dinner?" Sirius scoffed and looked to Remus. "Who does she think I am?"

Remus put a plate of fruit on the table. "For those of you who need a modicum of nutrition." Rebecca grinned and plucked some of it off, eating her cake with a gusto that felt strangely comforting. After the return of her necklace and an explanation that it should expel outside forces (and dealing with a very angry Harry at the face that it had never been offered earlier, until Remus explained that it wouldn't have worked against Voldemort) they'd played cards, put a movie on, sat down to a wizard's board game that left them all shouting with laughter. 

All in all, it was one of the laziest, most fun afternoons she'd had in ages. If Fred had been there she'd have had to ask herself if she'd died and gone to heaven. Plates magically taken care of and the evening now nearing an end, Rebecca yawned again.

"You can head up, if you want." Remus offered.

Rebecca snorted, "Head up? I haven't been gone long enough to forget that my room's down the hall."

Sirius threw his arm around Harry's shoulder, "Go on then."

Harry grinned, "Thought you'd want to sleep in a room with a better view."

Rebecca looked between all three men, confused a moment. "The top? What's going on?"

Harry shrugged, "Maybe you should go look." Rebecca stood up and walked to the hall. "Good night!" They called, Sirius sending warnings about illicit activities that were silenced with the sounds of Remus covering his husband's mouth with either a pillow or a hand. Rebecca had gone far enough down the hall that she couldn't quite tell the difference, but with how her mind was racing, she didn't think she could have even if she'd been in the doorway watching.

The door to the spiral staircase was wide open, a telltale sign that someone had recently gone up it. Peering up the middle, Rebecca saw a smiling face disappear one second too late. "Fred?"

"Who?" He called back down, not showing himself again.

Rebecca hurried up the stairs, a smile reaching from ear to ear. Pausing at the entrance to the room with a wall of windows, she paused at the sight of a bed--Her bed from her room downstairs, now in the middle of the floor. Fred was sitting on the edge of the bed with his suit wrinkled and the tie loosened. "Hey, stranger." Rebecca rushed across the room, putting her arms around him and pushing him back so that she was buried in his side on the bed. "Woah there!" He laughed.

"How was the shop? Busy with everyone doing their school shopping? How's George? Ced?"

Fred bent down and kissed her, silencing her questions. "Everything's well and fine, just as they were yesterday. How are you?"

Rebecca sighed, "Harry told you everything, right?"

Fred frowned, "You never mentioned that they'd continued. I would have listened, I would have tried to help."

Rebecca laid her hand on his chest, feeling the warmth he radiated even through his shirt. "I know."

Fred reached up and collected her hand, entwining his fingers through hers. "Why then? Why did I only just hear about this through Harry?"

Rebecca was silent a long moment, knowing he'd think her reason was ridiculous. "Do we have to?"

Fred surveyed her face, "'Course not. I'm not going to make you tell me right now. But-" He turned on his side and scooted up the bed so his legs were on it too, pulling her up next to him effortlessly. "You need to know that I need to know, for the future. I can't just-I can't walk about, toitering in the shop and owling you and-" He shook his head once, silencing his rambling. "While you're at school, I have to know."

Rebecca nodded, closing her eyes and resting her head against his arm. "I wanted it to seem normal, with us, for a while. That's all." Fred's head went back, a hearty laugh leaving him that left her feeling very embarrassed, like she'd said something wrong. "I don't see how that's funny."

"Normal?" He had to wipe a tear from his cheek, collecting himself slowly. "Normal? Us? Love, we've been anything but normal from the very start."

"What do you mean?" 

He stared into her eyes, a seriousness taking his tone but not taking the happiness from his face. "Rebecca, look at us. You started off as a rumour--I literally told George that you were Harry Potter's twin as a joke when you first arrived. You literally walked into our lives, not needing to mention from what you'd been walking from. You are the most beautiful," He pecked her forehead. "Kind," Peck. "Smart," Peck. She couldn't help but smile. "Mental person in the world. None of that's normal."

It was Rebecca's turn to laugh. She put her elbow under her head and raised an eyebrow. "Save the rest of that, how am I mental?"

Fred gestured to himself, "You're all those things and so much more, yet you've picked a school-abandoning, N.E.W.T.-less, prank maker. Sounds mental to me."

Rebecca's face lost all of its humour and a fervor poured out of her. "Don't say that!" She lifted herself higher so that she was looking down at him to where he was gazing up at her. "You're not-That's not all that you are!" She poked a finger against his chest, tapping it as she listed traits. "You helped the younger students just as much as I did last year. You may not have finished school, but you were bloody brilliant while you were there. You're not a prank maker, you're a prank master. We have literally created things that no one else could have imagined. You have a bloody tributorial swamp!"

Fred grabbed her wrists, pulling her down so that she fell against his chest and her face was inches from his. "Careful, love."

"Don't degrade yourself." She swung a leg over his so that she lay on top of him entirely. "And I didn't choose you."

"No? This sort of seems like you did." He smirked at how they were lying.

"'Choose' makes it seem like there was a choice involved. I don't think there was."

Fred winced, "What could there have been? Making me sound like a pedo."

Rebecca bent down and kissed his collar bone, slowly making her way up his neck. A gasped slightly as her teeth grazed against him. "I think we were meant to be." She pulled her arms from his grip and placed them on either side of his head, her hair hanging down and her glasses sliding down her nose the way he found so endearingly attractive. "Cheesy as it is, I can't imagine anyone else."

Fred groaned, putting his hands against her back and rolling over so that he was on top of her. He put his legs on either side of hers, keeping his weight on the bed and putting his elbows next to her head. "You were made for me?" He whispered, kissing the spot beneath her ear slowly. She nodded, her hands finding their way under the untucked bottom of his shirt to feel his skin without barrier. He pulled back slightly, smirking before speaking once more. "No," She opened her eyes, meeting his hazily. "I was made for you."

*******************************************

"That was big of you." Remus offered as he and Sirius tucked him in like they had every night Harry'd been with them. "Inviting him over."

Harry scowled, "I know."

Sirius chuckled and ruffled Harry's hair. "It was very kind of you, too."

"I knew it was what would make her happiest." Harry's voice betrayed his sadness, after all, he had a lot to be sad about. Fred had known his sister longer than he had. How buggered was that? And now, now at least he'd have her to himself at school- "What is wrong with you?!"

Remus gave him a knowing look and patted Sirius' shoulder, nodding his head towards the door. Sirius made like he was going to argue, but decided against it. Something in Remus' face told him that wouldn't be wise. "Secrets don't make friends, Remus."

Remus shook his head at the worry that flitted across Harry's face. "He's just playing, you know he is." Remus sat where Sirius had been and pulled Harry's blankets higher. "I tend to know when someone is...internally turmoiled." Harry raised an eyebrow at the word. "I know what it's like to feel like the second choice."

Harry sighed, "It's not that obvious, is it?"

Remush chuckled, "No, you're quite good at hiding. Wouldn't kill you to show her how sometime, though." Harry told him that not only had he, but so had all of their friends. Remus shrugged and continued. "I just want you to keep in mind that this will be a hard year for you all. From what I've heard, she and the Weasleys were inseparable."

Harry nodded, despite the presence at Hogwarts of many Weasleys, Remus was talking about Fred and George. "I know. That's the worst part. I know that and I still get..."

"Jealous? Might as well admit it. It's hard, but doable. I was you, you know. Your father and Sirius...Connected at the bloody hip." A sadness visibly covered Remus as he remembered. "I'd do anything to take that back and be the f-three of us again."

Harry's nose crinkled at the word. "Jealous."

"Good on you." Remus gave him a warm smile. "But keep in mind that as jealous you are, she will feel worse."

Harry nodded, thanking Remus for staying. "I wish summer never had to end. These last few weeks with you two." Harry rolled his eyes and wiped his face, feeling the tears forming at the thought of having to leave the greatest, happiest home he'd ever been in. "They've been the best."

Remus laughed a Sirius-worthy laugh, hugging Harry tightly. "Don't miss what you still have. I've got to go, who knows what he's gotten into unattended." Remus stopped at the door and turned the light off. "Good night, Harry. Sleep well."

Harry lifted his head off the pillow, deciding to do something he'd never done before for an adult. "Is Sirius out there?"

Sirius lifted himself off the floor down the hall with a groan, appearing next to Remus a second later. "Oh yeah, nearly died of boredom, but I'm here."

"I just-" Harry steeled himself, his stomach so heavy that he felt like it was pulling him deeper into the bed. "I love you both."

Remus' hand had been against Sirius' back, but at Harry's words it tightened immediately. Sirius grinned, his heart soaring. "We love you too."

"Yes, we love you too." Remus echoed, knowing one of the memories he would be adding to his Patronus bank. "But you really do have to go to sleep, Diagon Alley tomorrow."

Sirius closed the door and danced in the hallway, Remus pulling him down the hall as he joined in his celebrations. 

*******************************************

Fred's shirt had been removed in their snogging, lying on the floor next to the bed on top of hers. Her back was against his chest, his fingers brushing against the strap of her bra in a rhythmic, soothing cadence. Rebecca had her eyes closed and was working on a map in her mind: A map of every way her body fit into his.

He had his knees bent, laying exactly against the bottom of her thighs. Her back curved up along his stomach, his head held up by his other arm so that his head was lifted above hers. 

While she was focusing on how he felt against her, he was making note of every detail he could: The slight upturn of her nose at the end. The way the scar around her eye had faded smooth along its barriers, save one small disturbance at the end. The way her jaw ended and tapered into her neck, perfectly kissable.

Fred brought his face closer to her, holding his lips on that spot he'd been focusing on until she smiled and looked back at him. "You're so beautiful." He loved the blush that rose on her cheeks slowly, finding the effect he had on her almost intoxicating. 

She moved so that she was facing him, holding her hand to his chest like she tended to do. "I love you."

Fred nodded, pulling a blanket up over the two of them before holding a hand up to her glasses. She raised an eyebrow as he slid them off her face, folding them and putting them on the table next to his bed where he picked his wand up. The lamp turned off across the room and he closed the door before putting his wand back and facing her again. "I love you, too."

Rebecca's heart seemed to hum at the words, a warmth spreading across her body. Fred brushed the hair back, continuing to let his thumb trace of her cheek as she closed her eyes again. "Sleep well, love."

Her eyes opened after a moment, just to look at him again. He cracked open one eye, catching her. "A little hard to sleep with your eyes open."

She smiled before wincing, "I might wake you up, talking or moving." Fred shushed her and pulled her closer, telling her to just try. "You'll wake me up before you go?"

Fred sighed, letting his eyes stay closed. "Rebecca."

"Okay, going to sleep."

*******************************************

<3


	97. Chapter 97

When the sun first made its appearance over the London skyline and, consequently, into their room, Fred took a pillow from behind them and tossed it to the foot of the bed, creating a higher wall between it and Rebecca so that she could sleep on. Pulling himself up against the headboard, he found that he couldn't keep his hands to himself. 

"She's so damn busy when she's awake, never still, never quiet." Fred thought as he let a hand brush against her face. Beside her cheek, across her forehead, down the trace of her eyebrow, his fingers followed the alabaster smoothness of her. She'd slept through the night, not stirring once. A smile crossed her face and Fred froze.

"What're you doing?" She whispered, her eyes still closed.

"Nothing!" Fred's hand shot back to himself and she opened her eyes.

"Liar." Rebecca sat up next to him, laughing at the state of their dress. "Bloody good thing no one woke us up." 

Fred glanced down at her, grinning. "Why? You don't wander about home in your undergarments?" He turned to the side slightly so that she fell towards him, her head resting against the inside of his shoulder. "You slept alright, didn't you?"

It was her turn to grin, "Deeply."

Fred nodded once, "Excellent."

They sat quietly, Fred sneaking his arm up behind her until his arm rested around her neck.

*******************************************

"This isn't Diagon Alley." Ron remarked, stepping out of the Leaky Cauldron a week later. "Look, even Ollivander's is closed!"

Ginny caught Rebecca's eye, motioning back towards Molly who was standing behind Harry. "Where to first?" Rebecca asked, knowing talking about her perfectly formulated plan would distract Molly from the solemn mood of the shopping district.

"Flourish and Blotts first." Molly declared, ushering them down the empty street quickly. "Then, as I'm sure I will dearly pay without allowing, a brief, brief stop at Fred and George's, then straight home."

They talked to each other in anticipation, Rebecca remarking that they'd gotten even more put out on the shelves now. Inside the bookstore, Molly sent the three sixth years off to get their own while she helped Ginny find the two new books they didn't have. Rebecca looked over her O.W.L.s score sheet, thinking about the classes she was taking this year in N.E.W.T. preparation.

"Charms, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Potions, Transfiguration...Sure am glad E's are allowed to continue with Magical Creatures..." She picked up the books carefully, checking her list to make sure she wasn't picking one that Fred had already given her. Rebecca stopped in front of the stack of Potions books, feeling strangely certain that Harry needed one.

He noticed how she was looking at them, the fact that she kept tapping on two of them. "Rebecca?"

She shook her head, losing the feeling. She grabbed one book, wincing as he noticed what subject it was for. "Sorry."

Harry shook his head, "Don't be. There'll be something else for me." Even he heard the false tones in his voice. "Got your books?" She nodded. "Good, me too. I don't see why you're taking extra courses. You've spent too much time with Hermione, I guess."

Rebecca laughed, "I'm making sure my options are open! Besides, I'm not taking a single class I'm not interested in."

He grimaced, "You're such a nerd."

Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes had miraculously been spared any ill effects of Diagon Alley's change in business patterns. The shop was busy as ever and their success brought a happiness to Molly that seemed to brighten her right up. Fred kissed Rebecca's cheek as he met them at the entrance, pointing down the newly filled shelves for Ron, Harry, and Ginny. Molly came next, wrapping her arms around Fred before going off to find George. 

"Good shopping?" Fred asked, putting his arm around her shoulder and taking a lap around the store. She nodded, happy to let him talk awhile. "It feels different without you here every day." He grinned cheekily, "Though I have taken a trick from you and made sure to help the littler ones."

"Littler ones?" She laughed, shaking her head. "I miss it too."

Fred heard the sadness in her voice and kicked himself, realising that was exactly what he shouldn't have said: Missing her at the shop. "You'll owl as soon as you get the Hogsmeade weekends, right"

She took the distraction, hoping he wasn't blaming himself and regretting that she'd been so clear with how much she'd miss them. "Yes, though..." Fred nodded for her to continue. "I-I don't know if it's smart to floo back to work."

Fred sighed in relief. "I agree. That's why I thought I'd just apparate to you and we'd stick around Hogsmeade." Fred looked outside, pausing as they found themselves back at the front. "It's different out there, and not in a good way."

Rebecca pulled him closer, both of them staring out at the empty street a long time. When Ron appeared behind them, it was only to tell Rebecca that they were stepping outside as Molly had run into one of the other mums. "Who knows how long we'll have to wait now." Ron complained.

Fred stepped away from her, kissing her once more before excusing himself to make sure the counter was running smoothly. Harry appeared with Hermione beside him, motioning for her to come with them even though he could tell that she just wanted to poke around the store and find something to do. "It'll be a nice walk, at least." 

Rebecca conceded without much argument, excited to see Hermione. They trodded down the steps and towards the door, Rebecca rolling her eyes at the sight of Lavender camped out by the love potions. "Course that's where she bloody is." She muttered to Hermione. 

"Bye Ron!" Lavender cooed, narrowing her eyes slightly at Hermione before looking away entirely as Rebecca stepped into her sight.

Harry and Ron were ahead of the girls, both of them slowing down to talk without them hearing. "What the hell was that?" Rebecca demanded, gesturing over her shoulder to the shop. "What's got her knickers wonky?"

Hermione stared at her a moment, neither girl watching as Harry and Ron led them into Ollivander's. "Normally, I'd say something about your semantics. But this time? I agree entirely."

Rebecca nodded once proudly. "I knew this would happen one day, Granger."

Hermione rolled her eyes, "Oops, now it's gone."

Ron looked over his shoulder shushing them before pointing out the broken window to the sight he and Harry were talking about. "Looks like Draco and Mummy don't want to be followed."

Rebecca tried to argue against it, tried to explain that they might not be up to anything nefarious, but all her points fell moot when she couldn't help but agree that they were being shifty. Harry stepped out of the shop, approaching the road they'd turned down carefully.

"Maybe she's right..." Ron whispered, reaching out for Harry's shoulder. Harry shrugged him off and hurried on, walking just fast enough so that Draco never went fully out of his sight but if the Slytherin boy were to turn around, he could stop and keep all four of them from detection.

They alley ways they'd rushed down opened into a side street to Diagon Alley, a shop ahead that Draco and his mother ducked into. Harry pulled them along, pointing up at the light that illuminated the room above Borgin and Burke's.

Rebecca sighed, gesturing to the small distance the roof of the building adjacent to Borgin and Burke's was to the stairs. Before there was time to argue, all four of them were laying on their stomachs on the shingles and watching as a long line of dark-robed wizards and witches entered the store. 

Harry pulled himself up higher, his head going back under the lip less than a second before the man who suddenly appeared turned around. Rebecca knew the man's profile, she'd studied it intensely. After Sirius had accidently mentioned something earlier in the summer about a man named 'Greyback'--Fenrir Greyback, she'd later learned--being the werewolf that had attacked Remus when he was a small child, Rebecca learnt all she could on the man, including his last sighted and what he'd looked like.

"That's the monster that attacked Rems." She whispered to Harry, having to see someone else as angry as she was before she did something really stupid. Harry realised this and grabbed her arm, squeezing it. It hurt, but it hurt enough to distract her until it was safe to assume he'd turned back.

When the four of them lifted their heads back over the roof, the shades were drawn and their view eliminated.

*******************************************

"Harry? You have company!" Sirius shouted up the stairs to where Remus and Harry were packing his trunk the night before they were heading to King's Cross, the memory of seeing Greyback still fresh in his mind from days before. Harry could have done the packing himself. He had done it since school had started, save any assistance Rebecca had offered when she was able, but Remus insisted. It was growing more and more clear that he was a little crazy about order.

"No! You can't put that there! The books have to go in the bottom, size order so you don't crease the covers!" Harry had retreated to the edge of his bed where he watched happily--Being pampered like this felt nice, strange but nice. "You go on and see who it is, I'll finish up here."

Harry left the room quickly, curious as to who was there. It wasn't Rebecca, she'd never leave the Burrow on their last night home. Granted he was unaware of it, as at the exact time Harry was walking down the stairs Fred appeared in her window on a broom, he was mostly correct. 

"Professor?" Harry asked shocked. Dumbledore was in their front hall, Sirius looking over the head master's blackened hand.

"The tale is thrilling, if I say so myself." Dumbledore turned his gaze away from Sirius to Harry. "But now is not the time to tell it." 

Remus plodded down the stairs, waving to Dumbledore. "Everything okay?"

Dumbledore nodded and raised his arm, "Shortly, gentlemen." Remus nodded, looking to Sirius who only shrugged. "Take my arm, Harry." Harry glanced at his now raised arm before turning to Sirius and Remus unsurely. "Do as I say." Dumbledore said kindly, leaving his arm where it was in the air.

Harry rest his hand on top of Dumbledore's and felt himself slip into the tube-like, vacuum-resembling feeling apparating. They stumbled to the ground in a forest near a lake, shoes abandoned beside them. "Where are we?" Harry asked, hardly stomaching the nausea that rolled through him.

"Successful apparation! Most people vomit, particularly when young." Dumbledore raised his unmarked hand to his mouth and whistled loudly. A broom paused over the lake before turning towards them, hushed conversation just barely reaching their ears.

"Rebecc-"

"No I didn't do anything yet! Bloody fucking hell if I'm being expelled...Though," She glanced at Fred who was avoiding Harry's accusatory gaze, unaware that she was perfectly audible over the still water and the silence of the night. "I guess I'd have more time to work in the shop."

Dumbledore chuckled as Fred and Rebecca came to a halt at the water's edge, Fred lowering the broom to the ground and standing on the rocky shore. "No one is being expelled, not today anyway." Dumbledore told Fred that they would be back shortly, not offering any explanation beyond that. "If you please, I would hate to cut short any farewells left to happen."

Rebecca's cheeks burnt as she took Dumbledore's side, ignoring the look Harry was giving her. Her eyes widened momentarily at the sight of Dumbledore's blackened hand, but she grabbed it without question. Dumbledore apparated all three of them, something Rebecca hadn't even known was possible.

Harry bent over as their feet landed, holding a hand against his mouth. Rebecca was beside him in seconds, patting his back. Dumbledore turned around and walked off in the direction behind him. Harry stood up, taking a deep breath. "I'm fine, better now." He eyed Rebecca warily. "What were you doing out?"

Rebecca shrugged. "Tradition?" Harry stared at her, both of them hurrying to follow Dumbledore. "We've been doing this thing, if you must know." She tried to sound put off by his prying, but in reality, she really just wanted whatever they were doing to finish up so that she could get back. "We go on a little adventure every year before school starts. First it was to end on a high note, then it was to distract Fred. He does get rather homesick. But then..." She smiled, "Now it's tradition."

Harry rolled his eyes, "Whatever, romantic twit."

"How is 'romantic' and insult!" 

Dumbledore gave them both a look, silencing their bickering. "Welcome to the charming village of Budleigh Babberton. I would imagine by now, you're both wondering why I brought you here. Would I be correct?"

"Yes, quite." Rebecca answered as they stopped in front of a house. She really just wanted to get back to the lake, a thought that left her internally laughing. "Me? Itching to get back to water?"

"After all these years sir, I've learnt to go with it." Harry offered, peering up at the dark house.

Dumbledore froze on the walk, the door knocked off its hinges and damage visible inside. "Wands out."

Rebecca had hers in hand already and ignored the look Harry gave her. "What? You never know."

Dumbledore silenced them and illuminated his wand, stepping into the house. Rebecca was behind Harry, which suited her fine. Considering she'd been planning a quiet, home-based exploration for the night, she was in her pajamas. If there were Death Eaters inside, or other death-bringing events, at least she'd be under Harry and he'd cover her outfit comprised of old shorts barely help up by a string and Fred's shirt.

Once further inside, the house was in even bigger shambles than she'd thought. Claw marks grooved into the walls, furniture overturned, picture frames skewed. 

"Horace?" Dumbledore whispered.

Harry froze in the doorway from the entryway to what had once been a living room, staring down at the copy of the Prophet. Rebecca glanced down at it before prodding him forward, moving him out of his stupor. The Prophet had, at last, started reporting Voldemort's return. However, as always, they reported improperly. According to them, the Potter children were the root of He Who Shall Not Be Named's return. 

"Ignore it." Rebecca whispered, raising her wand higher to look at the damage up the walls. It had taken multiple assurances from Dumbledore for them to light their wands as well. But, the second danger appeared, she knew she would not hesitate. She stepped forward, bending to the floor and inspecting a strange piece of wreckage. 

Harry looked up as blots of red dripped onto the paper, a drop landing on his forehead. Rebecca was up in an instant, raising her hand to wipe it off. Dumbledore turned back, holding up one finger for her to wait. The headmaster dabbed his finger in the blood and licked it, pursing his lips and turning to the one piece of furniture left unscathed in the home: A striped armchair.

Dumbledore turned around, glass crunching on his feet as he raised his wand at the chair. Rebecca licked her finger, trying to wipe away the remaining blood. Harry rolled his eyes and tried to pull away, but Rebecca put her wand between her teeth and pulled him down by his collar. 

"Merlin's beard!" The chair shouted, startling Rebecca into releasing Harry who straightened his shirt with a scowl. The chair that was now clearly not just a chair, transfigured into a chair-like man. "There's no need to disfigure me, Albus!"

Dumbledore chuckled, "You make a very convincing armchair, Horace. Very convincing indeed."

"It's all in the upholstery. The stuffing? I come by it naturally." The man flung his legs out, then his arms, the room filling with the sounds of springs and tearing fabric as he turned himself back. "What gave me away?"

Dumbledore raised his wand over his shoulder, pointing towards the ceiling. "Dragon's blood."

Rebecca turned to Harry in awe, "You had Dragon's blood on you!"

Harry couldn't help but smile at her excitement, even though he was hoping the man had been unable to see how she'd wiped him off. 

"Harry, Rebecca," Dumbledore turned to the side, waving to the man in his pajamas in front of him. "I'd like you to meet an old friend and colleague of mine--Horace Slughorn." Rebecca looked at him carefully as Dumbledore continued. "Horace, you know who they are."

"Yes, yes." Horace couldn't seem to decide who he wanted to look at more, she or Harry. "Harry and Rebecca Potter." Horace chuckled and walked to the front door, closing and locking it.

"What's with all the theatrics, Horace? You weren't, by any chance, waiting for someone else were you?"

"Someone else? I'm sure I don't know what you mean?" Horace paused in front of Dumbledore, dropping the lie immediately. "Alright, the Death Eaters have been trying to recruit me for over a year. Do you know what that's like?" Horace walked to the window, peeking out of it carefully before drawing the curtain closed. "You can only say no so many times to these people; I never stay anywhere more than a week. The muggles who own this place are in the Canary Islands!"

Harry nudged Rebecca's shoulder, "At least you're not the only person in their pajamas now."

Rebecca nodded, not realising that he was teasing her. 

"I think we should put it back in order for them, don't you?" Dumbledore waved his wand in a slow, oblong shape in front of him. The glass on the floor tinkled instantly, scuttling across the floor to its place in the broken windows, broken clock fronts, broken frames and such. The chandelier raised from the ground, the lights turning on as the house became a house once more. Harry and Rebecca moved from side to side, trying their best to stay out of the flying belongings the best they could.

It was Rebecca's turn to nudge Harry, pointing down to his shoe that rest on one of the final bejeweled hangings for the chandelier. Harry raised his foot and watched as the last remnant of the damage was returned. 

"That was fun." Dumbledore said with a smile. "Do you mind if I use the loo?"

"No, of course." Horace gestured to a side hall. "Don't think I don't know why you're here, Albus. The answer's still no. Absolutely and unequivocally no."

Rebecca repeated the phrase to herself, "Absolutely and unequivocally no.' That's a good one." Harry and Rebecca stood side by side, returning Horace's stare. 

"You're very like your father. Both of you." Rebecca raised an eyebrow. "In the best way, of course. Except for your eyes, you have-"

"Our mother's eyes. Yeah." Harry finished. Rebecca jabbed him with her elbow, warning him not to be rude.

"Lily. Lovely Lily. She was exceedingly bright, your mother. Even more impressive when one considers she was muggle-born."

Rebecca instantly regretted scolding Harry. If the man was going to talk so callously, Harry could use all the tone he wanted. "One of our best friends is muggle-born. Best in our year, perhaps all of Hogwarts history." Rebecca heard the edge in her voice and thought it perfectly warranted, particularly when she remembered just how hard Hermione had worked to get there.

"Please don't think I'm prejudiced. No, no, no. Your mother was one of my absolute favourites. Look, there she is. Right at the front." Horace pointed to the array of magic pictures on the bureau to their right, Rebecca stepping forward to see. It was easy to hear about their father, Sirius and Remus brought him up often. Their mother? That was harder. There was a sadness that welled up in their godfathers when Lily was brought up, a sadness that ran so deeply in the two men that Harry and Rebecca went out of their way to make sure she wasn't ever brought up, no matter how badly they wanted to know more about her.

But, alas, right in front of them, a picture of a collection of smiling students around a younger Horace. "All mine. Ex-students, I mean." Horace went over a few of his better-off students: Editor in Chief of the Daily Prophet, a Holyhead Harpies player.

Harry reached forward and plucked the picture with their mother up, holding it closer to his face. Rebecca paled and picked up a different photo, a boy that looked disturbingly similar to Sirius at Horace's side. "Ah, yes. Regulus Black. You, of course, know his older brother. I do believe Dumbledore mentioned something about semi-permanent housing with he and his partner for one of you." They didn't answer the unstated question, instead they both turned their attention to the youngest Black who sneered up at them, seemingly taunting them both with the questions still dancing around their heads from their talk two weeks before.

"I taught the whole Black family, except for Sirius." Horace continued, seeming to enjoy the sound of his voice because both Potters were clearly not listening. "It's a shame. Talented boy. I got Regulus when he came along, but I'd have liked the set."

Dumbledore exited the bathroom, calling for Horace. "Do you mind if I take this?" he held up a muggle magazine, giving Harry and Rebecca a moment to converse quietly. They replaced the pictures and walked to Dumbledore, their discussion not coming to any viable solutions. Harry wanted to ask Dumbledore to kidnap Horace so they could question him. Rebecca did not. 

"You're not leaving, are you?" Horace asked, a hint of fear in his voice. Rebecca and Harry fell silent, watching the exchange carefully.

"I think I know a lost cause when I see one. Regrettable. I would have considered it a great personal triumph had you consented to return to Hogwarts. Oh, well. You're like my friends here, one of a kind."

"Does he know there's literally two of us?" Rebecca whispered, eliciting a laugh out of Harry that he covered with a cough.

"Bye-bye, Horace." Dumbledore left the room with a graceful, and dismissive, flourish of his robes. Rebecca and Harry nodded their head in a farewell, trailing after Dumbledore to get back to what they had been doing before hand. The crescent moon was only slightly higher in the sky, leaving Rebecca hopeful that she and Fred would still have some time before he would insist she get back to bed.

Rebecca went to ask a question about why exactly they'd come, but Dumbledore motioned for her to wait. Halfway down the walk, she understood why. Horace threw the door open, his voice calling out to them. "Alright, I'll do it. But I want Professor Merrythought's old office, not the water closet I had before. And I expect a raise!" He raised his hand for dramatic flair, a touch that caused Harry to roll his eyes. "These are mad times we live in. Mad!"

Dumbledore bowed his head to Harry and Rebecca, "They are indeed."

"Sir," Rebecca began as they walked back to the point of Budleigh Babberton they'd apparated in to. "What exactly was all that about?"

"You are both talented, famous, and powerful. Everything Horace values. Professor Slughorn is going to try and collect you, especially the two of you."

"Yes," Harry glowered, "We already heard about his feelings on 'sets.'"

Dumbledore nodded, "You would be his crowning jewels. That's why he's returning to Hogwarts. And it's crucial he should return." Dumbledore glanced up at the sky, the stars shining and the moon beaming. "I fear I may have stolen a wondrous night from you."

"It's alright," Rebecca raised her arm. "The night's young."

"Yes, it is. However, I fear a spot of trouble will have arisen. You'll not be returning to Grimmauld Place, Harry." 

Harry looked around confused. "What about Sirius and Remus? My trunk?"

"All are waiting for you. Unfortunately, they've been called away on business. The Burrow will have to suffice."

Rebecca's eyes widened, "No!"

Dumbledore chuckled and grabbed their arms. Rebecca gasped as they appeared outside the Burrow, both of them inside one of the ponds around the leaning house. Harry grabbed her arm, pulling her out of it quickly. It had only gone up to his waist, but for her it was higher and shocking, to say the least. "It's alright, it's okay." Harry said in a rush, shivering in the fall night's air. Rebecca nodded, the sudden appearance of water leaving her heart racing and making her feel like she wasn't quite catching her breath. Of all the places to have arrived in, in water was certainly not in her top one hundred.

They walked over the hill, stepping out of the tall grass as they approached the house with all its lights on. "This is so bad." Rebecca whispered, pulling her shirt away from her to distance herself from the cold wetness of it.

Harry beamed, catching sight of movement in the house. His eyes paused on Ginny in a window, a book in her hand that she was alternating between reading and glancing outside. Seeing the two of them approach the house, she slammed the book shut and ran down the stairs.

"He couldn't have stayed to explain, oh no..." Harry picked up on the muttering leaving Rebecca's mouth, grinning. 

"It's the last night before school, how bad can this be?"

Rebecca glared up at him, "I'll have you know I had quite an evening planned." Harry jumped forward and opened the door before he had to hear any more. 

"You two!" Molly shouted, Fred pulled behind her by his ear. He winked at Rebecca before wincing. Ginny was the first Weasley to breach the distance between them, hugging Harry before moving to Rebecca. 

"I tried to cover, but she's too damn good." 

Rebecca patted her back, smiling. "Eh, good thing Harry's here then." All the children who resided at the Burrow knew the gentler, more easy-going mood Molly took when Harry was present.

"Bed empty! The night before school? And this one, wandering about in the dark on a broom!" Molly yanked on Fred's ear harder. 

"Ow! Unhand me woman!" Fred cried out, standing straight when Molly finally did release him. He rubbed at his ear childishly, shaking his head. "I told you, I was looking for my shoe!"

Molly held a hand to her brow, Hermione stepping out from behind her and hugging them both. "What're you doing here?" Rebecca asked quickly, Ron pulling Harry away. Hermione shook her head, telling her that they'd talk later.

"It was Dumbledore." Harry explained, trying to answer the questions that poured out of them all. "He didn't write?"

Molly sighed, "That man. What would we do without him though?" She narrowed her eyes at Rebecca, "Still no explanation from you, young lady!"

Rebecca wracked her mind, trying to come up with something, anything. "I...lost...my shoe?"

Molly put her hands on her hips, "You did not just give me the exact same excuse."

"I'm feeling pressured!" Rebecca shouted, launching herself at Molly before hugging her. "You're not that cross, are you? Knowing we were just trying to have a little fun like every year-"

"Every year?!" 

Fred slapped his hand against his forehead before stepping forward and covering Rebecca's mouth. "Look at her mum, cold and wet. Wet? Must have left her mind out there. I'll bring her up to bed."

Molly sighed, "Dry pajamas, don't go catching your death." Harry was quickly left to field the rest of their questions.

Fred climbed the stairs before grinning cheekily. "You may not fib, but you do know how to smooch your way out."

"'Smooch my way out,' that sounds horrid." She giggled, grabbing pajamas from her drawer. Fred watched as she popped down the hall to the bathroom, slipping what he and George had been working on into her trunk while she was gone.

"It's not, it's a compliment!" Fred jumped on her bed, spreading himself out on it before raising his head a grinning cheekily. "I thought you'd show me how you do it."

Rebecca laughed before jumping onto the bed and kissing him.

*******************************************

George had been warned not to wait up for him, Fred had said that he might end up sleeping there, but George was worried. The Prophet's list of missing witches and wizards was growing, and they only announced the pure-blooded people. Muggle-borns and half-bloods went missing two-up to-three times more.

"Let's go." Cedric sighed, sitting up from where he had dozed off on their bed next to him. Cedric slept more nights than not in the flat above the shop.

"Where? Home or to sleep?" 

Cedric smiled kindly, kissing George. "Where do you want to go?"

George bit his lip, already knowing he needed to make sure all was well at the Burrow. Cedric pulled on a jumper and tossed one to George, making sure he had it on before asking if he was okay to apparate. George huffed angrily, not able to focus well enough. "It's okay." Cedric said softly, wrapping his hands around George's. "I've got it then."

A pull and a pop later, the boys were in the kitchen bustling with activity. "Boys!" Molly shouted, hugging them both tightly. "Hungry?"

Cedric nodded, always hungry in one way or another and well acquainted with Molly's cooking. George stepped away from Cedric, looking around the room and confused to find Harry sitting at the table between Ron and Hermione. "Is Fred here?"

Molly sighed, "Yes, upstairs. I expect he'll be spending the night."

George sighed in relief and closed his eyes a moment. His heart slowed, his muscles unclenched, and, when he opened his eyes, he found himself able to smile again. "I could eat."

Hermione knew that she wouldn't see Rebecca again that night, not when she and Fred's annual outing had been cancelled, so she sat around the table. Ron filled Harry in on what had happened, the attack in London that called Remus and Sirius to the front and led Moody to insist she spend the night before school at the Burrow.

"My parents," Hermione tried to explain. "They weren't even sure I'd be going at all this year."

Harry scoffed, making sure neither Arthur nor Molly could hear them talking. Just like always, the adults got finicky when they were discussing 'grown up matters.' "It's Hogwarts! There's no where safer."

Hermione pursed her lips. "Well, you know." Harry shook his head. "Some people think Dumbledore's gotten a bit old."

Harry rolled his eyes, "How old is he?"

Ron looked between them seriously. "100? 150 maybe?" 

Ginny walked by and took a seat next to Hermione, "Really? Thought he'd passed 200."

That was it, her remark sent all four of them laughing away the poor reasons they were together again and left them hopeful for the year ahead. Hermione reached into her pocket, pulling out two envelopes. One labelled for Harry, one for Rebecca. "I know it's a little late, but with birthdays postponed this year and all..."

Harry took his with a grateful, albeit sad, smile. Their birthday had passed days earlier on the first night of the string of Death Eater attacks around muggle London. Owls had been exchanged and hugs had been passed, but everything was tainted with worry that Harry hoped would dissipate once at school. 

"Go on then," Hermione prodded. "I want to know how great I've done."

Ron sniggered, "Ever the humblest."

Harry slid his finger under the envelope's lip, opening it. Coupons fell out. "Homework help?" Harry read confused. 

Hermione sat back, "Yes. 'Help.'"

"Oh!" Harry gasped. "You mean you'll-"

"HELP." Hermione finished, not allowing her deceit to be actualised with words. This made them all laugh again, harder.

Upstairs, Rebecca was firmly tucked into Fred's side where they were simply enjoying each other's company. Fred was toying with her hair, picking strands and following them through the curls or trying to pick one bit out of the inky black mass from the other. She sighed, snuggling closer and fighting to keep her eyes open. "Go to sleep," Fred kissed her forehead. "I'll be here in the morning."

Rebecca shook her head, "We're not leaving until after-"

Fred kissed her lips. "Ced can manage a single opening."

"But-" Fred kissed her again. 

She grinned, "I didn't have anything to say that time."

*******************************************

Across the country, in a town far, far in the north of England, the night was periodically lit up by brilliant displays of lightning as the rain poured down in a dready, constant shower. 

If you were there, standing out of the rain, of course, you would have found two women in all black walking down the sidewalk. Both had hair somehow darker than the night itself, though one had blonde sections at the front that were pinned to the back in a regal manner. "You can't do this! He can't be trusted!" The one with the manic eyes hissed.

"The Dark Lord trusts him."

"The Dark Lord is mistaken." A child's bike bell ahead made them stop in the alley, facing each other as they avoided being seen. "Cissy, this isn't-"

"This isn't your decision, is it Bellatrix?" Narcissa snapped before heading into the street and knocking on the first door. Peter Pettigrew's face loomed out at them from behind the foggy glass before the door was cracked open and their arrival was announced. 

The rat-faced servant led them down the hall into a study where Severus Snape folded his paper and set it on his lap. "Run along, Wormtail." Severus dismissed. When Wormtail delayed his exit, Snape flourished his wand and slammed the door--and the servant--back out into the hall.

"I-I know I ought not to be here." Narcissa explained as she sat in the chair Snape offered, Bellatrix poking around his books and shelves behind her. "The Dark Lord himself forbade me to speak of this-"

"If the Dark Lord has forbidden it, you ought not speak. Put it down, Bella." Snape chided, prompting Bellatrix to put down what she was shaking roughly. "We mustn't touch what isn't ours." Bellatrix did as she was told, though not without cheek. "As it so happens, I'm aware of your situation, Narcissa."

"You?" Bellatrix's incredulousness was clear. "The Dark Lord told you?"

"Your sister doubts me. Understandable. Over the years, I've played my part well. So well I've deceived one of the greatest wizards of all time." Bellatrix snorted, though Snape continued as if she'd stayed silent. "Dumbledore is a great wizard, only a fool would question it."

"I don't doubt you, Severus." Narcissa tried to convey confidence. 

Bellatrix paused her walking about the room before storming across it. "You should be proud, Cissy. As should Draco."

Narcissa's sheepish smile took on a false sheen, her voice seeming just a touch to steady, a touch to calm. "He's just a boy." Inside, Narcissa was gagging. "Just a boy? Just a weakling. What the Dark Lord commands must be done, no matter by whom."

"I can't change the Dark Lord's mind." If Severus noticed her act, he didn't care. "But, it might be possible for me to help Draco."

Narcissa stood up, slowly stepping her way in front of him. "Severus. Swear to it."

Bellatrix grinned evilly, knowing what would keep Severus on their side and what would appease her sister. "Make the Unbreakable Vow." Severus' mouth opened slightly, the most emotion the man had shown in nearly sixteen years. "It's just empty words. He'll give it his best effort." Bellatrix rounded behind Severus, her head getting closer to his shoulder as she continued. "But when it matters most..." Her chin lay on his shoulder. "He'll just slither back into his hole. She bounced off him, trotting in front of him. "Coward."

Snape glared at her. "Take out your wand." He all but growled. Narciss reached her hand out, holding it under his hand and holding onto his wrist as he did the same above. They jerked their hands so that they were side by side, Bellatrix casting the spell. 

"Will you, Severus Snape, watch over Draco Malfoy as he attempts to fulfill the Dark Lord's wishes?" Bellatrix asked.

"I will." Snape intoned.

Bellatrix let her head rest against Narcissa's as she stood behind her, still lining their agreement. "And will you, to the best of your ability, protect him from harm?"

"I will."

Bellatrix walked away from them, "And if Draco should fail..." She extender her neck, whispering the last of the words. "Will you yourself carry out the deed the Dark Lord has ordered Draco to perform?"

"I will." The spell severed, Narcissa and Severus' hands able to be separated again. 

*******************************************

Fred found that he couldn't sleep, even with Hermione, Ginny, and Rebecca's even breathing filling the room with a soothing monotony of noise. He still had his arm around Rebecca and he found that everytime the minute changed on Ginny's clock, he was calculating exactly how many much more time they had before she would be off to the train.

"Five hours, forty-three minutes." He sighed, tearing his eyes away from the glowing numbers to look down at her. She hadn't stirred once, though her head had fallen farther onto him as she drifted deeper asleep. 

He let his hand find its way to her face, exploring her features like he hadn't many times before. Fingertips brushing across her cheek, sweeping the hair away from her face, he let his head fall against the pillow before glancing across the room again.

"Five hours, forty-two minutes."

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<3


	98. Chapter 98

"Fred? What is it zat you are doing 'ere?" A heavily French accented voice rang out as it made its way farther into the girls' room early the next morning, opening blinds and clapping her loudly all the while. 

Fred lifted his head off, surprised that he'd fallen asleep at all. His arm untangled itself from the blankets and stretched out off the bed, a yawn so large Rebecca was moved to the side leaving him. Rebecca eyes opened just in time to see the floor racing up to meet her. "I'm sorry!" Fred hissed, scrambling off the side of the bed to grab her. 

Rebecca's hand reached up, feeling around for her glasses which she slid on as she sat against the wall. "Could have been worse." She let out a little laugh, patting Fred's hand that had firmly gripped her shoulder. "Bunk beds."

Fleur raised an eyebrow, "Bunk beds?"

Ginny groaned loudly, her dislike of Fleur ever present. "Ze tall beds, von on top ov ze ozer."

Fleur took the ribbing with a level of grace that only made Ginny hate her more. "I am French, not Russian." The proudly-proclaimed French woman left the room with a flourish, glancing at Rebecca on her way out.

"Would it kill you to be nice?" Rebecca sighed, Fred pulling her to her feet. "Really, she's not horrible."

Ginny snorted. "She's 'orrible."

Fred rolled his eyes, hardly having gotten enough sleep to deal with such madness. Rebecca noticed and looked over her shoulder, taking into account the single bed compared to the doubles they were used to sharing. "I thought you were going back to the flat." She said pointedly, cupping a hand to his cheek. 

Fred shook his head, kissing her forehead. "What would you do without such an exciting wake up?" They laughed before Fred left the girls to change freely.

Hermione turned around to get her clothes out of her bag and found that, once facing the rest of the room again, Rebecca was already changed and heading out the door. Ginny caught Hermione's eyes, still sitting on her bed. "She's always been a morning person."

Hermione pursed her lips, not believing that that was the only reason the third occupant of the room had gotten ready so quickly. 

*******************************************

"Good morning!" Rebecca called out as she stepped onto the bustling first floor. There was a symphony of returned good mornings, the loudest being from Bill. A grin broke out across Rebecca's face and she ran to his side to hug him tightly. "You're a horrible writer, you know that? I swear, I'll send five owls before I get a single response!"

Fleur walked down the hall, passing them with a flirtatious smile. Bill blushed, a strange sight to see the--Rebecca would never tell Fred--toughest looking Weasley turn into a bashful school boy. "I see."

Bill turned to her, shaking his head. "See what?"

Rebecca wiggled her eyebrows, "I'm not the only one 'sending owls.'"

Bill grabbed the back of her head and shoved her backwards into Fred who had appeared in the hall behind them. "Ha ha...shut it."

Fred looked between them curiously before shrugging and kissing her. Bill rolled his eyes and went back into the kitchen. "What was that all about?" Fred kept his arms around her, staring down at her curiously.

Rebecca smirked, "Haven't the foggiest."

*******************************************

"You've got your trunk?"

"Fred, it's in your hand." 

Fred looked down, seeing her minimised trunk in it and nodded, "Well that's very smart." He turned back to her. "Wand?"

"Yes."

"Boo-"

"I've got everything!" She laughed and spun around the empty kitchen. "We've got to go!"

Fred sighed, taking her hand in his. "Yes, yes we do." Neither of them moved. She tilted her head and looked up at him, Fred pulling her against him before kissing her. They snogged as long as they dared, knowing that someone could apparate back to see what was taking them so long at any moment. 

"Fred?" Rebecca asked as they stepped apart. 

"Yes, love?" Fred smiled sweetly at her.

"Can you maybe not owl Dumbledore?" Fred pursed his lips, that having been his plan. He nodded. "Or McGonagall?" He sighed and nodded again, reaching back out for her hand. 

"If you insist."

She patted the back of his hand in the kitchen of their home before he apparated them to Platform 9 3/4s, "But you'll owl me, right?"

He focused on a back corner of the platform, near where he had waited for her at the end of last term. "So much Darcy'll get sick of the trip." Rebecca had grown used to the feeling of apparating alongside Fred, hardly ever stumbling and nearly no sickness evident as they reappeared wherever he'd taken them.

"Brilliant." Rebecca gave him a final hug before moving along to Molly and Arthur, hugging and kissing them all goodbye before joining the others near the train's entrance. She walked backwards, Ron holding the hood of her jacket over his shoulder so that she followed them. Rebecca waved madly, blowing kisses with a theatricality that made the Weasleys (and accompanying Delacour) laugh.

George put his arm around Fred's shoulder, sighing. "You okay, mate?"

Fred nodded, not saying anything. As the train blew its whistle and the doors closed, Fred ran forward to where Rebecca's head stuck out of a compartment's window. She reached her hand out, grabbing his as he followed alongside the train. "In your trunk, it's from George and I. A little help from Sirius and Remus, too." Rebecca shook her head, not understanding. "Cause some trouble for all of us who aren't there."

She grinned, curiosity entirely piqued. "I will?"

Fred saw that the platform ended shortly, "You will. I love you."

"I love you, too." Fred let go of her hand, slowing to a walk and then standing still as the train disappeared into the tunnel that led it to the tracks to Scotland. 

Molly was behind him when he finally turned around, smiling sadly. "C'mon sweets, let's have a cuppa before you go to the shop. George insists."

*******************************************

"Sorry about that." Rebecca apologised sheepishly to her and Harry's compartment mates: Neville and Luna. 

They laughed kindly, even Harry finding their goodbye humorous. "What was that at the end? Something about your trunk."

Rebecca gasped, "Harry! Eavesdropping!"

Luna looked up from her copy of the Quibbler, seemingly not noticing that it was upside down. "You were quite loud."

This sent all four of them into giggles, Luna turning back to her magazine, Neville back to his book, and Rebecca moving to take off her jacket. "You're hot?" Harry asked incredulous, even he thought that the compartment had a chill.

She pulled her head out from the neck, her glasses going with it. "A little. Wasn't quite sure we were going to be on time there a minute. Stressful."

"What took you so long?" Harry shook his head, "On second thought, I'll just be happy you're here."

Rebecca nodded, "Wise choice." Harry turned towards the hall, watching as Ginny walked by with some other fifth year girls. Harry's heart skipped a beat, her red hair seeming even more vibrant against the dark colour of her jumper. She caught his eyes, looking away quickly. Rebecca's eyes flitted from Ginny, now passing out of sight to Harry, now slightly flushed.

In the compartment across the way, Dean locked eyes with Rebecca and pointed at Harry before down the hall where Ginny had gone, clearly asking if something was between the two of them. She shrugged and grinned as Seamus waved next to them. "Glad to see you two get along now." Harry grumbled.

"Funny, don't remember asking your feeling on the topic." Rebecca smiled sweetly before taking the copy of the Quibbler Luna plucked out of her bag. 

Neville laughed before falling silent at Harry's glare. "I'm only saying that last year, the year before that, probably the year before that, he wasn't exactly kind to you. You do remember when he knocked your hand so you hit the desk and left half your face bruised?"

"And I'm only saying that what's in the past is in the past. He's being nice now."

Turning to a random page to appear busy, Rebecca pretended to read a moment before closing it and turning to daydream out the window. Harry sighed, grabbing the magazine off her lap and spreading out across the bench, laying down against her so that she couldn't ignore him. "Becksie?" He called sweetly, making it that if he'd upset her, he hadn't meant to.

She snorted, looking down at him as he put his shoulder against her side. "Be quiet until the sweet lady comes."

*******************************************

Luna left the compartment first that had contained two sleeping Potters and a reading Longbottom. The trains was nearly an hour and a half into their journey. Luna brought her bag with her, saying something about how she was going to give out the rest of the issues her dad had given her. Neville trailed after her, offering to help carry them so she didn't have to.

Hardly five minutes after they had left, Hermione and Ron poured into the peaceful and quiet compartment talking loudly. Rebecca sat up, wiping her face before Ron could remark on the drool that had escaped as she'd dozed. "You're wrong, utterly wrong." Hermione crossed her arms as she sat, still talking to Ron.

"Ask them then, they'll agree with me!" Ron pointed to Harry and Rebecca, both of them ripped from the peace that had lulled them into naps and thrown into the middle of whatever they were bickering about now.

"What is it?" Harry asked as he sat up, stretching.

"Hermione thinks its not suspicious that Draco didn't show up for the prefects meeting."

Hermione shook her head, "No! That's not what I said at all!" She huffed, rolling her eyes at Ron. "What I said was that just because he didn't show up doesn't mean he's a Death Eater."

Harry made sure the compartment was closed entirely, leaning forward so that his arms were on his knees as he spoke in a lowered voice. "But what about at Borgin and Burkes?" Harry slapped his leg, "It had to have been a ceremony, an initiation!"

"Stop it." Rebecca said, ignored entirely.

"It's happened, he's one of them." Harry finished.

Ron nodded, "His father is a Death Eater. It only makes sense."

Hermione scoffed, "And your father is an expert on muggle artifacts, hardly explains your marks in Muggle Studies." Ron narrowed his eyes at her, opening his mouth to say something he'd surely regret. 

"We saw it with our own eyes!" Harry's tone was nearing desperate.

"No, we don't know what we saw." Rebecca said with an air of finality about her, Hermione nodding in agreement.

Harry looked at Rebecca a long moment before standing and grabbing a bundle off the above-head racks. "I need some air."

Rebecca sighed as he left, sinking down in her seat and rubbing her eyes behind her glasses. "Any sweets dears?" That got her sitting up attentively. Ron sniggered at her before standing and asking for a few things, someone (he entirely suspected George who had uncharacteristically hugged him goodbye on the platform) had snuck a few coins on him.

Rebecca crowded behind him, pinching him. Hermione pulled her book out, rolling her eyes as they pushed each other in front of the trolley lady. "And for-"

"Yes!" Rebecca's eyes widened comically. "I nearly forgot!"

The trolley lady smiled, "I didn't."

"Who is it?" Ron asked like he had every train ride. 

"Not you." She cheeked off, taking a gigantic bite of a licorice wand before smiling sweetly at him.

"I bloody well know it's not me." He muttered.

At the other end of the train, the trolley lady found that she had to push her cart through a dense, slowly dissipating black fog. "What is this?" Draco's voice commanded out through the darkness. "Blaise?"

"It's probably just some first years messing around." Pansy whinged. "Come sit down, Draco."

Draco did as she suggested, the trolley lady stopping at the first compartment of their section. "Hogwarts." He spat. "What a pathetic excuse for a school. I'd pitch myself right off the Astronomy Tower if I had to continue another two years."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Pansy asked, fear evident in her voice.

Above them, Harry was listening to their every word from the luggage rack, his body tucked under the invisibility cloak. 

"Let's just say I don't think you'll see me wasting my time in Charms next year." Draco hated the words, hated the script that he'd been forced to memorise. Blaise snorted. "Amused, Blaise?" Draco shook his head, wishing they understood how serious he was. "We'll see who's laughing in the end."

"As always," The trolley lady laid a chocolate wand on the table in front of Draco. "Will you be sending one back?"

Draco wanted to, he did badly. For all he knew, it could be the last time he ever did. But he'd been told, no, forbidden from any displays of kindness to the Potters. He reached into his suit's pocket, deciding that it wouldn't hurt to follow along he and Rebecca's tradition once more. "Yes, the same."

Pansy glowered in her seat, hating that he refused to tell her and hating the stupid smile that played across his face as he paid her for the sweet to be sent.

*******************************************

Rebecca was laying across the bench entirely, her hands behind her head as she hummed softly. Harry hadn't returned, but she wasn't worried. Probably ran into Nigel somewhere and was getting a run down of everything the now-fourth year had done over the summer. 

However, as afternoon turned into evening and the sun set below the Scottish horizon, his failure to return had her concerned. The trolley lady had given her the chocolate wand Draco had sent back to her hours earlier and she toyed with the wrapping distractedly. 

"He's fine." Hermione grabbed the chocolate out of her hands and put it on top of her backpack. As the train jerked to a stop, Hermione stood and smoothed her robes out. She'd insisted the three of them change earlier. 

Ron nodded, swinging his bag over one shoulder. "Probably one of the first on the platform."

Rebecca followed them out, glancing behind her anxiously. 

At the other end of the train, Draco shooed his housemates out, telling them that he was going to check on something. The last one in their train car, Draco closed the door before turning back to where he'd been sitting, to where he'd seen the bag above his head shift without anyone touching it.

"Mummy did before she taught you it was rude to eavesdrop, Potter?" Draco waved his wand at where he thought the listener had been, casting the full-body bind jinx. "Petrificus totalus!"

Harry's limbs straightened, his body paralysed as he flew off the rack and into the aisle painfully. 

Draco yanked the cloak off him, sneering down at him although is body was flooded in relief at the fact that Rebecca hadn't been with him. It was easier for Draco to hate Harry, something that he'd always attributed to the kindnesses Rebecca had shown him over the years. "Right, forgot she was dead before you stopped drooling."

Draco took a breath before kicking Harry in the face, finding a little pleasure in the action of complete domination over his sworn enemy. Harry and Rebecca's reports of seeing Lucius at Voldemort's Ministry appearance had led to a string of Azkaban sentencings and, because of it, Draco had spent less time with a black eye in the time tha the had been home since he could remember. Guilt flashed through him at the thought.

(Note, I feel like it's important to mention hear that canonically there is ZERO evidence contributing to the narrative that Draco was abused or neglected in any way. However, for the sake of the story and future storylines, I have decided to make it that way.)

Harry's nose exploded in pain, his body remaining as frozen as it had been. Draco put the cloak back over him. "Enjoy your trip back to London." Draco closed the train's door behind him, ignoring the realisation that Rebecca would have no idea where her brother had gone.

*******************************************

"I forgot my jumper!" Rebecca called, stepping back as Hermione and Ron took seats on a carriage. "I'll meet you at supper!"

Ron crossed his arms, moving to get off but not able to as the carriage pulled away. "You've got the damn thing on!"

Rebecca looked down at herself as she jogged back to the platform, cursing her mistake. She threw the door open, running down the length of the train with her eyes peeled for Harry. Her foot caught on something in the middle of the last train car, something that sent her sprawling.

Her hands dragged on the carpet, her wrists smarting something awful as she crawled back quickly, groping the floor for whatever had tripped her as the train's braked hissed. Rebecca had to get Harry and get off the train or they were both taking a round trip back to London. Her fingers brushed against something familiarly silky and smooth. She yanked the cloak off him, gasping at the sight of his crooked nose. 

"Finite!" Whatever hexes or jinxes that had been put on him were released and he sat up quickly. 

"Rebecca!"

"Yeah, yeah, later! The train's leaving any second!" She pulled him up by the sleeve, ignoring his groans in protest as he found every inch of his side was sore from where he'd crashed to the floor. Rebecca shoved him out the door and jumped off behind him, landing on the cement at the exact moment the train began it away-bound return.

"What would I do without you?" Harry hoped she heard that he wasn't joking.

"Be ugly?" She offered, holding her wand up to his face. "I can fix this."

His eyes widened, "Are you sure?"

She nodded, "How hard can it be?" Harry opened his mouth to tell her to stop, that he'd just wait for Madam Pomfrey, but she was too fast. "Episkey!"

His nose straightened with a disgusting crunch, blood spurting down his face. "Thanks."

She smiled, "You're welcome. Does it hurt?" He nodded, bunching his shirt up against the blood. "Good. That's what you get for leaving on a mission without telling me."

Harry tried to explain, "I went to listen to Malfoy, you wouldn't-"

"Don't tell me what I would or wouldn't!" She snapped, following the carriage path down the long walk to the castle's gate. "I would have come with you anyway."

Harry walked in quiet a moment. "I'm sorry. I won't go off like that again."

She eyes him carefully before nodding and taking his work for it. "Good, though if you make a habit out of making us late for dinner, you won't have a chance to. Did you learn anything?"

Harry shrugged, "He hates Hogwarts and doesn't expect it to be the same next year."

Rebecca laughed, "With us here? No year is ever the same anyway!"

*******************************************

"About time!" Professor Flitwick scolded as they stepped into the gate. "I've been looking all over for you two." He unfolded the roll of parchment in his hand. "Names?"

Rebecca looked around confused. "Professor, you've known us for five years."

Flitwick glanced up at her sadly, hating the state his school had come to. "No exceptions, I'm sorry."

Rebecca told him her name, making conversation all the while. Draco was ahead of them, his stuff being gone through thoroughly. "Who're all these people?"

Flitwick crossed her and Harry off, ignoring the fact that his shirt had blood down the front of it. "Aurors, for security." The Charms professor waved his wand up at the gate before continuing their conversation with Rebecca about class.

Snape appeared at Draco's side, warning Mr Filch to let him bring in the staff of Lucius'. "Nice face, Potter!"

Rebecca brought her hand to her cheek, holding it against it. "You think?"

Snape grabbed Draco by the shoulder and led him away, scolding him fiercely as he failed to come up with a response.

Harry turned to her, letting her lead the way up to the castle. "How do I look?"

Rebecca glanced at him, wincing at the blood streaked down his face. She took her tie off, realising it would upset Hermione. "Aguamenti!" With it wet, she motioned for him to bend down to her. She sighed as she finished with his face, using the last clean bit of it to get the lines that had trailed down his neck. 

"Well?" Harry asked, holding his hand to his cheek like she had.

She laughed, "Perfectly ordinary."

Harry nodded, facing what was ahead of them. "Brilliant."

*******************************************

"Don't worry!" Ron scolded Hermione, taking another large bite from his heaping bowl of dessert. "They'll be here in a minute."

Ginny turned from her brother and looked to Hermione, Hermione's face set in disgust. Hermione stared at Ron a moment before raising the book she had held against her chest and beating him with it on every word. "Will you stop eating?!" She let the book fall onto her lap, sitting up straight. "Your best friends are missing."

"Well, you're here." Ron grumbled, taking another bite. Ron glanced over her shoulder, "Turn around, you lunatic!"

Harry and Rebecca filed into the Great Hall, Rebecca looking over the tables eagerly while Harry looked like he was walking to his execution.

"He's covered in blood again." Ginny shook her head. "Why's one of them always covered in blood?"

"Looks like it's his own this time, at least." Ron took another bite before grabbing two plates and layering them with remnants from the dinner platters around him.

Hermione leaned over the table, hissing. "Where have you been? What's happened to his face?" Hermione froze, staring at Rebecca. "Where. Is. Your. Tie?"

Rebecca picked up a piece of bread from the plate Ron put in front of her, taking a massive bite and pointing to her full mouth as a reason to not answer. Harry rolled his eyes at Rebecca, hating that he had to be the one to answer. "Later."

"Did I miss the song?" Rebecca asked as she looked up at the professors' table, not seeing the Sorting Hat.

Ron nodded, pointing at her with his spoon. "Yeah, Sorting Hat urged us all to be brave and strong in these troubled times. Easy for a bloody hat to say, isn't it?"

Rebecca went back to eating her dinner in an incredibly Ron-like way, only pausing as Dumbledore began to speak because Ginny had taken the bloody tie from Harry's nose to wipe at a stray spattering. Hermione caught Rebecca's eye and raised an eyebrow before turning back to Dumbledore's podium.

"First, let me introduce the newest member of our staff, Horace Slughorn." Slughorn stood up, waving out at the students. "Professor Slughorn has agreed to resume his post as Potions Master." The hall clapped happily.

Rebecca sat up straighter. "Oh no."

"Meanwhile, the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts will be taken by Professor Snape." The applause was limited only to the sprinkling of polite Hufflepuffs and the almost the entirety of the Slytherin table.

"Now, as you know, each and every one of you was searched upon your arrival here tonight. And you have the right to know why. Once there was a young man, who, like you, sat in this very hall, walked this castle's corridors, slept under its roof." Harry and Rebecca tried to look ahead, ignoring the eyes gravitating towards them by other students. "He seemed to all the world a student like any other. His name? Tom Riddle."

Ginny paled, looking down at her empty plate. Harry grabbed her arm quickly, his hand wrapping around and squeezing tightly. Ginny nodded and looked back up at the front of the hall. Rebecca patted Harry's back, grateful that he had the sense to offer support.

"Today, of course, he's known all over the world by another name. Which is why, as I stand looking out upon you all tonight, I'm reminded of a sobering fact. Every day, every hour, this very minute perhaps, dark forces attempt to penetrate this castle's walls." Dumbledore found Harry and Rebecca in the crowd, looking over Harry's shoulder to stare into Rebecca's eyes. "But in the end, the greatest weapon is you. Something to think about." He called out that it was time to head back to their quarters. 

Rebecca stood slowly, trying to eat a few more bites as Ron offered his opinion on the speech. "Cheerful end to a night, yeah?"

Hermione grabbed the back of Rebecca's collar, forcing her to walk beside her as she and Ron started to give the first years a tour. "This, newly-appointed Gryffindors, is the perfect example of what you're not to do..."

*******************************************

"I cannot believe you paraded me about like that." Rebecca scoffed, discarding her top robe once the girls were back in their dorm room so that she walking about in her pants and white shirt. "Marching me around like a spectacle!" Rebecca couldn't stay serious all the way through though and ended up laughing as she flipped the notches of her trunk. "You scared them with all your talk of detention."

Hermione grabbed her pajamas and went towards the bathroom, giggling. "Maybe you'll learn to follow the rules this year then."

Rebecca's stuff had shifted as it had been gone through, but there on top was the mini trunk Fred had told her about. Ginny had her back turned, pulling out her stacks of books and ordering them on her bookshelf. Rebecca stuck the trunk and the Marauders' Map in her pocket, making sure Ginny didn't notice. "Forgot Harry wanted to ask me s-something." 

Ginny watched her leave, rolling her eyes. 

Rebecca tapped her wand to her leg absent-mindedly, hoping that if Ron and Harry were upstairs like they said they would be she could make an easy escape out of the common room. Privacy was hard to come by, luckily she knew the perfect place.

The corridors were empty, aside from the wandering auror she evaded easily with the maps assistance. The familiar tapestry of the dancing trolls greeted her across the Room of Requirement. "Privacy, light, and parchment for a letter, please."

A door slowly grew in front of her, the wood aged and the knob a dark metal. "That's new." Rebecca thought as she grabbed the cold handle, turning it and finding the room inside not like any she'd ever asked for before. The room was large and circular, grey stones paving the wall up to a high ceiling. There were boards and chalk around the room, torches and lanterns burning all around the focal point of the room: A large wooden table with parchment, ink, and a quill as well as an envelope.

Entering the room quickly, she set the map on the desktop and fished the trunk out of her pocket. Laying it away from anything else, she waved her wand at it. "Engorgio." The trunk grew to a normal size, the latches popping open when it stopped. Rebecca was grinning as she lifted the top up, curious as to what would help her 'cause trouble.'

"Oh!" Her voice echoed around the room. "What in-" She sorted around the top layer of the completely filled trunk. There were potion makings and ingredients of every sort they had at the store, along with anything she'd need to send batches back to the shop or work on their imperfected ideas. 

Near the middle, under a heaping bag of dried frog eyes, Rebecca pulled out a leather bound book with a pen attached to the string that tied it closed. She undid the knot easily, spinning the pen between her fingers as she opened the cover.

For the trouble we cause together and apart. --Fred

That was cheesy. Ew. Keep track of your ideas and bring prototypes. --George

I don't know what they want me to write. Miss you! --Ced

Rebecca clicked the pen and scribbled onto the first page with an idea already beginning. Once the basic premise was down, she started on a letter to mail on her way back to the common room, hoping it would be at the shop before morning.

*******************************************

"And where were you?" Ginny asked from her bed. Hermione didn't say a word from her desk, but she turned so that Rebecca knew Hermione was asking as well.

"I had to send off an owl." Rebecca lied. Rebecca lied. 

Ginny narrowed her eyes at her, sensing something off. "To Fred?"

"Yes, and George and Cedric." Rebecca crouched at her trunk and began transferring her clothes from the piles to where they belonged. "I would have let you read it if you wanted to know every word."

Ginny threw a pillow at her, laughing as it struck the back of her head with a muffled thump. Hermione stood up and stepped between them, Ginny unknowingly making it so Hermione brought up a subject other than Rebecca's whereabouts to stop the fight that was bound to ensue. "Times tables came!" Hermione held both Ginny's and Rebecca's out. 

Rebecca tore into hers eagerly and skimmed it before handing it back up to Hermione. "Same as yours?"

Hermione nodded, "Mostly, I'm not taking Magical Creatures--I've got Ancient Runes."

"But everything else?"

Hermione smiled, "Yes, everything else. Although..."

Rebecca stood up, sensing the hesitation in her voice. "Although what?"

Ginny got off her bed, standing next to Hermione with her arms crossed. "A letter came." Hermione handed over the still-sealed letter.

"You could have opened it." Rebecca told them, lifting the wax. "I wouldn't want to wait, 'specially if it's from Dumbledore." Rebecca skipped over the greeting, scanning the body of the correspondence once, then twice, and handing it to the impatiently waiting Hermione and Ginny. "Just says Harry and I are to report to him evenings periodically throughout the year for 'private lessons.'"

Ginny looked away from the letter. "And?"

Rebecca shrugged, turning back to her still full trunk. "Wouldn't have killed him to say what these lessons are about, but it could be worse."

Hermione handed her back her letter. "How could it be worse? This is sixth year, we need all the time we'll have to revise and study and-"

"Could have been early in the morning." Rebecca interrupted, laughing with Ginny.

*******************************************

"Dumbledore wants to meet with you two for 'private lessons?'" Ron asked incredulously as he lounged on his bed, his stuff already thrown into his drawers or tossed onto his shelves.

"Yeah, he does." Harry answered without paying Ron much attention. He was too busy thinking about what it could be about and wondering if Sirius and Remus ever made it back home.

"I'm sure it'll be alright," Ron noticed Harry's absence. "Rebecca will keep everything in line." Harry nodded and plucked his times table off his desk, glancing over the empty period he and Ron had while the girls were in Potions. "And don't even worry about tomorrow morning. Figure we'll wake up in time for breakfast, give some first years wrong directions--Been wanting to do that ever since we got turned around for Transfiguration--Maybe head up to the kitchens and see if they'll give us lunch early! That'd be great! We could..."

Harry sat on his bed and found himself infected with Ron's enthusiasm. He might not be able to be an auror, but at least he had a friend.

*******************************************

Author's Note:

Still no word on a title for the sequel and running out of time--Make your mark, get your spotlight and shine!

<3


	99. Chapter 99

Despite the somber tone of dinner the night before, the Great Hall was as boisterous as it was any first day of class of years past. The first years congregated amongst each other before splitting up to find older students for directions.

"Ah, Herbology. You'll go up to the seventh floor, take a left-"

"What are you doing Ron?" Rebecca asked, taking her attention away from the honey she was adding to her oatmeal. "Herbology isn't upstairs, it's not even in the bloody castle." 

Ron narrowed his eyes at her, shaking his head slightly. The tiny first year in front of him frowned, realising that Ron had been giving him the mick. "First day?" Rebecca asked, motioning for the boy to take a seat. "Excited?" 

Ron scoffed and scooted down the bench, away from her and the boy. The boy grimaced, tears welling in his eyes as he looked around at all the noise and moving students and, funnily enough what sent him over the edge, the floating candles. 

Rebecca picked her bowl up and nodded her head to the exit, swinging her bag over one arm and grabbing a collection of portable foods on her way out. "That was really rotten. You're a prefect!" Hermione scolded, happy to see that Ron at least looked a little guilty. Harry and Ginny tried to hide their laughter, instead putting their heads down towards their plates.

"What's your name?" Rebecca had led the boy to one of the benches in the corridor around one of the courtyards. She swung a leg over it and emptied the food into the space between him, handing him an apple and waving her hand over it all for him to take whatever he wants.

"Emmet."

Rebecca grinned, lifting her oatmeal higher. "Nice to meet you, Emmet. My name's Rebecca. That was Ron, he didn't mean to be a git--He thought he was being funny." Rebecca shook her head, putting her bowl down after taking a few bites. "Actually, that wasn't true." She laughed, "Someone told him how to get to Transfiguration wrong in our first year, guess he thought it was his turn."

Emmet didn't laugh, though a small smile seemed to fight to show. "That's not nice."

"No, no it isn't. Have a feeling that's not all that's wrong, though." Rebecca raised her eyebrow, taking another bite while he tried to decide why she was asking, why she was being nice.

"It's so weird here, magic and wands and robes. It doesn't feel real."

Rebecca sat back on the bench, "Muggle parents?" Emmet showed no understanding. "Your parents aren't magic, are they?"

"No, we all thought this was a joke." 

They sat in quiet a moment, both trying to figure out what to say as they ate. "It gets better." Rebecca said at last, patting his knee. "Really, it does. It all seems wrong right now, but you'll find some friends and you'll find a place. Not to mention, magic's pretty bloody wicked." She took her wand out of her pocket and looked at the orange between them. "Vera verto." The orange transfigure into a matchbox car before turning back into an orange.

"We'll learn how to do that?"

"All in good time, Mr Greeneway." Professor McGonagall's voice made Emmet jump.

"Good morning, professor. Ready to start the year?" Rebecca asked happily.

"Education waits for none, remember that Miss Potter." She turned and left without another word, leaving Emmet's mouth gaping.

"Who was that again?" 

Rebecca finished her oatmeal as she explained who McGonagall was to him as a Transfiguration student and who she was to him as a Gryffindor. "I'm headed to the dungeons this morning, so I can't walk you." She checked the time. "Unless we go right now. If we leave now, I can show you to the greenhouses and be back in time. Probably."

"It's okay, I'll figure it out." Emmet sounded so sad and resigned to a poor first day, he solidified her decision.

"No, impossible. I'm afraid I've already decided. Let's go." Rebecca walked alongside him, pointing out certain quirks and tips as she guided him to the other side of the castle where the path to the greenhouses was clear. "This is as far as I can walk you and not be-" She sighed, the bells ringing. "Late."

"Thank you, for the shortcut and breakfast. And for being nice." 

Rebecca grinned, "No, thank you! A walk in the sun was exactly what I needed before sitting in the dungeons all morning."

*******************************************

"That is the girls' lavatory!" Professor McGonagall called down the hall to a very lost Hufflepuff. The hallway was swarmed with students on their way to the first class of the year, though Ron and Harry weren't participating in the salmon run. They were standing up on a bench against the wall, laughing at the mess.

Hermione had left them minutes earlier, not able to wait for Rebecca's return any longer without risking being late herself and she was not going to let that be Professor Slughorn's first impression of Hermione Granger.

"Potter." McGonagall beckoned, disappointment evident. "Oh my god, that's the face Rebecca was talking about." Harry thought, seeing how powerful the look was.

"This can't be good." Harry told Ron, hopping off the bench. 

"Enjoying ourselves, are we?" McGonagall shook her head slowly, her blue eyes piercing through Harry.

"We-I had a free period this morning, professor." 

"Yes, I noticed. I would think you would want to fill it with Potions, unless it is no longer your ambition to become an Auror."

Harry felt his cheeks warm as he had to word his failure to one of the women he looked up to most in his life. "Professor, I had to get an O. I only got an E, I can't."

"So you did, when Professor Snape was teaching Potions." McGonagall raised an eyebrow archly. "But Professor Slughorn is happy to accept N.E.W.T students with Exceeds Expectations." 

"Brilliant!" Harry felt himself be recaptured with the hope of a future dedicated to the stopping of dark wizards. "I-I'll head there straightaway!"

"Potter!" Harry turned back. "Take Weasley with you. He looks far too happy." McGonagall turned back to help a first year who had stepped into the trick stair, shaking her head at the retreating sixth year boys.

Harry grabbed Ron, hurrying down the quickly emptying hall. "I don't want to take Potions! Quidditch trials are coming up--I need to practise."

"We told you not to worry about-What is that noise?" Both boys turned to the slapping growing closer behind them. "Is that-?"

Rebecca tore out from behind the corner, her bag swinging wildly as she pumped her arms. She slowed down when she saw them, but not by much. "Potions...Late...First day..." Harry fell into a run behind her, shaking his head. She took a deep breath. "Don't shake your head like that, arsehole. Only reason I'm late is because I helped that first year!"

Harry scoffed, "I had nothing to do with that, that was all Ron!"

"You didn't stop him, did you?" Rebecca asked before opening the Potions classroom door, not letting Harry get another word in. However, she realised as she looked into the classroom and every eye fell on the three of them, this meant that she was unable to ask why they were going to Potions class in the first place.

"Ah, I was beginning to worry!" Slughorn greeted both Potters, "Brought someone with us, have we?"

Ron stepped forward. "Ron Weasley sir. I'm dead awful at Potions, a menace, actually. I can just-"

"Nonsense! We'll sort you right out." Slughorn waved them in. "A friend of the Potter's is a friend of mine."

"Potter Weasley." Rebecca muttered, walking across the room to the space next to Hermione.

"You'll need your books, all of you." Slughorn announced to the class, Rebecca setting her bag on the floor to get it immediately. Lavender tittered at her rumpled appearance, gazing at Ron lewdly.

"I haven't got my book, nor has Ron." Harry explained sheepishly.

"That's alright, get what you want from the cupboard." Harry crossed the room, opening the cabinet and remembering how Rebecca had stared at the two copies of Advanced Potion Making at Flourish and Blotts. "Strange."

"As I was saying, I've prepared some concoctions this morning. Any ideas what these might be?" Slughorn leaned against the table with a selection of cauldrons. Hermione raised her hand instantly, but Rebecca took a moment to look over the class' occupants first. Pansy was leaning against the wall next to a sullen Draco and a thoroughly confused Crabbe and Goyle. Seamus, Dean, and Neville were side by side behind Lavender, who was on the other side of Hermione while Rebecca was closer to the front due to her late arrival.

"Yes, Miss?"

"Granger, sir." Hermione walked up to the first cauldron and observed it.

At the back of the classroom, Harry and Ron were fighting over the two copies in the cabinet: One tattered and old, one practically new. Ron was much taller than Harry, an advantage he put to use as he shoved Harry out of the way and got the newer one. Harry thumped Ron with his old book as they joined the class.

Hermione had identified the first two potions correctly and Slughorn was about to ask for another volunteer when Rebecca raised her hand. "Miss Potter, go ahead!"

Rebecca stepped forward, "Potter Weasley, sir." She didn't know why she was insisting he use both last names, perhaps it had something to do with how he'd demeaned she and Harry into collectors' items, perhaps it was because she missed Molly and Arthur, perhaps it was because she missed Fred.

"Miss Potter Weasley, then." Slughorn's mood was untampered and every instance of tenacity Rebecca showed, he was reminded more and more of Lily. Pansy snorted, but Draco shook his head sharply, looking down his nose at his prefect partner.

Rebecca put her hands on the table and stood taller, glancing at the two potions Hermione had correctly identified: Veritaserum and Polyjuice Potion. "This is...an Aging Potion, variation number four, right?" Slughorn nodded, impressed. "And this is," Rebecca's face reddened as she peered over the edge into the last cauldron. "Amortentia. The most powerful love potion in the world."

"What makes it that?" Professor Slughorn guided, knowing that Rebecca knew the answer by how she was smelling the air over the cauldron.

"Amortentia smells differently to each person, changing itself based on what one finds attractive." Rebecca smelled deeper, knowing the smell well. "For example, I smell..." She closed her eyes. "I smell clean laundry, fireworks, and nature--Like the forest after its rained." Rebecca stepped back, finding the replica of what Fred smelled like achingly perfect.

"Now, Amortentia doesn't create actual love. That would be impossible. It does, however, create powerful infatuation or obsession." The girls of the class inched forward, wishing to smell it for themselves. "For that reason, it is probably the most dangerous potion in this room." He placed the lid on and motioned for the girls to step back. 

Harry put head on Rebecca's shoulder, putting his arm around her. "Y'okay?"

She nodded, listening to the class. "I'm fine." 

"Guess you were right about needing two books." Harry waved his sillily, hoping it would make her smile. Rebecca nodded, saying nothing and trying to pay attention. Hermione shrugged at Harry, watching their exchange carefully before listening as Romilda Vane asked Professor Slughorn what was in the last cauldron.

"This, ladies and gentlemen, is a curious little potion." He unscrewed the clasp that held it up, holding it next to his head for them all to see. "It is known as Felix Felicis. But, it is more commonly referred to as-"

"Liquid luck." Hermione answered.

"Yes, Miss Granger." Slughorn nodded proudly. "Liquid Luck. Desperately tricky to make, disastrous should you get it wrong. One sip and you will find that all of your endeavours succeed."

Harry stared at the little vial curiously, wondering if it could help against Voldemort. Draco looked up from the floor.

"At least until the effects wear off." Slughorn walked around the table so that he was behind it. "That is what I offer you each today. One tiny vial of liquid luck to the student who, in the hour that remains, manages to brew an acceptable Draught of Living Death. The recipe can be found on page 10 of your books." Rebecca held her book at her side, listening to his final directions. "I should warn you, only once has a draught of sufficient quality been made to claim this prize. Nevertheless, good luck to you all." He clapped his hands. "Let the brewing commence!"

Rebecca set her bag down at the seat next to Hermione's and opened her book, taking our the notebook she'd comprised of all Snape's notes on the potions they'd gone over in years past. She'd put together the notes he'd made on the board, the tips he'd said as they worked, as well as her favourite part of the project on the last page: Snape's Best Insults. 

At the top of the list was 'Boy-Potter-Twin-Shadow,' but that was only because as much as she didn't really understand what he was trying to say, she could remember how red his face when as she'd annoyed him to the point of incoherence.

Harry sighed and opened his aged book, finding a cursive scrawl written along the top of the cover page. "This book is property of The Half Blood Prince."

Rebecca slid off the high chair, holding her book in front of her with her notebook tucked under her arm as she joined the other students at the ingredient closet. Once at the workspace beside Hermione and across from Harry and Ron, she began to work. Potions class was a much different experience without Snape. She hadn't been insulted yet, the room was light enough to actually see the words in front of her, the room didn't stink of terrified children. 

Rebecca found that Potions with Slughorn was almost enjoyable. 

The Sopophorous bean was the first ingredient, a bouncy, escape-artist of a legume that desperately didn't want to be cut up. Rebecca found that the best way for her was to pinch it down and slide the knife between the gap her fingers left, though this trick was not found by the others.

Professor Slughorn hardly had enough time to raise his hand up before he caught the bean Crabbe sent at his face. Harry read the Half Blood Prince's notes in the margin, crushing it as he directed.

"How did you do that?" Hermione demanded of Harry, looking from his cauldron to Rebecca's, both of them moving forward to the next step.

"Crush it, don't cut it." Harry explained.

Rebecca shrugged, "I cut it in slivers, not all the way through. By folding it back, like this over the cauldron, it squeezed right in."

Hermione shook her head, "The instructions specifically say to cut it into squares."

Goyle lifted his spoon out of his potion, the end gnarled, blackened, and smoking. Seamus ignored Dean's advice, looking into his cauldron as he sprinkled in the powder. As Dean had thought, a small explosion ensued and left Seamus dark with soot. Pansy's potion hopped out of her cauldron and crawled away, leaving Romilda screaming as she climbed up on the table.

Rebecca and Harry were neck in neck, although neither of them noticed. Rebecca was referring back to years' worth of lessons, remembering and reading when Snape had taught them the easiest and most efficient way to prepare each ingredient. Harry continued to follow the book's added instructions.

Hermione's hair grew frizzier and frizzier as she grew more and more agitated at both of their successes. She was following the instructions in the required text word for word to no avail. "You can look at my notes from other-"

"No!" Hermione had turned down Rebecca's offer. "I'll use what is given for this year, in this book."

Rebecca rolled her eyes but didn't say anything, instead focusing on the final touches of her potion.

"Time!" Slughorn called, clapping his hands at the front of the room. He slowly made his way around desks, tutting and gasping in shock at some of their work. "Miss Parkinson, you'll find that I caught your creation and disposed of it properly." Pansy glowered at the public admonishment, the fact that Slughorn hadn't meant it to be of insult mattering little.

"Oh my," Slughorn glanced between Rebecca's and Harry's, finding that they were almost identical. "Class? Gather around, observe." 

"Will we be drinking them?" Rebecca asked curiously, wondering if he would be providing the antidote.

"Drink them? Good heavens, child!" Slughorn shook his head, reaching into his robe pockets. "These look so perfect, I daresay a single drop would kill us all." He dropped two leaves onto their cauldrons, the leaves igniting and turning to ash before them. "But, there can only be one winner." Slughorn glanced between their cauldrons, then between Harry and Rebecca. "Mr Potter, I do believe your draught is one shade darker, and therefore, more correct."

Rebecca looked between their potions, not seeing a single difference between the two. "Pro-"

"There we have it." Slughorn led Harry to the front of the classroom, addressing the class. "As promised, one vial of Felix Felicis." Harry reached for it, but Slughorn pulled his hand back. "Use it well." Harry gave a curt smile at the weak applause of the class, Rebecca one the only student applauding without malice. "That will be all for today, class. You are dismissed."

Rebecca stuck her books back in her bag and fell in step alongside Ron out of the classroom. "Miss Potter." Rebecca turned back, sighing. "Potter Weasley." Slughorn corrected with a smile. "A moment, if you please." Harry moved to follow her back in. "Alone."

Rebecca waved them on, "You heard him, alone. I'll be right behind you."

Harry and Ron grumbled something before Hermione dragged them down the hall. Slughorn waved his wand as she entered the Potions classroom again, the door swinging shut slowly with a slight squeak. "Rebecca," He looked up from where he was standing next to her cauldron. "May I call you Rebecca?"

"Of course." Rebecca stuck her hands in the pockets of her robes, hiding the fidgeting she found she absolutely could not stop. "Is there a problem, sir?"

Slughorn laughed, a deep, loud sound that left her feeling chastised for asking. "Trouble? No, far from it." Slughorn produced two more leaves from his pockets, asking her to step forward and see the difference in what happened when they were dropped into her potion and Harry's.

"Harry's doesn't quite get rid of the leaf, it's still floating there."

Slughorn nodded, crossing the classroom and taking out a small vial before going to the table with the four potions they'd used at the beginning of class. "I had a feeling that you would not benefit, nor desire from, luck. However, excellence deserves awarding." He cleared his throat. "Now, my dear, I may be old-" Rebecca shook her head, eliciting a chuckle from him. "I am old, there's no denying it. But, despite that, I once had love." Rebecca watched as he spooned Amortentia into the vial he held, smelling the air above it carefully. "Lavender, flour, and cinnamon. Just as the day she and I parted." 

Rebecca took the vial he handed her gingerly, not understanding. "Sir?"

"Do you give me your word that that will not be used for any purpose other than to remind ourselves what we have to miss?" Slughorn scanned her face, prepared to take it back if he sensed any trace of unsureness.

"Yes," Rebecca couldn't help but bring the vial to her nose, smiling as the smell registered. "You have my word."

"Good, then get out." Rebecca grinned, hurrying out the door before casting an unbreakable charm to the vial and slipping it into her bag's front pocket. She found herself almost dancing down the hall. 

*******************************************

"Charms was lovely, wasn't it?" Rebecca asked at lunch, still floating from her exchange with Slughorn.

"Yeah, if you count a mountain of homework as 'lovely.'" Ron scoffed and took another sandwich off the plate in front of him. "What's wrong with you?"

Rebecca stood up and waved quickly, pointing to the spot she'd left empty across from her. "Emmet! How was your morning?"

The first year glanced at Ron nervously, finding the older boy less intimidating as he ate like he'd been starved. "Fine, I guess." He lowered his eyes and took his lunch slowly.

"What is it?" Rebecca looked up and down the table, wondering if Nigel was around to walk him wherever his afternoon classes were. "Homework?"

"What's a 'mudblood?'" Hermione dropped her fork, the clatter turning Emmet's eyes to her. "It's bad, isn't it." Emmet sighed.

"Where'd you hear that?" Rebecca asked carefully.

"Who said that to you?" Hermione demanded. "Point them out, right now."

Emmet paled, shaking his head. "I don't even remember." He shrugged his shoulders, "I just wanted to know what it meant."

Rebecca bit her lip, grabbing Hermione's arm. "That's a word some people use as an insult to...those without magic parents."

Emmet looked between Harry and Rebecca, "Are you two mudbloods?"

Hermione pursed her lips, "We don't use that word. Muggle-born, that's what you use. that's what any respectable person uses."

"But it doesn't matter, not really." Rebecca smoothed over, hoping Emmet would drop it. "Magic is magic."

With perfect timing, Nigel appeared behind them and wrapped his arms around Rebecca and Harry's necks tightly. "Who's the shrimp?" Nigel laughed, patting Rebecca's head. "Not you."

"Ha. Ha." Rebecca pointed to the red-haired fourth year. "Emmet, Nigel. Nigel, Emmet." Emmet nodded his head, suddenly quite shy. Rebecca turned around on the bench and was dismayed to find that Nigel had apparently done nothing but grow over the summer. "Bloody hell! What is your mum feeding you?"

Nigel chuckled, "Plenty."

Rebecca hugged him quickly, happy to see him. "Would you be able to make sure Emmet makes it to-well, where ever he's off to next alright?" Rebecca lowered her voice, "And keep an eye on him? Someone's giving him trouble and I want to know who."

Nigel grinned, "Will you let me help when I do?"

Rebecca raised an eyebrow, "Maybe." She turned back to finish her lunch, surprised to find Nigel suddenly holding a letter addressed to both she and Harry. "You're quite the messenger."

Nigel winked, backing away. "As long as Fred's not here!"

Ron and Emmet were talking quickly, Ron finding the younger boys quidditch education to be of the utmost importance. "Brooms? In the air?" Emmet asked in awe, all distrust of Ron from the morning in the past.

Scanning over the letter quickly, Rebecca pocketed it with a sigh. "First Dumbledore lesson tonight, Harry." Harry nodded, not really listening and trying to explain to Emmet what the snitch was.

"What'd Professor Slughorn want?" Hermione asked, peering over a cup of tea.

"You're so nosy!" Both girls laughed, finding themselves entirely ignored by the boys. "He said..." Rebecca reached for her bag, holding open the top pocket. "He bottled up some of the Amortentia, not for using." 

Hermione understood instantly and regretted asking, especially as the sadness washed over Rebecca so visibly. "I'm sorry."

Rebecca shook her head, collecting herself and bottling it all up. "I'm not." Rebecca smiled deviously. "Now we're going to figure out what you smell and find you some sugar."

*******************************************

"You got my message, come in." Dumbledore waved them to the space in front of his desk, the headmaster seeming quite old and frail in the large seat. Rebecca and Harry stood side by side, their robes replaced with jumpers the second classes had ended for the day. "How are you?"

"Fine, sir." Harry answered for the two of them, Rebecca was busy surveying the room. She hadn't spent much time in Dumbledore's office without horrid reason to be so and the treasures surrounding them proved too enticing to remember her manners.

"Enjoying your classes?"

"Yes, sir." Harry answered again, grabbing Rebecca's arm and pulling her forward a step so she'd pay attention.

"I hear Professor Slughorn is most impressed with the two of you!"

Harry chuckled, "I think he overestimates my abilities, sir."

"Do you?" Dumbledore asked Rebecca, smiling at the curiosity burning behind her eyes.

"No, sir. Not for me at least." Rebecca grinned at Harry's face. "Practised nearly all summer at the shop."

Dumbledore nodded, "Yes, I was quite impressed. The Pastilles are positively splendid. What about your activities outside the classroom, Harry?" Dumbledore emphasized the word 'your.'

"Sir?"

"Well, I noticed you spend quite a lot of time with Miss Granger. I can't help wondering if-"

"Oh no!" Harry said so emphatically, Rebecca turned and crossed her arms. "No, I mean-She's brilliant, and we're friends, but no." Rebecca nodded, accepting his acknowledgement of their friends greatness and turning back to Dumbledore.

"Forgive me. I was merely being curious." Dumbledore winked at Rebecca. "But enough chitchat. You must be wondering why I summoned you here tonight."

"It's not for tea and gossip?" Rebecca asked with a laugh.

"No, not quite." Dumbledore pushed himself to his feet shakily, walking with them down the stairs to the lower section of his office and stopping in front of a golden, ornately detailed cabinet. "What you're looking at here are memories. In this case, pertaining to one individual: Voldemort, or as he was known then, Tom Riddle."

He plucked out a certain vial, Rebecca noticing each one was labelled with a date and title. "This vial contains the particular memory of the day I first met him." Dumbledore met Harry and Rebecca's eyes. "I'd like you to see it if you would."

Harry nodded his head at Rebecca, asking her to take it from Dumbledore's outstretched hand. He didn't trust that he could without the two of them seeing how his hands were shaking. Rebecca did, putting her arm through the crook of Harry's and walking back to the large, slivery filled bowl on the table behind them. 

She took the top off, holding the vial over the pool and looking to Dumbledore. He nodded and Harry's arm tightened around hers. The bottom of the vial now pointed up towards the ceiling, its contents spreading out in the basin like ink: Dark and mysterious.

Rebecca leaned forward, ready to fall like she and Harry had before. The wind rushed past she and Harry's faces, Rebecca finding Dumbledore in front of them and beside them once their surroundings solidified. A bleak building loomed over them from behind wrought-iron fence, the name over the arch labelling the misery as "Wool's Orphanage."

Dumbledore, their Dumbledore, prodded them forward until they followed the younger Dumbledore of the past through the gates. "I admit some confusion upon receiving your letter, Mr Dumbledore. In all the years Tom's been here, he's never once had a family visitor."

Harry and Rebecca hurried up the stairs behind the matron. "I must warn you, sir." The lady looked almost afraid to continue. "There have been incidents with the other children. Nasty things."

Dumbledore nodded, motioning for her to bring him to the child. She knocked on a door a little farther down the black and grey hall, not a single child in sight. "What kind of an orphanage doesn't have children?" Rebecca whispered.

"The other children...They don't come up here. He's one of the only occupants of this hall." The lady explained, answering both Rebecca's question and past-Dumbledore's quizzical expression.

"How do you do, Tom?" Young Dumbledore asked, stepping into the room the lady held the door open to. The woman ducked down the hall at the sight of Tom staring back at them. Rebecca looked over the boy curiously, finding that he looked perfectly normal. Harry pulled her back, keeping her firmly at his side as Young Dumbledore went to hang up his coat.

"Don't." There were shells on the windowpane, seven of them. Tacked up on the wall, the only other sign of life, was a postcard of a cliffside beach. "You're the doctor, aren't you?"

"No." Young Dumbledore took a seat on Tom's bed. "I am a professor."

"I don't believe you." Tom's voice took on an insolent tone, a tone that revealed years worth of hurt. "She wants me looked at. They think I'm different."

"Perhaps they're right."

"I'm not mad." Tom's tone was hard, telling both Dumbledores, Rebecca, and Harry that this was not a conclusion he was coming to himself. No, he was being told so often.

"Hogwarts is not a place for mad people. Hogwarts is a school. A school of magic." Young Dumbledore stared into Tom's eyes as the boy considered what he'd said. "You can do things, can't you, Tom? Things the others can't?"

Tom narrowed his eyes, sensing a challenge. "I can make things move without touching them. I can make animals do what I want without training them. I can make bad things happen to people who are mean to me. I can make them hurt." Tom's eyes took on a glint, "If I want."

Tom sat back in his chair, looking over Dumbledore entirely. "Who are you?"

"I'm like you, Tom." Dumbledore smiled like he was sharing a joke with the boy. "I'm different."

"Prove it." Tom spat. The wardrobe next to Harry and Rebecca ignited, the fire crackling loudly. Tom's eyes lit up, a sick joy taking over him at the instant inferno. 

"I think there's something in your wardrobe trying to get out, Tom." Tom stood, opening the door quickly as the fire raged on without a shred of smoke, without a speck of damage. Tom pulled out the box from the bottom, standing inches from Rebecca and Harry.

Tom spread the boxes contents out on his bed, lowering his head in shame. "Thievery is not tolerated at Hogwarts, Tom." Tom looked up to Dumbledore. "At Hogwarts, you'll be taught not only how to use magic, but how to control it. You understand me?" Dumbledore gathered his coat, leaving the boy to think.

"I can speak to snakes, too." Tom called after him, young Dumbledore pausing in the doorway. "They find me. Whisper things. Is that normal for someone like me?"

The surroundings faded back to the inky blots in the liquid they were peering into, Tom's burning eyes the last thing they saw before they were standing back in Dumbledore's office with wet faces. Rebecca slid her glasses off, wiping at the beads of water with her sleeves as Harry did the same.

"Did you know, sir? Then?" Harry asked as he put his glasses back on his face. 

"Did I know I'd just met the most dangerous dark wizard of all time? No. If I had..." Dumbledore took a quick breath. "Over time, while here at Hogwarts, Tom Riddle grew close to one particular teacher. Can you guess who that teacher might be?"

Harry glanced at Rebecca, the light shining up from the pensieve making her face gaunt and pale. "You didn't bring Professor Slughorn back simply to teach Potions, did you, sir?" She asked wiping her chin on her shoulder.

"No, I did not. You see, Professor Slughorn possesses something I desire very dearly. And he will not give it up easily."

Harry spoke after a moment, "You said Professor Slughorn would try to collect us."

Dumbledore nodded, "I did."

"Do you want us to let him?" Harry asked.

Dumbledore looked from Harry, then to Rebecca. "Yes."

*******************************************

"That's what he's doing with you?" Hermione asked curiously as Rebecca pulled her pajamas on. "To go through memories?"

"Seems it." Rebecca took the vial out of her bag and handed it to Hermione. "Enough about the past, smell."

Hermione took it carefully, taking the top off like she was holding explosives. "Parchment, freshly cut grass, and...spearmint toothpaste." Hermione capped the vial quickly, handing it back. 

Ginny snorted, prompting Rebecca to offer her a smell. Ginny eyed it a moment before shaking her head. "No, I don't want to know."

Rebecca laughed, putting the vial away. "Scared?"

Ginny put her nose in the air, mimicking a very regal tone. "I shalt not bother to smell mineself." This only sent all three girls into bouts of laughter, stopping only as they drifted off to sleep.

*******************************************

<3


	100. Chapter 100

Don't forget to add the sequel to your libraries! This is the last chapter to be added to "All I Ask Of You."

Rebecca was relieved that Hermione had Ancient Runes on Wednesday and Thursday afternoons. After Dumbledore's meeting, Rebecca hadn't found a single moment Hermione let her out of her sight. It's not like Hermione was trying to be malicious or smothering, Rebecca reminded herself every time she wanted to snap and run off for a moment alone. Hermione just seemed particularly lonesome, needing near constant companionship.

"I guess she and George were quite close." Rebecca thought as she asked the Room of Requirement for the room she'd gotten their first night back. "I always did wonder who George found to listen to him when Fred and I were-" End of thought. It was Rebecca's solution to Hogwarts without Fred, she did her best to not think of him outside of the few minutes she answered his letters.

It was hard and it hurt, but it hadn't even been a week yet and she knew that if she didn't do something, she was going to break down. Her reprieve? The vial of amortentia sat in the back of her drawer of the bathroom, only to be unscrewed a few minutes each evening while she let the shower run and let herself be miserable before putting back on the charade that she was perfectly fine.

Draco froze down the hall as Rebecca disappeared through the wooden door that had appeared in the wall, he having been planning on using the Room himself. "Stupid, didn't even ask for it to be soundproofed!" Draco whispered as he snuck down the hall, listening to the clatter of metal on metal and the beginning of a record. He found himself smiling as her voice joined in with the songs, the words far from right and her tune entirely off.

"Which witch has gone which way? Make me laugh, make me pray..."

Draco had his hand up and pounded on the door, shaking his head in disbelief and shock as the music scratched to a stop. 

"Bloody fucking hell. Find a damn minute to myself and end up-" Rebecca threw the door open, expecting Hermione or Harry to have found her with the aid of the map. "Draco?"

Draco crossed his arms, trying to look intimidating. "What are you doing?"

Rebecca raised an eyebrow, copying his stance. "I could ask the same, considering you're interrupting me."

Draco pursed his lips, finding his mind blank. "Fine." He turned and stepped away, racking his brain for the next time he would be able to escape his housemates attention.

"You can come in. If you want." Rebecca said begrudgingly. "It's my fault anyway. I..." She sighed. "I forgot to ask for privacy because I wanted some biscuits. Got too many." Draco followed her in, finding that the door disappeared once they were in. "What? I learnt my lesson."

Draco took the chair by the table with a heaping mound of biscuits. It occured to Rebecca then, that if Draco was a Death Eater by now, she'd just locked herself in a room with him. But, glancing over her shoulder at how small he looked in the chair, she pushed all those thoughts out of her mind. They couldn't be true.

"You don't mind, do you?" Rebecca asked without waiting for an answer, starting the record again. She bobbed her head and walked back to the chalkboard, writing out the recipe she'd worked on so far before turning and going to the desk and its Potions set up.

Draco stood from the chair, tilting his head at the board before looking over across the desk. "What class is this for?"

Rebecca grinned, "Extra-curricular exploration."

Draco scoffed, "Really? Don't you think this is a waste of time?"

Rebecca shrugged, "It was supposed to be a peaceful break."

His brow furrowed. "Sorry. I can go."

"I'm not saying you have to go, just don't be so-" She gestured her hand over him. "Arseholeish."

He laughed, startling the both of them. "I'll try. Will you tell me what you're working on?"

"Nope." She grinned, "You're still a prefect. Don't you want to be surprised?"

He sighed, "Not really. You won't even give me a hint?"

Rebecca considered it. "Depends. Are you willing to be my tester?"

Draco narrowed his eyes at her before nodding, "If that's how I figure out what you're doing, I don't see a choice."

Rebecca winked, "There's always a choice."

The record player on the side of the room quickly became the only noise, Draco having propped himself up on the chair next to the biscuits with a book open in front of him and Rebecca flitting about her workspace. As much as Draco wanted to read his book to distract himself from the real reason he'd needed the Room of Requirement, he couldn't seem to tear his eyes away from her. 

She bobbed her head with the songs, always working in one way or another. When she finally took a seat nearly an hour later, she had a vial in hand and a wide grin. "Go on then, a drop behind your ear."

He eyed the gold oil. "Maybe I do want to be surprised..."

"Don't be a spoilsport! One drop." Rebecca held it out farther. "Come on-"

"Fine." Draco took the vial quickly, letting a single drop land on his index finger before he dabbed it under his white-blond hair. The oil had a spiceful smell to it, almost like it was a spice pot left to simmer in an old house. 

"Now try and say something." Rebecca sat on the edge of her seat, her head tilted slightly as she waited to see if it was ready to be sent to Fred and George for judgement.

"AVE MARI-" Draco clapped his hand over his mouth at the vibrato-spledour worthy of an Italian opera professional poured out of his mouth. "GRA-"

Rebecca jumped up, clapping and bringing the vial to the envelope she wanted to send off before meeting the others in the common room for some homework. A minute passed of Draco testing his voice, a minute where he continued to belt to miscellaneous opera before he finally spoke again. "What the hell was that?"

Rebecca didn't look up, scratching away at the message with the bottle. Draco stood up, taking the quill from her hand and causing it to smear across the paper. "Hey!"

"What. Was. That?" He enunciated, keeping the quill out of her reach. 

She took her wand out and waved it at the ink errors, frowning. "This would be classified as aresholish." Looking up at him, she crossed her arms--Refusing to jump for her quill. "The oil?"

"No, the bloody perfume. Yes, the oil!"

"That would be my first perfected solo product, if it pleases you." Rebecca slapped the desk loudly, causing Draco to jump. "Give me my quill!" He handed it over without hesitation. "Operatic Oil, I got the name!"

Draco stood awkwardly as she wrote a moment longer, finally standing and putting the vial and the letter into the envelope. 

"Thank you." Rebecca said at last. "For testing it, that is." She looked around the room. "Not as much fun to test things yourself."

"How are Weasle-bee one and two?" Draco's tone didn't have the edge it normally did when talking about the Weasleys, something Rebecca didn't fail to notice.

"Why do you have to do that?" She swung her bag over her shoulder and grabbed her envelope, taking a handful of biscuits for the walk to the Owlery. "You damn well know it's Weasley." She looked up concerned, "Unless you're feeling confused."

Draco rolled his eyes, "Your oil hasn't left me muddled."

"Okay, then why do you have to bad mouth them?" Rebecca shook her head. "Us, really."

Draco knew what he had to do, the opportunity had presented itself and if he didn't do it now, if he didn't sever all ties with her entirely and completely, she was going to get hurt. When he looked back at this, Draco would think of his following words as the hardest he would ever said. "You're not one of them." Rebecca opened her mouth to tell him off, but he continued. "You're not. You're not a Weasley and..." Draco squared his shoulders, facing her directly and staring into her eyes. "You never will be. You're just a charity case that got dumped on them, a pet. An orphan they can't wait to be rid of."

Rebecca looked at him in silence. She wanted to scream at him, she wanted to hit him, she wanted to cry, she wanted to leave, she wanted to do a lot of things. But, her feet stopped listening to her and her brain was filled with his words' echo. It was her worst fear, she'd gotten accustomed to a family. If it was all torn away...It wouldn't be like life with William. She knew what it was like to be treated well, to be loved. Rebecca couldn't stop the tears from leaving her eye; She wiped it away with her sleeve. "You really are an arse."

Her feet came back to life, guiding her from the room that emptied as she left. Her desk, her boards, her space all faded into grey until Draco left the room and asked for what he'd really gone their for: The room with the mounds and piles of discarded furniture, including the vanishing cabinet.

Rebecca thought that leaving him behind would make her feel better, that it would solve her problems, but she couldn't have been more wrong. She had to stop in the first lavatory she found, unable to contain herself any longer. Her bag stayed on her back, the envelope safely tucked on top as her hands grabbed the marble sink sides and her head bowed. Her body shook with the sobs that wracked through her body.

When Ginny had left Transfiguration a few minutes earlier, she'd mainly done so to get away from the neverending lecture, even just for a moment. Finding Rebecca in such an uncharacteristic, unsoothable state was a stroke of fate. Ginny was at her side in an instant, moving so fast Rebecca hadn't even had time to register that someone else was in the bathroom. 

"What's happened?" Ginny demanded, pulling Rebecca away from the sink and into her shoulder. Rebecca put her arms around Ginny, burying her face into her neck and shaking her head. "Rebecca, I need to know." Rebecca held Ginny tighter not answering. "I'll get Hermione if I have to." 

Rebecca took a shuddery breath, not lifting her head from where it was nestled against Ginny's collarbone. "Don't." Ginny's hand moved in circles on Rebecca's back, her head resting on top of Rebecca's. 

"Then I'm afraid you'll have to give me a name." Ginny gritted her teeth. "Ron and I, Harry too, we've got an arse to beat."

Rebecca didn't say anything for a moment longer. 

"I at least have to know what they said." Ginny's tone was desperate, Rebecca's silence scaring Ginny more than her sobbing had.

"It was Malfoy." Ginny continued to stroke Rebecca's back, her hands not faltering. "He said-I don't see how it matters. He said what he said. Repeating it won't change anything."

Ginny shook her head, holding Rebecca at arms length. "It does matter, it matters to me."

Rebecca's eyes filled with tears again. "I'm not a Weasley." Ginny's face burnt with a passion, her rage growing as Rebecca continued. "I'm not one of you, and I never will be. I'm-" Rebecca wiped at the stream of tears falling slowly down her cheek. "I'm an just an orphan"

Ginny's hands tightened on Rebecca's shoulder to the point of pain, the younger girl bringing Rebecca's face inches from hers. "Those are all lies." Ginny's voice was low and dangerous. "You know it."

Rebecca tried to step back, stopped by Ginny's iron grip, "I know they are. You don't understand." 

Ginny stepped forward, stopping only when Rebecca's bag hit the wall. "Then make me."

"You can't!" Rebecca cried out, shaking her head and finding that her tears were slowing. "You can't."

Ginny narrowed her eyes, finding she had little patience. "Don't tell me what I can and can't understand!"

"You'll never have to worry about being tossed out." Rebecca said after a pause. "If mu-Molly and Arthur decided tomorrow that they were done with me, they could. It's daft to pretend other-" Ginny reached forward and hit the side of Rebecca's head with her palm. "Hey!" Ginny did it again, hitting her on the other side. "Stop!"

"You stop!" Ginny roared, bringing her hands up to beat Rebecca further. "Boo hoo! The big bad Slytherin said something mean!" Ginny lowered her hands, finding that she needed to hug Rebecca again after seeing how the older girl was looking at her. "Don't correct yourself, their mum and dad now. You know damn well you're as good a Weasley already and it's not like you'll ever not be one, one way or the other."

Rebecca lifted her head off of Ginny's chest slowly, finding herself emotionally exhausted. "What?"

"Well...you know...One day there'll be a hyphen."

*******************************************

"Say hi if you see Darcy out there, yeah?" Rebecca spoke softly in the Owlery after dinner that night. She wandered back to bed after the Draco-Ginny-incident, finding that the second her head hit the pillow she'd gone out like a light. Hermione had found her like that when she'd woken her up for dinner: Robes on, snoring lightly, dead to the world.

Hedwig cooed, lifting her head to Rebecca's hand for a scratch before heading off into the night with the letter and the vial. Rebecca considered adding in an addendum with what had happened, but decided against it. There was no need to bother Fred with something as silly as- "Darcy?" 

The big brown owl landed in front of her, his feathers ruffled and a scroll tied to his foot. It untied easily, the message to the point:

Statue of the one-eyed witch--Eleven.

-Fred

Rebecca left the Owlery quickly after that. She already had the invisibility cloak, Harry hadn't asked questions when she'd asked for it earlier in the week. All he said was that if she was leaving the castle, she'd better get him. Rebecca smiled at the memory, stepping through the portrait hole to find Hermione and Harry arguing in front of the fire.

Hermione whirled on Rebecca, pointing a finger at her. "Did you know?"

"Know what? Bloody hell, I've just walked in!" 

Hermione shook her head, "No, I know you didn't. You have some sense."

"Personally, I like to think I have a little more than 'some.'" Rebecca said, no one listening.

Ron spoke up from where he was lounged out on the couch. "Hermione's jealous because the book Harry's got has him at the top of the class, higher than both of you!"

Rebecca snorted, "Yeah, sure. It's the first week and," Rebecca lowered her voice like it was a secret. "I have yet to do worse than him, he can't be higher than me without that."

"Not the point!" Hermione interrupted Harry's rebuttal, not wanting to hear how he'd won the Liquid Luck. "Let us see the book."

"No!" Harry held it at his side, backing away from the girls. "The binding is fragile."

"Fragile?" Rebecca asked incredulously. "What is going on?"

"That book--his tips--are coming from an unknown author!" Hermione crossed her arms.

Ginny, sitting on the chair behind them, grabbed the book from Harry's hand and opened the cover. "Who's the half-blood prince?" 

"Who?" Rebecca stepped to Ginny's side and read the name herself.

"That's what it says right here, This book is property of the Half-Blood Prince." Ginny closed the book. "You're following words in a book and you don't know where they came from?" Her voice was quiet.

"It's not like that," Harry reassured immediately. "Look, go for it if you want. I've already made sure that they're just notes." Rebecca looked at Harry as Hermione and Ginny cast diagnostical charms and spells on the book. Harry had his arms crossed. "I'm not a half-wit."

Rebecca walked to Harry's side and put an arm around his middle, watching as Hermione and Ginny spoke in hushed tones. "You know they're just watching out for you."

Harry nodded. "I know." He sighed, "I'm not at the top of the class, just so you know."

Rebecca snorted, "I know." She patted his back before turning up to her room, the evening growing late enough that she could finish one homework assignment before leaving the tower. "At least I don't need anonymous tips."

He stuck his tongue out at her before taking the book Hermione and Ginny held back out to him. The last thing Rebecca heard from the common room was, "It would appear that they're just notes."

*******************************************

"Oh, I guess another wouldn't hurt." The Fat Lady held her cup out in her sleep, disturbed, but not awakened, as Rebecca opened the door. Rebecca crept down the hall, the invisibility cloak hiding her from the patrolling aurors. 

The hardest part about the trip down to the dungeon of the castle was keeping herself calm. Something felt off about Fred's note, it was too short, the writing to dark. He'd written angrily. 

Down in the tunnel to Hogsmeade, Rebecca would find that she was right about one thing: Fred was furious. Ginny'd written him a brief, minimally detailed letter during lunch to tell him that he should be extra kind when they get to Hogsmeade next month and that he could send a nice letter. All leading Fred to the conclusion that something had happened.

He paced back and forth, his wand in hand, his features swathed in shadows as the flames of the torch he'd lit bounced and danced in the darkness. He jerked to a stop at the sound of footsteps coming down the tunnel.

"Fred?" Rebecca called, stupidly.

"Wouldn't you be buggered if I was someone else." Fred remarked. Rebecca tore the cloak off and put her arms around him tightly. He turned in a slow circle, holding her with just as much need as she was. "Ginny wrote."

Rebecca frowned, looking up at him. "She didn't need to, I'm fine."

Fred shook his head, cradling the side of her head. "She said it was the most upset she'd ever seen you. You scared her."

Rebecca closed her eyes, leaning her head into his hand. "It's done, in the past." When she opened her eyes again, Fred's face was set in a scowl. 

"Was it Seamus again?"

"Fr-"

"It was Ron, wasn't it? What's he being an idiot about now?"

"No-"

"I swear, I'll tear them to shre-"

"Fred!" Rebecca's hands tightened on his waist, shaking him once into silence. "It was Malfoy. I-He just shocked me."

"Shocked?" Fred asked, his disbelief evident. 

"I...I wanted to believe that you could choose to be good." Rebecca told him what he had said. "I won't be so naive next time."

Fred grabbed her by her shoulders, putting her back against the wall roughly. "You're not naive," Her breath caught in her throat, the fierce glint in his eyes only magnified by the firelight. "Everyone has a choice, everyone makes the choice to do what's right or what's wrong. You've always believed that." Fred brought his face closer, his words slow and level despite the grip he had on her. "And he was wrong."

Rebecca stared into his eyes, knowing that Ginny had told him the what had been said, just not by whom.

Fred gave her a crooked smile before pulling her into a passionate kiss. "You're mine."

*******************************************

"I don't see why you can't just tell me." Fred pouted. "It's not like I won't know the second I get back."

"I don't know if I could explain it right." Rebecca wasn't wrong. After his proclamation, they'd spent more time than they should have in the tunnel snogging. Her head still felt like it was swimming, Fred's effect on her distractingly potent. She was blaming it on how much she'd been missing him, but there was something else. Something about the way he'd said those words.

"You're mine."

"Hello?" Fred waved a hand in front of her, startling her out of her thoughts. "I was begging for information?"

"You'll see when you get home." Rebecca put her arms over his shoulders, his bent down stance letting her have arms above his. One of her hands rested on the back of his head, slipping through his hair. He buried his face into her neck, leaving a trail of pecks down her neck to her collar bone. "Don't."

Fred paused, his lips still against her skin. "Don't what?" With each word his lips brushed against her skin, his breath hot. She didn't say anything. Fred sighed and stood up, "Okay, okay. It is a school night, after all."

Rebecca nodded, "Yes, and you're not supposed to be here."

"Funny how that comes up after you molest me."

Rebecca's mouth dropped open, "Molest?!"

"I was not a willing participant, not at all. Your snog was entirely one sided." He watched her try to stay serious and laugh. Rebecca picked to cloak up, brushing it off before holding it at her side and turning to him. "I know."

"You know what?" She asked cheekily.

"I know you love me, that's what you were thinking."

Rebecca shrugged, "Maybe."

"Maybe?" Fred reached out for the wall, holding onto it like she'd made him weak. 

Rebecca walked up to him and kissed his cheek. "Maybe. Write me tomorrow about what you think, okay?" 

He nodded, grabbing her hand as she walked away. "Love?" Rebecca closed her eyes a moment, opening them sadly. "Just don't forget your friends are there, okay?" Rebecca wrapped her arms around him again, nodding into him. "And good luck tomorrow. Well, today now." He checked the time and frowned. "Didn't mean to have you out so late."

"I'm a co-captain, I should have only half the work. Besides, I think I needed this."

Fred grinned, "Obliged to help, m'lady." They both laughed a moment before saying--and kissing--goodbye a final time. 

The castle was as empty as it had been when she'd first walked to the tunnel. It was, however, nearly one in the morning and that was to be expected. Until Rebecca walked past the third corridor intersection, she hadn't even seen any of the aurors that were supposed to be on guard at all times.

In the intersection, three of them were huddled around each other, talking amongst themselves freely. 

"Those centaurians, they're raising cain out there, ain't they?" The bearded one's voice was so deep it felt like it was coming from grating boulders.

"Yes, McGorvich. Just as they were last night. And the night before that. And the night-"

"That's enough, Ute." The third, woman silenced the taller woman and the tall man's bickering before it could start. "You only get one break, don't waste it arguing."

"Thank you, Swanson." The man, McGorvich, said pointedly. "I just wanted to see if there had been any information on what has them so riled up."

Ute put a cigarette between her teeth, ignoring the frown Swanson gave her. "It's that tree."

Rebecca froze, her ears straining needlessly to catch their conversation as the three adults continued. They weren't speaking quietly and they certainly weren't hiding anything. 

Swanson nodded, "That does seem to be the precipice of their festivities."

"What festivities?" McGorvich plucked the cigarette from Ute's lips and took a long drag from it before handing it back. "They must do that frequently, if she's not complaining." Rebecca thought, shaking her head at such a pointless observation.

"Albus received a message from their leader, something about the stars revealing a new hero would rise." Swanson sighed and checked the time, seeing how their break was through. "But you didn't hear it from me." She gave instructions to the other aurors before they split and went their separate ways.

Rebecca wandered back to bed as they departed, seeing how she wouldn't be getting any new information that night. "Nothing ever seems to be easy." Was her final thought before she drifted off to sleep, thankful that Hermione hadn't noticed her exit.

*******************************************

"Are you ill?" Hermione was peering over Rebecca the next morning, shaking her lightly. "I've been calling you for ages now. You're going to want breakfast."

Rebecca stretched, mumbling something about being tired. Ginny threw Rebecca's quidditch kit on her, grinning. "C'mon, can't be late." Rebecca sat up slowly, raising her arms so that her kit fell onto the bed next to her. "Chop chop!"

Eyes opening and growing accustomed to the bright morning light, Rebecca nodded. "I know. I'm up." She pulled her pajamas off and donned her kit, grinning at the 'captain' patched onto the shoulder that gleamed back at her in the mirror as she brushed her teeth. "Breakfast?" Rebecca called, hurrying out of the room like she had been waiting for them.

Ginny ran after her, Hermione trailing behind as she tried to decide which book to bring with her to the stands. "So? How was last night?"

"It was a mistake, Ginny." Rebecca put her arm around her as they went down the stairs, Harry and Ron moving to the door and pausing for them. "A wonderful, perfect, brilliant mistake. He can't come save every bad day."

"He didn't save the day." Ginny grumbled. "I did."

Rebecca laughed, "No, I guess you're right. It was perfect though."

"What was perfect?" Ron asked nosily.

"Funny, didn't realise we'd invited you into our conversation, Ronald." Ron gave Ginny a face, sending Ginny forward to shove him away before running down the stairs, Ron in a hot pursuit.

"You're feeling better, I guess?" Harry fell into step beside Rebecca, straightening his shirt. 

"Were you spying on me with the map?" Rebecca asked incredulously. "After all the work we've put into boundar-"

"Ginny asked me if what I thought about owling for Fred." Harry rolled his eyes. "And if I had, it wouldn't have been spying. It would have been....safety reconnaissance."

Rebecca was quiet a moment, Harry and her weaving through the crowded breakfast corridors before entering the Great Hall. "I'm feeling fine." She said at last, glancing at Harry before looking away again. "He just knows how to fix everything." A blush simmered lightly on her cheeks.

Harry and Rebecca joined the now silent Ron and Ginny, not saying anything about the sign language going between them. Ginny crossed her thumb across her neck at Ron menacingly while Ron stuck two fingers up at her.

"Ronald!" Hermione gasped as she sat down on the other side of him. "You are a prefect!"

"But she-"

"I don't want to know." Hermione's voice took on the frightening tone it did when she was deadly serious about something. "Don't do that again, at least not in the Hall!"

Ron nodded, turning his attention away from good natured sibling conflict to the huge breakfast spread in front of them. Rebecca plucked a muffin from the plate, shaking her head as she looked down the table to where Emmet sat entirely alone. 

"We have to leave in fiv-"

"Five minutes, I know." Rebecca patted Harry's shoulder as she passed him. "It's still five minutes." She slid onto the bench across from the first year and smiled warmly. "Good morning!"

Emmet looked up and down the table before returning his eyes to the bowl in front of him. "You don't have to sit with me. I know you just feel bad."

Rebecca leaned forward, "I don't feel badly for you." She grabbed an apple from the bowl, hoping she'd have a moment to finish it as they walked to the pitch. "I feel badly for all these nutters, they don't know what they're missing out on!"

Emmet didn't say anything as he looked over her outfit. "Where're you going in that?"

Rebecca stood up quickly, noticing how Harry was motioning for her to wrap it up. "Quidditch tryouts. You should come! Hermione's sitting up in the stands too."

Emmet stood up with a sigh, "I don't have anywhere else to be."

Rebecca looked at Hermione pointedly, although unnecessarily. "I hope you're offering to keep me company." Emmet nodded once, quietly taking in the older kids. "Good."

Harry sighed, "He still not getting on?"

Rebecca shook her head. "Doesn't seem it. I asked Nigel to make sure he was okay. I've got something I'm planning for Monday, think I'll ask him to help."

"Plans? Since when do you make plans?" Harry snorted. "Would you be late to your own plans or is that only something you do for other peoples'?"

Rebecca took a bite of her apple, ignoring his badgering and turning his attention to the group they could see already formed in the pitch. "Instead of being a git, why don't you think about the tryouts we're about to put on?"

Harry grunted, crossing his arms. "You don't have a plan?"

"I thought I didn't make plans." Rebecca smiled cheekily, "Course I have a plan. I always have a plan."

*******************************************

"This? This was your plan?" Harry hissed annoyed. "To let them talk themselves out?"

Rebecca shrugged, "I thought it would work! Just say something and get their attention."

"Why can't you? You're the people-person."

"Harry, that is absur-"

"SHUT IT!" Ginny shouted at their side, the group falling silent immediately.

Harry glanced at Ginny thankfully while Rebecca clapped her hands and surveyed the lot. "We're going to be running some drills to assess your skills and whatnot."

Harry continued, "Remember, just because you made the team last year does not guarantee you a spot this year. Is that clear?"

No one answered. "Good!" Rebecca asked for all the chasers to follow her move towards her. Harry asked the beaters to go to him. 

Ron glanced up at the stands where Hermione waved from her seat next to the slowly-opening up Emmet. Ron's shoulder was knocked roughly, Cormac McLaggen pushing him as he stepped to his side. "No hard feelings, Weasley, alright?"

"Hard feelings?"

"Yeah." Cormac answered like the answer was obvious. "I'll be going out for keeper as well. It's nothing personal."

"Really? Strapping guy like you? You've got more of a beater's build, don't you think?" Ron looked the other boy over. He was taller than Ron was, and considerably more broad. His arms were corded with muscle and every angle about him was defined. "Keepers need to be quick, agil-"

Cormac raised a hand into the space between them and caught the fly that had been buzzing around them. "I like my chances." Cormac turned his head up towards the stands. "Could you introduce me to your friend Granger? Wouldn't mind getting on first-name basis, if you know what I mean." Cormac grinned at Ron sleazily. Ron didn't open his mouth, he had a sickening feeling he'd say something he'd sorely regret.

Luckily, he didn't have a chance. Rebecca and Harry called for the keepers to take a side and for the chasers to split up evenly. The crowd cheered loudly, more support for Ron than not and only a few voices shouting for Cormac. Emmet watched Hermione stop looking at her book, her attention fully diverted to the game in front of them.

Ginny was clearly one of the best chasers on the pitch, rivaled only by Rebecca and she was more occupied with analysing the players with Harry off to the side. "McLaggen's doing a good job." Harry said softly.

"I know. Ron hasn't had his chance yet, he'll do better." Rebecca wasn't worried, not entirely. Ron was a good keeper, he just had to be in the right mindset. Seeing Ron hold onto his broom like a lemur does a vine, that was probably when she realised she was starting to worry. "Bloody hell."

Hermione narrowed her eyes at Lavender who was sitting a few rows ahead of them, especially when she continued to cheer for Ron and dramatically gasp every time the quaffle so much as inched towards him. The waffle, as Emmet continued to accidentally call it, was stolen by Ginny and taken back towards the other boy, the one who Emmet thought looked like a painting. 

He looked down at his shoes and noticed his laces were uneven. Hermione turned her head, whispering into her hand as Ginny made a shot. "Confundus." 

Emmet sat back up, "Did you say something?"

Hermione shook her head, "No, did you?"

Emmet looked at her carefully. "No..."

A few minutes later, when Ron made an exceptionally fancy save by spinning under his broom and blocking the quaffle with his helmet, Lavender turned to Luna who was next to her. "Isn't he brilliant?"

Luna blinked, shocked out of her daydream. "Not particularly." 

Down on the pitch, Harry and Rebecca were looking over the beaters as they walked the pitch's edge. "Look at her, she swings like an executioner."

Harry eyed his sister, "That is not a normal comparison."

Rebecca ignored him, looking farther down the row where another girl was making her bat whistle she was swinging so hard. "And her! This is damn near impossible. What if we chose them all. No, don't give me that look. We pick them all and make them take turns-"

"That is impossible." McGonagall said from behind them. "You must choose one person to fill the position and one to be their replacement, that is it."

Rebecca looked at the ground, ashamed McGonagall had heard her. "How do you pick?" Harry asked her. "How did you pick us?"

McGonagall smiled, "You two were a little out of the ordinary, I knew how your father flew." The professor looked out over the pitch and the stands. "It's something I just knew."

Rebecca sighed, "We have until the afternoon, right?"

McGonagall nodded, "Yes, until three. The lists have to be approved and then posted before supper." McGonagall looked between them two, "I trust co-captains to be on the same page with each decision."

Harry and Rebecca answered in unison. "Of course."

*******************************************

The Great Hall was filled with the sounds of scraping cutlery, celebration, and loss. "I hope Cormac's not taking it too hard." Ron said as he cut into another serving of chicken, sounding like he absolutely hoped Cormac was suffering. "Hev ot a ing or ou, erione."

Hermione looked at Ron distastefully. "I do not speak food-in-mouth."

Rebecca chimed in, "I do! He said Cormac's got a thing for you."

Ron nodded, eating more. Hermione frowned, "He's positively vile." Harry ignored the feeling of Ginny's eyes landing on him and instead focused on getting the last greenbean off his plate onto his fork. 

Emmet waved to Rebecca from down the table. After tryouts had finished and a list had been made, Rebecca went on a hunt for every Gryffindor first year she could find, telling them about the mental rumour she'd heard about Emmet and Monday morning, adding more and more insane details until it started to spread on its own.

Of course, Rebecca had made sure it was okay with Emmet in the first place and she had. The second she'd walked next to him as they headed back up to the castle. "Why are you doing this? Don't you have your own issues to solve?" Emmet hadn't asked her cruelly, he was honestly curious as to why she'd taken such an interest in him.

"I don't know." Emmet gave her a face. "Honest! I don't. My," She sighed. "My boyfriend's not here this year. I thought it would be something he'd have agreed with."

Emmet looked at her carefully. "Fred?"

Rebecca laughed, "Where'd you figure that out?"

Emmet joined her laughter, finding the feeling alien after the lonely week he'd had. "You get letters from a Fred every morning and you tear into them like Christmas presents."

Harry leaned forward, "That's not just because its him, she opens every envelope like that."

Emmet thought that was even funnier, laughing harder. Harry turned to Ron after a moment, wanting to go over a few things of his that needed improvement. Rebecca put an arm around Emmet's shoulders, lowering her voice. "Listen to this, it's how we're going to get you out there..."

Granted, the idea had been a lot better in her head before she and Emmet were standing in front of Professor McGonagall's desk.

"That's the look Rebecca warned me about." Emmet thought, only able to look straight into their head of house's eyes a few seconds before having to look away. "It really does scream in disappointment."

*******************************************

Author's Note:

That's a wrap! The sequel, "'Love? 'Yes, Darling?'" will be set up right after this is posted! As of this chapter, "All I Ask of You" has been a 470,000+ word adventure. I hope you tune in for more!

<3


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